Roman milestone and bridge (Corsenside)
Roman milestone on Dere Street. Photo by I Davison, 2005.
(NY 88828620) Bridge (Site of) Excavated AD 1840. (1)
'The bottom of the Rede where Watling Street runs up to it is paved across with stones of about two feet cube, which have dove tail holes in their upper surface. Other stones on the river edge, supposed to be those of a land breast of a bridge, have a hole in the middle of their upper and under surfaces, nearly 3ins square'. It is said that pins of black oak had been found in these holes.
A few years ago (c.1820) the Rede tore away part of a meadow on its north side, exposing two round pillars standing upright, about 12 feet apart, apparently on each side of the road where the (north?) end of the old bridge might have been. One of the pillars is now used as a gatepost to the garden of the inn at West Woodburn and the other at the Wood House, a quarter of a mile north of that village. (2)
The middle piers of the bridge were visible about four years ago (c.1821) but the stones have been removed and used for embanking the river. (3)
A roughly circular stone column used as a gate post to a garden, opposite the Bellingham road and in West Woodburn. It is sunk into the ground and has a circumference of 3ft 7-1/2ins, with a height above ground level of 3ft 8ins. About halfway up is a cylindrical hole 3-1/2ins deep, with a diameter of 3ins. The stone is weathered on top.
Another stone column is used as a support for a cart shed at High Leam farm. It stands 6ft 1ins above ground level with a circumference of 5ft 2ins at the top and 4ft 11ins at the bottom.
Both of these stones are said to have been taken from the Roman bridge which carried Dere Street across the River Rede. (4)
NY 88848621. There is no trace of the bridge in the indicated OS position. A little to the east the south side of the small stream that runs into the Rede has been strengthened by a retaining wall of stones, one of which bears Roman broaching. In the bed of the stream at this point there are four large roughly dressed stones with sides of from 0.4m to 0.6m. Two of these stones, one of which is almost covered by the retaining wall, have dowel holes of dovetail shape in their ends. The position of the stones, with two dowel holes almost corresponding indicates that they are still in situ.
From the description in (2) there seems no doubt that these stones are the remains of the Roman bridge. Their alignment indicates that they form part of the west end of an angled south abutment or the north west side of the cutwater of a central pier.
The pillar (from the Roman bridge) at West Woodburn stands in the garden immediately south east of the Bay Horse Inn. It has a diameter of 0.3m with 1.55m of its height above ground level. The cylindrical recess is 0.5m below the top of the pillar which is grooved by the weather. On the side opposite the recess are two modern gate hinge brackets, although the pillar is no longer used as a gate post. The licensee of the Bay Horse stated that when the pillar was removed to its present position the base was found to be roughly square and not dressed.
The other pillar supports the roof of a shed immediately west of the farmhouse at High Leam. It varies in diameter from 0.45m to 0.5m with 1.8m of its height above ground level. This pillar is assumed to be the same one referred to in (2) as being at Woodhouse.
Both pillars bear traces of tooling and although they have no inscription have a marked resemblance to Roman milestones. (5)
Roman Bridge. (6)
The slight remains of the bridge are as described by F1. One pillar is still standing in the garden of the Bay Horse Inn at NY 89298683, while the other, now recumbent, lies in the small wood immediately west of High Leam at NY 88028728. It has a total length of 2.4m and is roughly squared at one end for 0.4m. (7)
Two probable Roman milestones taken from the Roman bridge which carried the Dere Street over the River Rede, one now at the Bay Horse Inn, West Woodburn, the other formerly at High Leam now erected close to the tumulus (NY 88 NE 9) beside the A68. (8)
The stone formerly at High Leam has now been erected at NY 88878772, 9m north of the tumulus (NY 88 NE 9) and stands to a height of 2m above ground level. A stone at the base of the pillar bears the inscription 'Roman milestone Erected in 1971 by the Redesdale Society'. (9)
Roman milestone at NY 88878772 is incorporated in the scheduling of the 'Round cairn, 580m north of Woodhouse'; national monument number 21037 (see NY 88 NE 9). The 2m high milestone was erected on the edge of the cairn and is said to come from the Roman bridge carrying Dere Street across the River Rede; it was moved to a local farm and incorporated into a building and subsequently erected in its present position in 1971 by the Redesdale Society. (10)
General association with HER 12392 (Dere Street). (11)
'The bottom of the Rede where Watling Street runs up to it is paved across with stones of about two feet cube, which have dove tail holes in their upper surface. Other stones on the river edge, supposed to be those of a land breast of a bridge, have a hole in the middle of their upper and under surfaces, nearly 3ins square'. It is said that pins of black oak had been found in these holes.
