Nico Ditch, Linear earthwork in Greater Manchester, England
The Nico Ditch is a linear earthwork extending roughly six miles between Ashton-under-Lyne and Stretford, measuring about four meters wide and one and a half meters deep. This structure represents a large-scale defensive or boundary line from centuries ago.
The earthwork was constructed between the fifth and eleventh centuries, with its first written mention appearing in a document from the twelfth century. This timeline suggests the structure developed gradually over several medieval centuries.
Local people built different sections of the ditch, with each person responsible for digging a length matching their own height. This method reveals how communities organized shared labor in medieval times.
A preserved section of around three hundred meters can be seen at Denton Golf Course, where the original construction is clearly visible. Visitors can walk the grounds there and observe the earthwork's shape from close up.
The earthwork crosses four metropolitan boroughs and lies partly hidden beneath Audenshaw reservoirs, which were built in the nineteenth century. This overlap demonstrates how later developments can cover older structures from view.
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