United Kingdom

Balt Moor Wall

Medieval causeway earthwork in the Somerset Levels, UK

Location

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Historical Context

About

Balt Moor Wall is an earthwork and listed scheduled ancient monument in Lyng, Somerset, England, situated on the Somerset Levels to the northwest of the River Tone. The site contains the remains of a section of medieval causeway, which now forms a raised embankment between 6 metres (20 ft) and 10 metres (33 ft) wide and up to 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) high. The structure, which English Heritage refers to as "a rare example of medieval engineering", appears to have been built to protect the Salt Moor from the flooding of the River Tone in the Athelney-Lyng gap.

Paleolithic
Mesolithic
Neolithic
Chalcolithic
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Classical Period
Post-Classical Period
Early Modern Period
Industrial Period
Contemporary Period
Temporal Epochs

Historical Timeline

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Possible original construction

9th century

First documentary mention

between 1135 and 1154

Masonry encasement ordered

1880

Geophysical surveys

1987 and 1993

Trenching and pottery discovery

1996

Classification

Archaeological Features

Unique architectural and cultural elements found at this historical site

category

Water Management Features

Dams
category

Environmental and Natural Features

Landscaped EarthworksArtificial Mounds
category

Transportation and Communication Structures

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Reference

Details

Country

United Kingdom

Coordinates

51.06° N, -2.95° E