A king would build a wall - from sea to sea. His council believe he's mad - and who's going to pay?
The land of Britannia in the eighth century is as turbulent as ever. The untamed native Celtic tribes have taken refuge in the mountainous west. The sophisticated Saxon immigrants occupy the lands to the east, led by mighty king Offa.
The Dyke is a story about families and individuals, rulers and 'ruled' alike. Ivan, son of a Welsh nobleman is on his first raid. Amongst the captives they take is Aebbe, a beautiful blond haired Saxon girl. Wulfric, Aebbe's brother is away from the village and escapes the raid. On his return he sees his father, Hrodulf the Bear is slain and is a witness to the scene of massacre in his village. He vows, over the body of his father, to avenge his father and rescue his sister.
King Offa, heavily influenced by his queen, Cynethryth, has a master plan - to build a permanent barrier between his civilised eastern dominion and the wild lands of the west. Construction of the Dyke - a huge earthen mound commanded by a stout wooden palisade begins. However, communities on both sides - east and west, find themselves cut off from their own lands and resentment boils. Offa comes under increasing pressure over financing the massive construction project and is forced to levy more taxes on his people who are already worried about their harvests.
In the west, the Welsh tribes, previously fragmented and as likely to kill each other as Saxon, unite under the common cause - the abomination that is the Dyke.
The land of Britannia in the eighth century is as turbulent as ever. The untamed native Celtic tribes have taken refuge in the mountainous west. The sophisticated Saxon immigrants occupy the lands to the east, led by mighty king Offa.
The Dyke is a story about families and individuals, rulers and 'ruled' alike. Ivan, son of a Welsh nobleman is on his first raid. Amongst the captives they take is Aebbe, a beautiful blond haired Saxon girl. Wulfric, Aebbe's brother is away from the village and escapes the raid. On his return he sees his father, Hrodulf the Bear is slain and is a witness to the scene of massacre in his village. He vows, over the body of his father, to avenge his father and rescue his sister.
King Offa, heavily influenced by his queen, Cynethryth, has a master plan - to build a permanent barrier between his civilised eastern dominion and the wild lands of the west. Construction of the Dyke - a huge earthen mound commanded by a stout wooden palisade begins. However, communities on both sides - east and west, find themselves cut off from their own lands and resentment boils. Offa comes under increasing pressure over financing the massive construction project and is forced to levy more taxes on his people who are already worried about their harvests.
In the west, the Welsh tribes, previously fragmented and as likely to kill each other as Saxon, unite under the common cause - the abomination that is the Dyke.
