The Roman Bridge at Piercebridge, North Yorkshire-County Durham

Abstract

The village of Piercebridge in County Durham lies on the northern bank of the River Tees and on the route of the Roman Dere Street (FIGS 1 and 2). The village lies at c. 59 m aOD, sited on the river gravels of the Tees as it cuts through the surrounding Boulder clay. A Roman fort at Piercebridge has been known since at least Gibson's second edition of Camden's Britannia in 1722 and Roman Piercebridge is perhaps best known for the series of small excavations undertaken on that fort between 1934 and 1964. On this basis the fort could be identified as being essentially of later Roman date. Inhumation burials certainly or probably of Roman date have been recorded on a number of occasions.