Offa's Dyke Association
Offa's Dyke Association
Picture above: the BBC at the Knighton Centre
As a fiercely proud Welshman, Iolo Williams can probably be forgiven for viewing the border country along the 170-mile Offa's Dyke with a smidgeon of caution. After all it is along this great stretch of countryside which extends from the River Severn in the south to the sea near Prestatyn in the north, where Wales conjoins with its old enemy England. However, this does mean that the border is rich in fascinating history and culture as well as some of the most beautiful countryside in the United Kingdom - something which always brings a satisfied smile to the face of one of Wales's most passionate conservationists.
Picture above: Abseiling
"It is graced with scenery to die for," says Iolo, who walked along the Dyke with co-presenter and historian Tessa Dunlop for a new five-part TV series for BBC Wales. "There are also places which have been designated areas of outstanding natural beauty or of special scientific interest and the countryside around the Dyke is absolutely teeming with wildlife," he adds. Tessa says the history of the Dyke is just as compelling: "No one really knows why the English King Offa built the Dyke in the eighth century. But the ambiguity surrounding the Dyke is what makes it so fascinating." "There are plenty of ideas and theories as to why Offa, who I believe was a megalomaniac, constructed this enormous, mind-boggling boundary, and more unanswered questions." In the first programme in the series (February 22) Iolo and Tess stop off at Chepstow Castle - the first of its kind to be built in Wales, and discuss the often harsh and violent treatment of the Welsh by the Normans who occupied it. They also learn more about the now ruined Piercefield Estate on the banks of the River Wye and how Tintern Abbey became a Mecca for the artistic community in the 18th century. After visiting the famous Rockfield Studios in Monmouthshire to find out more about the recording of Bohemian Rhapsody by the rock group Queen, Iolo asks Tessa about one of the most reviled men in Welsh history - Henry V, who was in fact born in Monmouth.
Picture above: Iolo and Tessa
Throughout the series, Iolo and Tessa will be seen discussing the age-old battle between Wales and England. And although the duo don't always see eye to eye, Tessa does have some understanding of the Wales-England dynamic. "Having been brought up in Scotland I know all about the feelings and fears experienced by those on the Celtic fringes, even though they may be slightly irrational," she says. "But all along the Offa's Dyke border we found an ambiguous national identity and many historical and natural curiosities pointing to the complex but ultimately enriching mix of Welsh/Anglo culture."
See the BBC's web pages on the Offa's Dyke Path.
Picture above: Iolo and Tessa at Chepstow Castle
Win a copy of Jim Saunders' book on Offa's Dyke.
Picture above: Tessa and Waterwheel
Read more about the programme.
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This web page was last revised in February 2007. Copyright 2007 by the Offa's Dyke Association, registered charity no. 503821.