Beech Bottom Dyke

Beech Bottom Dyke

Beech Bottom Dyke, is a massive ditch running across the northern edge of St Albans, Hertfordshire flanked by banks on both sides. It is up to 30 meters wide, and 10 meters deep, and is visible for just under a mile along the northern edge of the city. It was constructed towards the end of the Iron Age, and probably in the early 1st century A.D., most likely around 5 and 40 A.D. This, and other similar earthworks in the district, were built by the powerful Celtic tribe established in this area, the Catuvellauni, probably by King Cunobelinus to define areas of land around their tribal centre at Verlamion - the predecessor of the Roman city of Verulamium.

Beech Bottom Dyke is thought to have originally joined up with the Devil's Dyke and another ancient earthwork known as "The Slad" to create a defensive earthwork running from the River Lea to the River Ver enclosing an area of approximately 35 hectares (86 acres).

External links

* [http://www.thecelticplanet.com/beech.htm The Celtic Planet website]


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