h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I knew of Hardrians wall (and of the Antonine wall) as a Roman border with Scotland, and of Offa's Dyke as a boundary between Mercia (England) and Wales.

However, whilst I had heard of Wansdyke, I did not know where it was or who was on either side.

The following website indicates that it was probably a boundary between British Celt and Saxon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wansdyke_(earthwork)#West_Wansdyke

It runs from Wiltshire through to Somerset.

What surprised me was that it dated back to that era, and its direction, which seems to essentially to run east to west.

I would have assumed a British/Saxon boundary would likely run north-south, or perhaps north-west to south-east.

If it is a British defence it seems that they only feared invasion from the north, not the east. Odd.