1006981 – Grim’s Ditch: section 1 mile long E from Southfield Shaw to Streatley parish boundary

Historic England listed monument: 1006981 – LiDAR Tile: SU57SE – Berkshire

GE Map

1006981 - Grim's Ditch: section 1 mile long E from Southfield Shaw to Streatley parish boundary
1006981 – GE

OS Map

1006981 - Grim's Ditch: section 1 mile long E from Southfield Shaw to Streatley parish boundary
1006981 – OS

1800 OS Map

1006981 - Grim's Ditch: section 1 mile long E from Southfield Shaw to Streatley parish boundary
1006981 – OS

LiDAR Map

1006981 - Grim's Ditch: section 1 mile long E from Southfield Shaw to Streatley parish boundary
1006981 – Lidar
1006981 - Grim's Ditch: section 1 mile long E from Southfield Shaw to Streatley parish boundary
1006981 – with prehistoric water levels
1006981 - Grim's Ditch: section 1 mile long E from Southfield Shaw to Streatley parish boundary
Another Dyke missed by Archaeologists

SU 54943 78443

Length (m): 2,237

Orientation: W – E then SW – NE

Class Designation*:

Overall Width (m): 18

Ditch Width (m): 8

Bank Width (m): 6

Connectivity**: Paleochannel

Ditch Shape: ?

Volume (cu.m): 17,448 (@ 1.3 depth)

Man hours to complete: 58,162

Estimated Construction Date: Mesolithic

Number of Quarries*** (within 200m): 66

Number of Springs**** (within 200m): 0

Scheduled Monument Report:

None

Analysis:

This Dyke system looks like it was constructed over a period of years if not centuries. It connects on both ends the Paleochannels and it has an unidentified Dyke withing part of its alignment to the SE which seems to turn south then east until it connects to the same Paleochannel as Grim’s Dyke. To the West of the exit of this Dyke into the Paleochannel is the Site of Peterborough Castle – which would seem to be the logical place to take the quarried materials for either processing or trading.

What is quite remarkable about this area around the Scheduled monument is the excessive number of Quarry pits. Some of these quarry pits are on roads – suggesting the continuation of quarrying in recent (Roman?) periods – but over 50% are not connected by any road but lay on the shorelines of the prehistoric waters – which suggests that they are at least Mesolithic/Neolithic in date.

References:

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1006981?section=official-list-entry

https://prehistoric-britain.co.uk/dyke-construction-hydrology-101


Further Reading

For information about British Prehistory, visit www.prehistoric-britain.co.uk for the most extensive archaeology blogs and investigations collection, including modern LiDAR reports.  This site also includes extracts and articles from the Robert John Langdon Trilogy about Britain in the Prehistoric period, including titles such as The Stonehenge Enigma, Dawn of the Lost Civilisation and the ultimate proof of Post Glacial Flooding and the landscape we see today. . (TSE DVD Introduction)

Robert John Langdon has also created a YouTube web channel with over 100 investigations and video documentaries to support his classic trilogy (Prehistoric Britain). He has also released a collection of strange coincidences that he calls ‘13 Things that Don’t Make Sense in History’ and his recent discovery of a lost Stone Avenue at Avebury in Wiltshire called ‘Silbury Avenue – the Lost Stone Avenue’. (TSE DVD Introduction)

Langdon has also produced a series of ‘shorts’, which are extracts from his main body of books:

The Ancient Mariners

Stonehenge Built 8300 BCE

Old Sarum

Prehistoric Rivers

Dykes ditches and Earthworks

Echoes of Atlantis

Homo Superior

For active discussions on the findings of the TRILOGY and recent LiDAR investigations that are published on our WEBSITE, you can join our and leave a message or join the debate on our Facebook Group.

For in-depth information about British Prehistory, we invite you to explore www.prehistoric-britain.co.uk, an extensive resource featuring archaeology blogs and investigations. This collection includes modern LiDAR reports that shed light on ancient landscapes. Additionally, you will find extracts and articles from the Robert John Langdon Trilogy, offering fascinating insights into Britain during the Prehistoric period. Some notable titles from the trilogy include “The Stonehenge Enigma,” “Dawn of the Lost Civilisation,” and groundbreaking evidence of Post Glacial Flooding and its impact on the landscape we see today.

Robert John Langdon has further enriched the exploration of Prehistoric Britain through his YouTube web channel, boasting over 100 investigations and video documentaries that complement his classic trilogy. In addition to his extensive work, Langdon has unveiled a compilation of intriguing coincidences titled “13 Things that Don’t Make Sense in History.” He has also brought to light his recent discovery of a forgotten Stone Avenue in Avebury, Wiltshire, aptly named ‘Silbury Avenue – the Lost Stone Avenue.’

For those who wish to actively engage in discussions about the findings from the TRILOGY and recent LiDAR investigations, we invite you to join our community. You can participate by leaving messages and joining debates on our dedicated Facebook Group. We encourage open dialogue and the exchange of ideas to foster a deeper understanding of Prehistoric Britain and its fascinating mysteries.

As you embark on your journey through British Prehistory, we hope these resources provide valuable insights and inspire further exploration of this captivating field of study.

NB. Recent investigations have indicated the location of hundreds of Quarries and pits built around Wansdyke and how the Dykes were used to transport the minerals transported in these Dykes – see the main site for details of blogs and books on this new discovery.