Piercebridge, Roman Bridge and Manfield
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2015 The Northern Echo 39 Walks what’son Walks Piercebridge, Roman Bridge and Manfield Street, protected by a string of forts reason the bridge now spans dry Walk information including a fort at Piercebridge, land is because the river has shifted known as Morbium, to protect the its course northwards over the past Distance: 6.5 km / 4 miles bridge over the River Tees. The 2,000 years. Time: 2 hours earliest fort at Piercebridge was After exploring the Roman remains, Maps: OS Explorer Sheet OL304 – probably made of timber, although this walk takes in pleasant tracks always take a map with you no trace of this early fort has yet and lanes alongside the Tees to been found. However, in around reach the quiet village of Manfield, Parking: Car park beside the 130AD a devastating flood washed where there is an excellent pub for George at Piercebridge away the original timber bridge rest and recuperation mid walk. Refreshments: Pubs at and so a new sturdier bridge was Piercebridge and Manfield built with stone piers about 200 Terrain: Clear farm tracks and yards further downstream. The The walk lanes almost all the way, with a remains we see today date from the short stretch of road walking at the rebuilding of the fort in stone in start and finish of this walk. the early 3rd Century AD during From the parking area beside the time when Emperor Septimius the George Hotel at How to get there: Piercebridge 1 Piercebridge (on the south alongside this barn then, as you Severus planned a campaign in lies at the junction of the B6275 and Scotland and had Hadrian’s Wall bank of the River Tees), head left reach the end of the stone barn, A67 to the west of Darlington. repaired and many frontier forts along the B6275 road (away from turn right along a grassy track. Caution: Take care walking along such as Piercebridge re-fortified; Piercebridge) then, where the road Follow this track across the field the roads – keep to the verge. I the campaign never happened. bends sharp right (‘chevron’ sign), then rising up a bank (passing encountered a bull with cows on The fort was occupied until take the enclosed path to the left a copse of trees on your right), this walk in a field just outside about 330AD then, after a brief and follow this down towards the curving left up onto the top of Manfield; always give livestock period when it was unoccupied, River Tees, then turn right as you the low bank and on to reach a a wide berth, particularly if it was again manned by soldiers approach the river to soon reach gate in a wall across the track. accompanied by a dog. Let your dog in around 350AD until 410AD the ruins of the Roman Bridge. After the gate, carry straight on go if you feel threatened. when the Roman Empire began to After exploring, return up along along the grassy track (hedge on crumble. Only a small section of the enclosed path to the sharp your left) for 250 metres to join the Roman Fort has been excavated road bend by the ‘chevron’ sign. the wide River Tees down to the track straight on (hedge on your Points of interest including the site of the East Gate, Walk straight on along the B6275 left (wooded bank), then carry left) gently dropping down across which was the main entrance road (along the verge - take care) straight on along the track for a the large field or 850 metres to passing a couple more ‘chevron’ further 150 metres before the track re-join the track along the wooded IERCEBRIDGE is an into the fort from Dere Street, the Courtyard Buildings, a section of signs for 100 metres then turn left bends sharp right then left and banks of the River Tees. attractive village of old along the farm lane over a cattle leads on for a further 200 metres P cottages that look out across road and the defences of the fort. grid (signpost ‘Cleasby’). Follow to join a clear stony track on a a tree-shaded green set on the north The 12-ft high walls of the fort Turn left along the track and were protected by a double ditch, this lane straight on across the field bend, just beyond the side-stream banks of the River Tees. Just to the (hedge on your left) for 450 metres of Manfield Gill. Turn right along re-trace your steps back south of the river (on the Yorkshire complete with an ‘ankle breaker’ 4 along this track to reach the gully in bottom, and then a line to reach another cattle grid, after this clear track and follow it for side) stands the George Hotel, an which the lane becomes enclosed on 800 metres into Manfield. As you white gate in between the long old coaching inn that has gained of small deep pits with sharpened stone-built barn and the white- stakes at the bottom, covered both sides. Continue along this lane enter the village, follow the track world-wide fame due to its faulty for a further 300 metres to reach painted Holme House. After the over with brushwood. To the east curving right just after the long clock! Many years ago when an the white-painted Holme House gate, you re-join the farm lane, of the fort lay a large civilian white-painted cottage, then follow elderly licensee of The George died on your right. Continue along the which you follow straight on then settlement, known as the Vicus, the road round passing the pub to the clock stopped, never to go again, lane passing the house on your bending left skirting around Holme which developed in around 125AD reach a T-junction with the main an event which later inspired a right then, immediately after the House then carry straight on along to serve the needs of the soldiers. road through the village just beside visiting American composer Henry house, follow the lane bending right this lane back to join the B6275 The Vicus was well organised as it the old school. Clay Work to compose the famous skirting behind the house then, road. Turn right along the road was under the control of the fort, song ‘My Grandfather’s Clock’ in where the lane bends left just before (take care) back into Piercebridge. and was a bustling place of traders, 1876; this song became so popular the long stone-built barn, head Turn right along the main merchants and shopkeepers that longcase clocks became known straight on through the white gate road for 100 metres to reach as Grandfather Clocks! The large mingling with retired soldiers. 3 Town Green on your right Mark Reid on this bend (in between the white Across the river, a short distance Walking Weekends 2016 village green actually lies at the house and long stone barn) and out (‘phone box), where you turn heart of an important Roman Fort. from The George Hotel, lie the right along a lane across the green Howgill Fells, Peak District, Yorkshire onto a field. Dales and Lake District Following the invasion of southern remains of the Roman Bridge (signpost) then on along the track walkingweekenders.co.uk Britain in AD43, the Roman across the River Tees. This bridge, between the houses to reach a gate Legions pushed northwards from with its massive stone piers and After the gate, walk straight that leads out onto a field (caution: Activity days, navigation skills and York in around AD80 to capture the flagged floor to reduce turbulence on along the indistinct grassy cattle in field when I walked this team building experiences in the in the water, was built in the late 2 track alongside the stone- lands held by the British tribes. A route). Walk straight across this great outdoors. 2016 dates now military road was built from York to 2nd Century AD to replace the built barn on your left then turn field to soon reach a gate in a wall, online. teamwalking.co.uk the Firth of Forth, known as Dere earlier bridge lost in floods. The left behind the barn and carry on after which follow the clear grassy Most were passing birds but Arctic Ocean islands. There their The storms may have helped Birdwatch By Ian Kerr others were on the sea feeding. main preoccupation is to keep the arrival of Greenland white- As their name suggests , their themselves and their chicks out of fronted geese. A pair and a single technique is to catch fish and the way of Arctic foxes and large juvenile were at Boldon Flats and EEP Atlantic depressions, influx of both great northern and other prey in prolonged and deep predatory gulls. two young birds were at Lamesley generating gales and strong black-throated divers, usually dives. Sometimes in shallow As winter closes in they moved Pastures. D westerly winds, can produce uncommon winter visitors to the water, often up against the rocks, into north Atlantic to survive Among rarities, another good sea-watching along our coast. region. Great northern divers I’ve seen them swimming with on a rich diet of krill. During probable pallid swift was briefly at These winds push maritime breed in Iceland with many only their heads below water strong north westerly gales huge the South Gare and the American migrating south to spend the species wintering far out in ocean to snatch crabs and other prey. numbers can be pushed into the long-billed Dowitcher seemed winter around Scotland’s western Black-throated divers have been or around the north and west of North Sea, creating spectacular settled at Cresswell Pond.