After the hillfort had been abandoned it became incorporated into a linear earthwork known as Wat's Dyke.
The much-reduced remains of the Dyke are a slight bank running beside the house at the base of the hill. A hedge line marks the Dyke, where it continued on the north side of the hillfort.
Wat's Dyke is 40 miles long and originally consisted of a substantial bank with a deep ditch on the Welsh side. The Dyke is carefully aligned to occupy a strong strategic position between the Shropshire/Cheshire lowlands and the Welsh Hills.
Wat's Dyke is one of a number of linear earthworks in the Welsh borders, and is similar to the longer Offa's Dyke. This was probably built by King Offa in the 8th century to separate his Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia from the British kingdoms in Wales.
Unlike Offa, 'Wat' is not a known historical figure and recent dating evidence suggests that Wat's Dyke was probably built some time before Offa's Dyke. Perhaps it was an earlier border between the Anglo-Saxon and British population or perhaps it defined the western boundary of a now forgotten kingdom which ruled the Shropshire/Cheshire area in the post-Roman period?
During the First World War, the hillfort was used as a military training area for troops based at the nearby Park Hall camp. Trenches were dug and the use of explosives caused the creation of shallow craters sometimes mistaken for archaeological features. Much of the archaeology of the interior of the fort was damaged at this time.
Disclaimer
The text and pictures on this page are derived from the 'Heritage Unlocked' series of guidebooks published in 2004. We intend to review, update and enhance the content in the near future as part of the Portico project, whose objective is to provide information on the history, significance, research background and sources for all English Heritage properties.
