Piercebridge Roman Bridge

{{Short description|Former bridge over the River Tees in Northern England}}

{{Infobox historic site

|name = Piercebridge Roman Bridge

|image = Cliffe Roman Bridge 2.jpg

|caption = Piercebridge Roman Bridge

|location = Cliffe, North Yorkshire, England

|locmapin = United Kingdom North Yorkshire

|map_caption = Location in North Yorkshire

|gbgridref = NZ213156

|coordinates = {{Coord|54.536|-1.671|display=inline,title}}

}}

Piercebridge Roman Bridge is the ruin of a Roman bridge over the River Tees, northern England. It is near the villages of Cliffe (North Yorkshire) and Piercebridge, County Durham.

The most recent excavations were by Channel 4's Time Team in 2009.Report of excavations https://www.wessexarch.co.uk/our-work/piercebridge-county-durham

History

The bridge carried the Roman road Dere Street across the river.{{cite web |title=Piercebridge Roman Fort |url=https://www.head-of-steam.co.uk/about-us/piercebridge-roman-fort/ |publisher=Head of Steam |access-date=18 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716192929/https://www.head-of-steam.co.uk/about-us/piercebridge-roman-fort/ |archive-date=16 July 2019 |url-status=live }}

Piercebridge Roman Fort guarded the bridge.{{cite web |title=Piercebridge Roman Bridge, Piercebridge, North Yorkshire |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/services-skills/education/educational-images/piercebridge-roman-bridge-piercebridge-9541 |publisher=Historic England |access-date=18 March 2020}}

The first bridge was built around 90 AD, but this may have been replaced by a second bridge after it was washed away. The Tees has narrowed and changed its course over the centuries and as a result the remains lie in a field around {{convert|90|m}} south of the current course of the river, and about {{convert|450|m}} east of Piercebridge.{{cite web |title=Piercebridge Roman Bridge |url=https://www.enjoydarlington.co.uk/things-to-do/museums-galleries/piercebridge-roman-bridge/ |publisher=Enjoy Darlington |access-date=18 March 2020}}{{cite web |title=Piercebridge Roman Bridge |url=https://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/piercebridge-roman-bridge/view/google/ |publisher=Virtual Globetrotting |access-date=18 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151231133714/http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/piercebridge-roman-bridge/view/google/ |archive-date=31 December 2015 |url-status=live }}

Remains

What remains of the bridge are massive masonry blocks that formed at least five piers.{{cite web |title=Piercebridge Roman Bridge, Piercebridge, North Yorkshire |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/services-skills/education/educational-images/piercebridge-roman-bridge-piercebridge-9541 |publisher=Historic England |access-date=18 March 2020}} The lower courses of one of the abutments still stand, partially complete, and it is possible to see the holes into which the wooden structure of the bridge would have fitted.{{PastScape |mname=Pierecebridge Roman Bridge |mnumber=23766 |accessdate=18 March 2020}} All of the timber has disappeared in the nearly 16 centuries since the end of the Roman occupation.{{cite web |title=Piercebridge Roman Fort |url=http://www.yorkshireguides.com/piercebridge_roman_fort.html |publisher=Yorkshire Guide |access-date=18 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190704210125/http://yorkshireguides.com/piercebridge_roman_fort.html |archive-date=4 July 2019 |url-status=live }} The remains were discovered in 1972 during gravel quarrying. The stone blocks are up to {{convert|1.5|m}} long and the total bridge structure was {{convert|123|m}} long.{{cite web |title=Description of Piercebridge Roman Bridge |url=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/piercebridge-roman-bridge/history/description/ |publisher=English Heritage |access-date=18 March 2020}}{{cite web |title=History of Pierecebridge Roman Bridge |url=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/piercebridge-roman-bridge/history/ |publisher=English Heritage |access-date=18 March 2020}} Artefacts from the excavation of the bridge and fort are held in the Bowes Museum.{{cite web |title=Piercebridge Roman Fort |url=https://www.thisisdarlington.com/attractions/piercebridge-roman-fort.asp |publisher=This is Darlington |access-date=18 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828201827/http://www.thisisdarlington.com/attractions/piercebridge-roman-fort.asp |archive-date=28 August 2016 |url-status=live }}

Alternative interpretation

Whilst the majority opinion among archaeologists is that the structure is a bridge, an alternative interpretation has been proposed by archaeologist Raymond Selkirk, who contends that the structure is a navigation dam with an overspill channel. From this, and other evidence he argues that the Romans made far greater use of river transport than is generally recognised. His views are set out in his books The Piercebridge Formula (1983), On the Trail of the Legions (1995) and Chester-le-Street & Its Place in History (2000).{{cite book

|last = Selkirk

|first = Raymond

|title = Chester-le-Street & Its Place in History

|publisher = Casdec Print & Design Centre

|year = 2000

|location = Birtley, County Durham

|isbn = 1-900456-05-2

|pages = 93–122

}}{{cite web |title=Piercebridge Roman Fort, Vicus and Riverworkings. |url=http://www.brigantesnation.com/SiteResearch/Roman/Piercebridge/Piercebridge.htm |publisher=Brigantes Nation |access-date=18 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030125052910/http://www.brigantesnation.com/SiteResearch/Roman/Piercebridge/Piercebridge.htm |archive-date=25 January 2003}}