Along The Way

      All maps are not created equal. From last post, the following is a repeat of the map that shows Old Oswestry hillfort with Wat's dyke heading north. It is colored orange, heading about 20 degree NNW out of the lowest contact with the fort. It is coming from ground level. [streetmap.co.uk 2007]

      The following map tries to follow this dike along its entire path northward. It is my drawing placed on a survey map drawn 1583 by Saxton described as "The first modern topographical survey of England and Wales...". [copy is taken from Saxton's Survey of England and Wales With a facsimile of Saxton's wall-map of 1583, by R.A. Skelton, 1974, marked X]. The dyke, also drawn in orange, begins at Oswestry heading north, passing through suburbs of Wrexham, and ending at Basingwerk Abby although this location is not shown on this map. It (the map) shows Holywell, where the dyke enters on the NE side at a site Coed Strand meaning trees/forest/woodland.

      The details of the topography show the relationship of the highlands to the lowlands. The major mountains recognized are colored various ways, clustering groups by certain colors. You can follow the orange line (Wat's Dyke) pretty much separating the highlands from the lowlands along the way.