Meg Dike

Meg Dike is a historically significant heritage site located in Yorkshire, England. This ancient earthwork, also known as a dyke, stretches across the landscape for approximately 2 miles, making it one of the longest and most impressive examples of its kind in the region.

Believed to have been constructed during the Iron Age, Meg Dike served as a defensive structure, protecting the inhabitants of the surrounding settlements from potential threats. The earthwork consists of a deep ditch, or trench, accompanied by a high bank on the outer side. The ditch was likely filled with water in order to enhance its defensive capabilities. Today, the ditch remains clearly visible, although the bank has eroded to some extent over the centuries.

Meg Dike's strategic location on a ridge offers commanding views of the surrounding countryside, making it an ideal spot for surveillance and communication. This suggests that the dyke played a key role in the early inhabitants' defensive and territorial strategies.

Visitors to Meg Dike can explore the site's impressive earthwork, walking along the path that follows the bank and admiring the scale of the construction. The site offers a unique opportunity to experience the remnants of ancient engineering and to gain insight into the defensive tactics employed by Iron Age communities.

Meg Dike is of significant historical and archaeological importance, providing valuable evidence of the region's past. Its preservation and accessibility enable visitors to connect with the ancient landscape and appreciate the ingenuity and resourcefulness of our ancestors.