A few years ago (c.1820) the Rede tore away part of a meadow on its north side, exposing two round pillars standing upright, about 12 feet apart, apparently on each side of the road where the (north?) end of the old bridge might have been. One of the pillars is now used as a gatepost to the garden of the inn at West Woodburn and the other at the Wood House, a quarter of a mile north of that village. (2)
The middle piers of the bridge were visible about four years ago (c.1821) but the stones have been removed and used for embanking the river. (3)
A roughly circular stone column used as a gate post to a garden, opposite the Bellingham road and in West Woodburn. It is sunk into the ground and has a circumference of 3ft 7-1/2ins, with a height above ground level of 3ft 8ins. About halfway up is a cylindrical hole 3-1/2ins deep, with a diameter of 3ins. The stone is weathered on top.
Another stone column is used as a support for a cart shed at High Leam farm. It stands 6ft 1ins above ground level with a circumference of 5ft 2ins at the top and 4ft 11ins at the bottom.
Both of these stones are said to have been taken from the Roman bridge which carried Dere Street across the River Rede. (4)
NY 88848621. There is no trace of the bridge in the indicated OS position. A little to the east the south side of the small stream that runs into the Rede has been strengthened by a retaining wall of stones, one of which bears Roman broaching. In the bed of the stream at this point there are four large roughly dressed stones with sides of from 0.4m to 0.6m. Two of these stones, one of which is almost covered by the retaining wall, have dowel holes of dovetail shape in their ends. The position of the stones, with two dowel holes almost corresponding indicates that they are still in situ.
From the description in (2) there seems no doubt that these stones are the remains of the Roman bridge. Their alignment indicates that they form part of the west end of an angled south abutment or the north west side of the cutwater of a central pier.
The pillar (from the Roman bridge) at West Woodburn stands in the garden immediately south east of the Bay Horse Inn. It has a diameter of 0.3m with 1.55m of its height above ground level. The cylindrical recess is 0.5m below the top of the pillar which is grooved by the weather. On the side opposite the recess are two modern gate hinge brackets, although the pillar is no longer used as a gate post. The licensee of the Bay Horse stated that when the pillar was removed to its present position the base was found to be roughly square and not dressed.
The other pillar supports the roof of a shed immediately west of the farmhouse at High Leam. It varies in diameter from 0.45m to 0.5m with 1.8m of its height above ground level. This pillar is assumed to be the same one referred to in (2) as being at Woodhouse.
Both pillars bear traces of tooling and although they have no inscription have a marked resemblance to Roman milestones. (5)
Roman Bridge. (6)
The slight remains of the bridge are as described by F1. One pillar is still standing in the garden of the Bay Horse Inn at NY 89298683, while the other, now recumbent, lies in the small wood immediately west of High Leam at NY 88028728. It has a total length of 2.4m and is roughly squared at one end for 0.4m. (7)
Two probable Roman milestones taken from the Roman bridge which carried the Dere Street over the River Rede, one now at the Bay Horse Inn, West Woodburn, the other formerly at High Leam now erected close to the tumulus (NY 88 NE 9) beside the A68. (8)
The stone formerly at High Leam has now been erected at NY 88878772, 9m north of the tumulus (NY 88 NE 9) and stands to a height of 2m above ground level. A stone at the base of the pillar bears the inscription 'Roman milestone Erected in 1971 by the Redesdale Society'. (9)
Roman milestone at NY 88878772 is incorporated in the scheduling of the 'Round cairn, 580m north of Woodhouse'; national monument number 21037 (see NY 88 NE 9). The 2m high milestone was erected on the edge of the cairn and is said to come from the Roman bridge carrying Dere Street across the River Rede; it was moved to a local farm and incorporated into a building and subsequently erected in its present position in 1971 by the Redesdale Society. (10)
General association with HER 12392 (Dere Street). (11)
N7947
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1956; E Geary
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1970; D Smith
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1970; D Smith
Disclaimer -
Please note that this information has been compiled from a number of different sources. Durham County Council and Northumberland County Council can accept no responsibility for any inaccuracy contained therein. If you wish to use/copy any of the images, please ensure that you read the Copyright information provided.