(NY 91777034) Bridge (G.T) (Remains of) (1)

Site of a medieval bridge built late in the reign of Richard II, a portion of the foundation is still to be seen on the ground on the west side of the river. Situated about 13 chains east of Humshaugh Mill. (2)

There is no visible evidence of a bridge at this point, which, owing to the construction of a mill-race, now falls on an island, and perambulation of both sides of the river shewed no evidence of ancient roads and/or tracks which might be associated with it. Chollerford Bridge 250m to the north east dates from the early 14th century and in such thinly populated area it appears inconceivable that two medieval bridges should have existed at the same period. There is no further literary evidence, however, Simpson (now deceased) was a noted archaeologist and may have held information, no longer available. (3)

Statements by Authority 4 agreed with. River erosion has destroyed all traces of any bridge pier/abutment that may have existed here. (4)

Remains of medieval bridge, Chollerford, SAM 111b. The west abutment of the medieval bridge which both in date and situation came between the Roman bridge and 18th century bridge. It is buried in bushes and shingle but its place in the history of the bridging of the North Tyne would seem to justify its preservation. (5)

The earliest known reference to a bridge at Chollerford is an indulgence by Bishop of Durham Walter Skirlaw, to build or repair a bridge there in the 17th reign of King Richard II (that is 22 June 1393 to 21 June 1394). The date has been given as 1394 and 1333 in published works. The Northumberland County History (1897) records that a 'stone bridge of four arches' is referred to in 1718 Quarter Session, when it was said 'to be fallen downe and out of repaire, and the same lyes upon the King's High Street or way leading from Carlisle to Newcastle'. It is thought the medieval bridge may have survived well into the post-medieval period, based on such accounts, routes depicted on 18th century maps and possible associations with buildings at the west of the bridge (the former Red Lion Inn and Humshaugh Mill).
The surviving abutment on the east side of Chollerford Island was noticed after it was exposed by erosion associated with a flood event in 1865, a few years after the start of excavations on the Roman bridge downstream. The face of the stonework was exposed more completely by wall-chasing in 1911 which led to the abutment being depicted on the 1925 Ordnance Survey 6-inch scale map. However, the remains could not be located by the Ordnance Survey in 1956 or 1962, apparently due to silt deposition. The excavated evidence suggests this was the east abutment of a bridge that spanned the area now covered by Chollerford Island, one braid of the river channel apparently having migrated eastward at or after the time of the loss of the bridge. If the bridge did indeed had four arches, the total length may originally have been about 100m.
The abutment appears to survive below ground virtually unchanged since being recorded in 1911 and about 1865, when the chamfered plinth was (as now) the highest course preserved and the three exposed sides of the abutment were between 14ft and 16ft (4.3m and 5.1m) long. What is currently exposed appears to be the end of the abutment's angled northern section. Both banks of the river have been consolidated with a combination of timber lacing and stone reveting and the relationship of this work to the bridge abutment suggests this consolidation to be a post-medieval development. The only trace of any structure that can be identified on the Island through surface survey is a single large, roughly dressed stone slab, bearing the imprint of half an iron clamp, not in situ but lying a few metres south (downstream) from the projected line of the bridge. It is conceivable that much of the structure here was destroyed in the flood event presumably responsible for shifting the line of the river. The island is covered with ancient woodland (ie originating before about 1750), which could conceivably have grown up after the river changed course, even if that migration took place in about 1750 as proposed above. A few metres east of the east bank, what might be traces of a hollow way and perhaps a former crossing of a shallow river palaeochannel are detectable as earthworks. To the north, a furlong of broad (presumably medieval) ridge and furrow occupies the east bank. Regrettably, the part of this furlong closest to the bridge has been overploughed in the post-medieval period, but the northern part, close to the modern road terminates in a straight line (ie without the normal reverse-S curvature), suggesting that the proposed eastward river migration has truncated the medieval rigs. (6)

The foundations were exposed and measured in August 1913, photographs were also taken. The bridge was mentioned by MacLauchlan in his Memoir of 1858, and noted by John Clayton in 1865, after strong floods had exposed some of the masonry. The bridge probably carried traffic over to the former Red Lion Inn and Humshaugh Mill. (7)