I 



57 



but it is mentioned by Alfred in his laws (The Making of England). Now all this 

 proves nothing as to its object ; it might have been a boundary or a fortification, 

 as whatever its object, it is only likely that different laws should have governed 

 the races on either side. But it is very significant that although in some cases the 

 dyke does form the boundaries of the parishes, yet in many cases it does not, the 

 parishes overlapping it in all directions. Sometimes the dyke even runs down the 

 centre of the parish ; yet the parishes had assumed their present boundaries early 

 in the 10th century. Judging from that, the dyke had fallen into disuse as a 

 boundary thus early. 



Now, if we take the general character of the dyke. It chose high ground, 

 always taking the Welsh side of a hill. If the hill is steep it exists only as a scarp, 

 if not, a bank is raised to inci'ease the scarp. Descending the hills, it assumes the 

 character of a deep ditch, and as you cross the valleys, the ditch disappears and 

 gives place to high bank. But everywhere the one object seems to have been 

 to get a scarp against the Welsh side, of some six to eight feet high, as easily as 

 possible, and utterly regardless of taking up any particular ground. 



If we take the facts as related by history, we find that Offa, after repeated 

 battles with the Welsh, advances the western frontier of Mercia beyond the 

 Severn, and occupies the country thus taken, but does not e.xpel its former inhabi- 

 tants in the same way that the Saxons had hitherto done. He would then, no 

 doubt, be as anxious for peace on bis western, as on his eastern frontier, in order 

 to give him time to consolidate his empire. But what was he to do ? He was at 

 peace no doubt, nominally, with the Welsh princes, but how was he to protect his 

 fertile settlements in the Shropshire and Herefordshire vales from the incursions 

 of the marauders ? If he complained to their princes, he would probably get the 

 same answer that the Ameer of Cabul gives to the Viceroy of India, when he com- 

 plains of an Affridi raid on the Peshawar frontier — " that he had better punish 

 them himself." But how is he to do it ? He cannot follow them to their fast- 

 nesses, as he is ignorant of their position ; and even if he did, he would find, as we 

 find in India, that the cattle have been driven off, and all valuables removed long 

 before he got there. Besides, it would take a standing army, and even then it 

 would be inefficiently done, and so he makes every settlement protect its own 

 frontier, and constructs Offa's dyke. Up the gentle slopes he makes a big ditch 

 with a slight bank ; on the flat valleys, a high bank ; on the sides of steep hills, a 

 scarp, six or eight feet high ; but all continuous. What he was aiming at was to 

 construct a military obstacle of such proportions that cattle could not be driven 

 over or across it, and through which it would take some hours to make a passage 

 for them. For this reason, he takes the far side of the hills, as here he can get a 

 'bix or eight feet scarp with little trouble- the steeper the slope, the easier scarped 

 — and when once made, would require no watching or defence, and in the hour of 

 danger he can concentrate his forces on more vulnerable places. Now, what hap- 

 pens when a raid is made, supposing the marauders to have crossed the dyke 

 unobserved, and to have successfully attacked a settlement and driven off the 

 cattle, and to be returning homewards, having beaten off their pursuers ? They 

 are not to get off so easily. A small patrol has found traces of a body of men who 



