Wooden foundations of the Old Bridge. Photo by Harry Rowland, 1972.

[Marginal] Mention is made in the Chartulary of Newminster of Morpath Bridge about the middle of the 13th century. The bridge is of unknown origin.
Alongside the present bridge - which was built in 1831 - can be seen the piers of the medieval stone bridge. On these still remain traces of the springers of the arches. (1)(2)(3)

[NZ 20028585] The remains of the mediaeval bridge consist of the two abutments and the central pier, all of which have remains of the springers of the two arches. These remains show that the bridge had an overall width of 4m. Other measurements are as on plan overleaf.
The remains are at present used to carry a footbridge on which is a plaque giving the date of erection as 1869. (4)

1418 The Old Bridge, pier and abutments.
NZ 2085 5/72 11/8/50
Grade I
13th century. Originally two arches, each of two chamfered orders, central pier and two abutments whereof the southern one had some sort of tower or toll house.
The arches were destroyed early last century and replaced by an iron footbridge on the old pier. A.M. (5)

Timbers of the medieval bridge at Morpeth lie exposed on the upstream side of the north stone buttress of the old bridge. Features recorded by Field Research Group of Newcastle Society of Antiquaries. (6)

Morpeth, Old Bridge (remains of). Scheduled ancient monument Northum 294. Piers and abutment of medieval bridge remain, surmounted by iron footbridge. The old bridge was demolished in 1835 and the footbridge dates from that period. (7)

The Old Bridge and footbridge, grade II listed building. Central pier and abutments 13th century. Built by public subscription in 1869 and built by Swinney Bros. of Morpeth.

Dressed stone and iron. Of the 13th century bridge only one pier with triangular cutwaters remain. See List for full account. . (8)

The old bridge of Morpeth consisted of two arches of unequal span (the southern 17.4m, the northern 15.6m); all that remains of it are the ruins of the abutments and the central pier, constructed of well-squared sandstone blocks of almost ashlar quality, carrying an 1869 cast-iron footbridge.
The southern abutment shows the springing of an arch a little over 4m wide, of two orders (the inner square and the outer chamfered) but with no evidence of any ribs; there are also various sockets for timbers, some of which must be associated with the footbridge that preceded the present one. The river face of the abutment, which has a chamfered plinth, extends at least 2m eastward beyond the springing of the arch, before being concealed by vegetation. This extension is shown on Hodgson's illustration of the old bridge and may be associated with the 'some sort of tower or toll house' said to have stood here.
The northern abutment is rather more obscured by later constructions, but shows the springing of an arch of two chamfered orders, again, without any sign of ribbing. Adjacent to the abutment, beneath the footbridge, three pieces of medieval stonework are mounted on a small platform in a modern wall. Two are double-chamfered voussoirs (?); it would seem more likely that they came from the Chantry than the bridge itself.
The river pier is hexagonal in plan, with pointed cutwaters up- and down-river. It has a chamfered plinth; the springing of the southern arch is visible, but that on the north face of the pier has been carefully cut back, and the face of the pier partly reconstructed. The north face shows two sockets for the timbers of the earlier footbridge; a cutting away of the stonework at the top of the pier suggests that this footbridge was rather wider than its successor. The pier is now surrounded by a sloping concrete apron of c.1972; the remains of a timber foundation for the pier seen in 1972 are now concealed. The top of the pier now carries flower beds, on either side of the footbridges; it may have been reduced in height, and there are no remains of the original parapets.
On the north of the pier the remains of a paved invert are visible; the paving set at an oblique angle to the pier, overlies a rectilinear grid of heavy oak balks, four of which were visible at the time of the survey. It was not clear (at the time of survey) whether remains of an invert exist to the south of the pier.
The 1869 iron footbridge is a good example of its type; the wider section of walkway on the central pier has an ornamental wrought-iron overthrow and a maker's plate.
The earliest documentary reference to the bridge is in 1294 recording the bridge and its chapel. Hodgson (authority 2) gives a list of its dimensions as it was soon to be demolished. He comments that both the arches 'seem to have been rebuilt since the pier was erected as one of them has no string beneath its battlement, and the other one different from that in the pier'.
The high number of accidents on the bridge resulted in an 1829 Act of Parliament sanctioning the construction of a new bridge and stipulating the old one be shut up or pulled down. After the new bridge was built in 1831, the old bridge was initially left undisturbed. The arches were blown up in 1834. However, a wooden footbridge seems to have been erected quite soon afterward, utilising the old abutments and pier; it was declared unsafe in 1867, and replaced by the present iron footbridge, made by Swinneys of Morpeth in 1869.
The crossing of the Wansbeck at Morpeth was always a site of strategic importance, defended by Morpeth Castle on the south bank. Thus the substantial remains of the medieval bridge, despite the loss of its arches, are of considerable historical value, enhanced by the survival of its adjacent chapel; although the associated bridges and chapels were common in medieval England, only a handful survive today.
The full archaeological potential of the remains of the bridge has not been realised. Two features are of especial interest:
(i) The timber sub-structure of the medieval bridge.
a) The timber sub-structure of the central pier was exposed in 1972, and photographs of it have been published; it is described as 'a wooden cradle of half-lapped oak timbers. The longest existing piece was 30ft long and 15ins thick with bark still on it'; the timbers were held in place with piles. These timbers, after being 'trimmed', were concealed by the present concrete apron.
b) The timber sub-structure of the paving of the bridge invert, visible at the time of survey. More of this could be cleared in dry summer conditions. This is obviously deteriorating. A full record, and the correlation of this record with those of the pier sub-structure is highly desirable.
(ii) Structures attached to the southern abutment. The form of the abutment suggests that there may have been some additional structure at this point. Limited excavation, or even just clearance of vegetation, could shed more light on this puzzle. In view of the importance of the river crossing, it would not be surprising to find some sort of tower or gatehouse in this position. (9)

Scheduled. (10)

NZ 200 859: Old Bridge (remains of). Scheduled No ND/294. (11a)

The remains of a 13th century multi span bridge across the River Wansbeck in Morpeth. The bridge was in use until 1835 when it was partially demolished and replaced by a new bridge further downstream. The abutments and central pier remain standing to about 4 metres high and are surmounted by a 19th century footbridge. (11b)

NZ 2002 8585: FB (NAT) (11c)