Bokerley Dyke

Bokerley Dyke is a Romano-British defensive ditch in north east Dorset, England, near the village Pentridge. The ditch ran for several miles, cutting across the Roman Road between Old Sarum and Badbury Rings on the Cranborne Chase ridgeway. Dated to 367 CE, it was constructed to keep the Saxon invaders out of Dorset. The dyke is thought to have been successful, allowing the Romano-British people to survive in Dorset for almost 200 years after the Roman occupation officially ended.

When Bokerley Dyke fell in the second half of the 6th century the defensive line moved back to Combs Ditch, 30 miles south-west, but this fell soon afterwards and the Saxons moved on to Dorchester.

Bokerley Dyke is continuous with Grim's Ditch which runs into Hampshire.

External links

*gbmapping|SU042192
* [http://www.imagesofdorset.org.uk/Dorset/104/intro.htm Images of Dorset: Pentridge]

References

* Taylor, Christopher, 1970. "The Making of the Dorset Landscape". London: Hodder & Stoughton.