2015

NY9170 : River North Tyne from Chesters Roman Bridge

taken 10 years ago, near to Low Brunton, Northumberland, England

River North Tyne from Chesters Roman Bridge
River North Tyne from Chesters Roman Bridge
View west across River North Tyne towards Chesters Roman Fort (Cilurnum) from the site of the eastern abutment of the Roman Bridge.
Chesters Roman Bridge

The Roman Bridge at Chesters has been described as the most remarkable feature on the whole line of Hadrian's Wall.

The east abutment of the bridge, which can be accessed on a footpath from a gate on the south side of the road bridge at Chollerford, was part of a large road bridge of 58m length built in about AD 160 to carry the Military Way (the road accompanying Hadrian’s Wall) over the river North Tyne. The abutment, from which the easternmost of four arches sprang, incorporates the pier of an earlier and much smaller bridge which was part of the original construction of Hadrian’s Wall. The later bridge continued in use until the end of the Roman period and was demolished in the AD 670s to provide building materials for St Wilfrid’s church at Hexham.

The course of the river, at the point where it was bridged, has considerably altered since Roman times. The east bank now lies approximately 15m west of the position it occupied then and this shift in its course has resulted in the east abutment of bridge 2 being engulfed in silt.

English Heritage - Chesters Bridge Abutment: LinkExternal link

Hadrian's Wall Bridges by Bidwell & Holbrook, English Heritage (1989): LinkExternal link

Chesters Roman Fort (Cilurnum)

Cilurnum (or Cilurvum), the Roman fort on Hadrian's Wall at Chesters marks the point where the Wall crossed the River North Tyne, the first major obstacle on its route from east to west. A succession of finely engineered timber bridges with stone piers spanned the river here, and the Wall itself was continued right down to the water's edge.

The fort was built just after the wall was completed in AD 123. The site guarded a bridge carrying the military road behind the wall across the River North Tyne. It is considered to be the best preserved Roman cavalry fort along Hadrian's Wall.

Today the site is under the care of English Heritage and is open to the public. There is a museum on the site, which houses Roman artefacts found at the fort and elsewhere along the wall.

LinkExternal link English Heritage, Chesters Roman Fort
LinkExternal link Hadrian’s Wall Country, Inspiring Landscapes


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Andrew Curtis and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Lowlands Historic sites and artefacts Rivers, Streams, Drainage Primary Subject: River
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
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1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
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NY9170, 341 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Andrew Curtis   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Friday, 24 July, 2015   (more nearby)
Submitted
Friday, 24 July, 2015
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NY 9136 7008 [10m precision]
WGS84: 55:1.5107N 2:8.2009W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NY 91403 70082
View Direction
WEST (about 270 degrees)
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Image classification(about): Geograph
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