More information : Bishop's Dyke - probably formed as a defensive earthwork during the Scottish wars for the manor of Dalston, and consists of a double ditch with a causeway between.
Commencing near the River Caldew at Cummersdale, the dyke passes to the north of Dalston Hall, crosses the Dalston-Carlisle road at East Barras, continues for two hundred yards and then swings south-west. It is then lost in a morass but is well preserved in a strip of wood to the south.
From here it continues to West Barras at Barras Brow Foot, crosses Barras Lane, then along Buebank Lane to Bruntgate, then along a footpath to Bellgate, and, continuing in a south-west direction, finally ends on the steep banks of Shawk Beck.
The word `Barras' which occurs along the length of the dyke is Old French for `barrier' or `outwork'(5), and Ferguson (4) implies that it marks the enclosure round the Teutonic `ton' of Dalston, dug by early settlers. (1-5)
Bishop's Dyke is generally in poor condition. Published survey (25") revised. (6)
See Linear Archive File LINEAR 63 for further details. (7)
There is a possible Mediaeval gateway at NY374518. (8) |