| Summary : The site of Willowford Bridge, on Hadrian's Wall, consists of the remains of the foundations of a bridge abutment, which carried the Wall over the River Irthing, exposed on the east bank. Excavations were carried out on the site in 1924, 1940 and between 1985 and 1986. These uncovered a large tower and splayed abutment foundation, which represented the first phase of the original narrow bridge design. A wider bridge was later built with a massive projecting pier positioned further west. The sequence of development is mirrored where the Wall crosses the North Tyne at Chesters Roman Fort. The bridge was constructed of stonework bonded with dovetail cramps. The foundations of two further bridge piers lie 3 metres below the surface of the present river bank. The river is believed to have flowed immediately west of the abutment in a rocky gorge.The stone foundations are visible on air photographs and were mapped by Historic England on behalf of the English Heritage Trust's 'Hadrian's Wall: Birdoswald Sector Survey'. |
More information : (NY 6212 6644) Roman Bridge (GS) (Remains of) (1)
Where the Wall reaches the River Irthing "the first feature is a large tower, founded upon massive re-used masonry and built against the back of the Narrow Wall, here resting upon the four courses of broad foundation. The west wall of this tower coincides with the end of the east wing-wall of an original turret. Only the north-east corner of the recess of this turret, however, now remains, all else having been removed in a drastic Roman reconstruction. The turret guarded the abutment of the original bridge, now seen as a splayed foundation slightly further west. The reconstructed Wall rides across this earliest abutment and terminates over a pair of narrow culverts of large masonry, probably serving a mill. The front of this wall was once faced in large blocks, now mostly replaced by a patched face, and these bonded with a massive stone apron, revetting the end of the berm as it approached the river. The north front of the apron is cut to match the slope of the ditch, and there are traces of paving in the adjacent inner channel. Next, the early splayed abutment was enlarged by blocking the east culvert, while a correspondingly large pier was added in the stream, forming a new culvert with paved bottom to serve as the race for an undershot water-mill wheel. A stone spindle-bearing, belonging either to the wheel or to the power-driven mill-stones, was found on the enlarged abutment. (See plan). (2)
Although Shaw, as the result of his explorations in 1924, came to the conclusion that not the Wall itself but probably only the parapet walk was carried across the Irthing by a bridge, the discoveries in September 1940 indicated that he was mistaken (3-4). The remains of two piers, consisting of masses of fallen stones, surrounding masonry still in position, were located nearly ten feet below the present surface of the river. The stonework was exceptionally massive, and the arches of the bridge had apparently been segmental, not semi-circular, and adequate to carry the Wall itself and not merely a footpath (4). (3-4)
Photos of bridge abutment AO/F/51/126, 127, 128. (5)
Remains exposed and consolidated by DOE. Surveyed at 1:2500. (6)
NY 622 664 Willowford Bridge. Summary of completed work on the eastern abutments, started in 1984 (7a). Excavation on the site of the first pier of the Hadrianic Bridge (destroyed by river-scouring); the wall ditch was shown to terminate on the original river bank; the site of Richmond's `Turret 1' is suggested to have been a recess for stairs; the construction phases of the Broad and Narrow walls were seen to have no appreciable interval between them; the first bridge appears to have been of stone, whilst Bridge 2 may have had a timber super-structure. Occupation within the tower suggests that this bridge continued in use until the early C3 when Bridge 3 was constructed - this was the first road bridge, and was related to the construction of the Military Way; an earth ramp behind the abutment carried the former road up to the bridge; what Shaw took to be the Military Way is a natural gravel deposit. (7)
Shaw's medieval iron bloomery is reinterpreted as a smithy, as no heavy slag was recorded: the tower may have been used for the melting down of iron cramps, robbed from the Roman bridge. A date in the late C13 or early C14 is suggested for this operation. (8)
A report on the 1984-5 excavations has been published (9a). The bridge remains are now consolidated and under guardianship. (The building stones previously recorded under this number are now recorded under NY 66 NW 53 & 54 respectively). (9)
Willowford Bridge, on Hadrian's Wall, consists of the remains of the foundations of a bridge abutment, which carried the Wall over the River Irthing, exposed on the east bank. Excavations were carried out on the site in 1924, 1940 and between 1985 and 1986. These uncovered a large tower and splayed abutment foundation, which represented the first phase of the original narrow bridge design. A wider bridge was later built with a massive projecting pier positioned further west. The sequence of development is mirrored where the Wall crosses the North Tyne at Chesters Roman Fort. The bridge was constructed of stonework bonded with dovetail cramps. The foundations of two further bridge piers lie 3 metres below the surface of the present river bank. The river is believed to have flowed immediately west of the abutment in a rocky gorge. (10)
The structural remains of the tower, wall and part of the bridge footings on the eastern bank of the the Willowford crossing of the River Irthing were mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritage: Hadrian's Wall NMP project. (11)
Located on the English Heritage map of Hadrian's Wall 2010. (12)
The stone foundations are visible on air photographs and were mapped to sub-metre accuracy by Historic England on behalf of the English Heritage Trust's 'Hadrian's Wall: Birdoswald Sector Survey', centred at NY 6222 6646.
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