The vallum between the road to Laversdale at Oldwall and Baron’s Dike in wall miles 59 and 60

Scheduled Monument List Entry Ref: 1010990

Grid Tile: NW45SE

OS Map (1800s)

GE Satellite Map

LidAR Map

Dyke: NY 47083 61223

Length (m): 1,868

Orientation: W – E

Class Designation*:

Overall Width (m): 36

Ditch Width (m): 10

Bank Width (m): 13 x2

Connectivity**: Dyke

Ditch Shape: ?

Volume (cu.m): 24,484 (@ 1.3 depth)

Man hours to complete: 80,497

Estimated Construction Date: Roman

Dyke: NY 46462 60837 (no scheduling)

Length (m): 2,467

Orientation: N – S

Class Designation*:

Overall Width (m): 18

Ditch Width (m): 8

Bank Width (m): 5

Connectivity**: River

Ditch Shape: ?

Volume (cu.m): 25,657 (@ 1.3 depth)

Man hours to complete: 85,523

Estimated Construction Date: ?

Scheduled Monument Report:

The monument includes the section of vallum and its associated features between the road to Laversdale at Oldwall in the east and the west side of Baron’s Dike in the west. The vallum survives as a buried feature throughout most of this section. Its course is recognisable on the ground as slight depressions in fields and as distinct depressions in hedgelines which cross its course in the eastern half of this section. East of Baron’s Dike the vallum survives as a slight earthwork visible as four parallel flat topped mounds, 0.7m high. Excavations at Bleatarn by Haverfield in 1894-5 recovered remains of the vallum. This area is now partly built over. Archaeological remains have not been confirmed to survive below the modern buildings. Consequently the ground beneath the buildings is not included in the scheduling. Elsewhere there are no surface traces of the vallum. The excavations at Bleatarn suggested the existence of quarries here, possibly of Roman date, but the confusing nature of the reports questions the reliability of such an assertion. All field boundaries, buildings and road and track surfaces are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath is included.

Comments:

Analysis shows that the Vellu seems to terminate when it meets Baron’s Dike – was this a source of water for the Roman Dyke?

References:

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/101990

http://prehistoric-britain.co.uk/gigantic-prehistoric-canals-dykes-wansdyke