Black Ditches, Cavenham
Encyclopedia
Black Ditches is an earthwork close to Cavenham
, which is generally assumed to be Anglo-Saxon
, dating to the 6th or 7th century. It runs south-east from the village for approximately 2 kilometres (1 mi), remaining almost unbroken as a single embankment along its length, reaching a height of almost 2 metres (7 ft) at points. It appears on the list of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Suffolk.
It is the most easterly of the five earthworks of the Wuffings kingdom that defended the ancient road of Icknield Way
, the others being Devil's Dyke
, Fleam Dyke
, Bran ditch
and Brent Ditch
. It is not as well preserved as the western defences, and unlike these other earthworks, access to the Black Ditches is limited, with no public right of way. It is therefore best viewed from the public road.
Cavenham
Cavenham is a civil parish in Suffolk, England, northwest of Bury St Edmunds. It is in the local government district of Forest Heath, and the electoral ward of Icini. The parish includes Cavenham Heath, a Site of Special Scientific Interest with a sand and gravel quarry. At the 2001 UK census,...
, which is generally assumed to be Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
, dating to the 6th or 7th century. It runs south-east from the village for approximately 2 kilometres (1 mi), remaining almost unbroken as a single embankment along its length, reaching a height of almost 2 metres (7 ft) at points. It appears on the list of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Suffolk.
It is the most easterly of the five earthworks of the Wuffings kingdom that defended the ancient road of Icknield Way
Icknield Way
The Icknield Way is an ancient trackway in southern England. It follows the chalk escarpment that includes the Berkshire Downs and Chiltern Hills.-Background:...
, the others being Devil's Dyke
Devil's Dyke, Cambridgeshire
The Devil's Dyke is an earthwork in the English county of Cambridgeshire. It consists of a long bank and ditch that runs in a south-east direction from the small village of Reach to nearby Woodditton...
, Fleam Dyke
Fleam Dyke
Fleam Dyke is an earthwork in eastern Cambridgeshire, England, generally assumed to be Anglo-Saxon of origin. As a few potsherds of the early and late Bronze age were found in the most eastern part of the dyke it seems that much older earthworks have been used. The archaeologist Prof...
, Bran ditch
Bran ditch
Bran Ditch or Heydon Ditch is generally assumed to be an Anglo-Saxon earthwork in southern Cambridgeshire, England.Most of the ditch has been lost to agriculture over time, but its line its marked throughout by both hedgerow and the route of the Harcomlow Way and Icknield Way paths...
and Brent Ditch
Brent Ditch
Brent Ditch is generally assumed to be an Anglo-Saxon earthwork in Southern Cambridgeshire, England built around the 6th and 7th Centuries . However most of its structure has been lost over time...
. It is not as well preserved as the western defences, and unlike these other earthworks, access to the Black Ditches is limited, with no public right of way. It is therefore best viewed from the public road.