To The South

Wat's Dyke extends its way southward out of Basingwerk Abbey. Passing near Halkyn Mountain, it moves between Caerwys and Northop to join the eastern bank of the Alyn river. Here it runs parallel on its eastern bank, splitting Mold and Buckley, Leeswood and Hope, and enters Denbighshire near Caergwrle. Continuing southward, it intersects the ground of Erddig estate just west of Wrexham, leaving Brymbo and Moss on the western side, and Gresford on the eastern side. It then passes near Rhuabon, on its eastern side, entering the grounds of Wynnstay. It then joins the Dee for about 2 miles, until it joins the eastern margin of Brynkinallt Park. Then, near Gobowen Station, it follows a line almost due south to Oswestry. Setlattyn is located to the west, with Whittington and Ellesmere to the eastern side. This dyke must have been the Saxons earliest attempt to mark their boundary and new settlement claims. [Offa extending their claims further western under his reign. (d. 796 AD)]

This account is taken from Nicholas, Vol. I, p.388, p. 437. The title of his book is : Annals and Antiquities of the Counties and County Families of Wales. It was first published in London, 1872 and reprinted by the Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1991. I am not sure if some of the landmarks are still standing as listed. If any reader can make any correction please post. It was along this Wat's Dyke that many of my Welsh family made their stories...my Welsh genealogy.