Nico Ditch
Nico Ditch is a six-mile long linear earthwork between Ashton-under-Lyne and Stretford in Greater Manchester. It was dug as a defensive fortification, or possibly a boundary marker, between the 5th and 11th century. Legend has it Nico Ditch was completed in a single night by the inhabitants of Manchester, as a protection against Viking invaders in 869–870.
About Nico Ditch in brief
Nico Ditch is a six-mile long linear earthwork between Ashton-under-Lyne and Stretford in Greater Manchester, England. It was dug as a defensive fortification, or possibly a boundary marker, between the 5th and 11th century. The ditch is still visible in short sections, such as a 330-yard stretch in Denton Golf Course. Part of the earthwork is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Legend has it Nico Ditch was completed in a single night by the inhabitants of Manchester, as a protection against Viking invaders in 869–870; Manchester may have been sacked by the Danes in 870.
According to 19th century folklore, the ditch was the site of a battle between Saxons and Danes. The name Nico for the ditch became established in the 19th and 20th century, and is most likely a corruption of the name Mykelldiche and its variations. Despite heavy weathering, the bank of the ditch is up to 4–5 yards wide and up to 5 feet deep.
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This page is based on the article Nico Ditch published in Wikipedia (as of Nov. 02, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
