The Covid-19 pandemic has been a real struggle for all of us, not least the Offa’s Dyke Centre staff and committee members because just as membership was rising and we had more Outreach and other events planned, it struck and we had to close down.
The old, familiar Offa’s Dyke centre display
The good news is that the executive committee membership has increased, the number of trustees has increased and thanks to a successful funding bid, we are re-opening on St. David’s day 2021 with a facelift on the inside!
With the incredible artist Dan Llewelyn Hall putting on an art exhibition, the Offa‘sDykeYAC and Outreach contacts supplying some creative works and the whole exhibition area being refurbished with new lights and multi-media installed, the centre will be a far more attractive space.
The beautiful throne has been moved
The Anglo-Welsh bridge (very popular with our Outreach visitors)
The committee has met several times now in person (we have had lots of meetings online), so it was good to see that other committee members were safe and well. Here you see a couple of us discussing the new layout for the display space. I’d love to tell you more now but I don’t want to spoil the surprise!
An empty Offa’s Dyke Centre during the refurbishment
We have a great visit planned next year where folks from http://wilderness-expertise.co.uk will be traversing part of Offa’s Dyke with their #developingpotential mantra and we will be doing at least some of the journey with them (The Offa’s Dyke Outreach youngsters walking group).
Planned for the summer of 2021, the group will be met and accompanied by the Outreach officer on a 4/5 day trek along the dyke talking of the archaeology, heritage, personal histories of those living along the dyke over time as well as the impact on the Welsh and the Mercians as ‘borders’ become ever more relevant nowadays.
“There’s a disruption in the force …” or is it “a wiggle in Offa’s Dyke“?
We visited a section of Offa’s Dyke in Herefordshire where we are going to invite schools in the area and the YAC to maybe help out clear part of the Dyke as well as measure it, draw it, photograph it and clean it!
About halfway down this map is Kington where Offa’s Dyke takes a detour …why was that do you think?
The path of Offa’s Dyke with Kington just about central
An aerial view of the Dyke clearly visible in the landscape. You can see the ‘wiggle’ so why there? Was it a mistake by the builders? Note the path leaves the Dyke to toddle off down to Knighton.
Offa’s Dyke and path at Kington Offa’s Dyke kink at Kington (,
Did the builders make a mistake?
This seems highly unlikely as the Saxons were very good at building dykes – they had done it for a long time and lets face it the whole of Offa’s Dyke is 170km or so so surely they would not make a silly mistake like this?
At this point, Offa’s Dyke is almost at the top of the hill. Is that a clue? Note the Offa’s Dyke Path turns off to go to Kington …well it is a lovely place to visit isn’t it.
Click on the images below to see more of what we saw there. There is a lot of bracken and gorse so bring gloves but in the meantime …what do you think about the kink?
The fence atop the Dyke
The Dyke is so clearly visible
The clear bank and ditch of Offa’s Dyke
Ian and Mel discuss the ‘wiggle’
Dougal is definitely impressed
The original stone? With the gorse and bracken on it
Imagine the ditch without all this back fill
The gorse on the top of the Dyke where the sheep haven’t cleaned up
The path of the Dyke follows the top of the hill still
Mel standing by the Offa’s Dyke Path
The Dyke turns almost 90 degrees Kington
These rocks didn’t find their own way here …
The Dyke clear in the landscape
At the top of the hill? That’s not typical of the Dyke.
Generically this site is dedicated to our Outreach for schools, clubs and groups, etc. however we also carry out outreach to local groups and clubs as well as local communities if necessary with resources and talks including oral histories, local photography and “History Pins”, stories, anecdotes, history, heritage and guidance on how folks can monitor and protect Offa’s Dyke and Wat’s Dyke all of which feeds into projects in and around the Offa’s Dyke Association and Centre. These include the Offa’s Dyke Collaboratory (with the incredible Prof. Howard Williams), CoSMM (Community Stewardship of Mercian Monuments thanks to the Offa’s Dyke YAC leaders) and liaising strongly with local community groups, Universities, and our colleagues in Offa’s Dyke Association North and Offa’s Dyke Association South.
With this, we are also co-founders of the Offa’s Dyke YAC (Young Archaeologists Club) which meets (aside from Covid-19) at the Offa’s Dyke Centre, Powys, Knighton, once a month. For more information please just contact us …
The Offa’s Dyke Association (2017) Welcome to the Offa’s Dyke Association, Offa’s Dyke Association. Available at: http://offasdyke.org.uk/ (Accessed: 11 April 2017).
