Kepwick Dyke

 dike, scheduled ancient monument

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A linear dyke directed toward tumuli at the western end, terminating in the east in the head of Thorodale. It has several circular pits (3.6m diameter, up to 1.5m deep) and is much mutilated by quarrying. The dyke is cut by the Hambleton Street and the Kepwick-Hawnby road and appears to be earlier than both. The bank lies to the north of the ditch, with some counterscarp on the south. Height of bank above ground level, 0.5m; Depth of ditch below ground level, 0.6m; Width of bank, 3.3m; Width of ditch,3.6m.

Part of the Cleave Dyke system which is shown by field and aerial evidence to originate probably in the late Bronze or Iron Age. The system was developed earlier than the Hambleton Street and the High Street which seem to have come into use in the Roman and/or Saxon periods. Documents from the 12th century onwards show that some of the dykes continued in use as township boundaries until the present day.

www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=55766