Piercebridge Bridge

Piercebridge Bridge
County Durham, Yorkshire
Piercebridge Bridge
Location
Carrying:	B6275 road
Crossing:	River Tees
Location
Grid reference:	NZ21081556
Location:	54°32’6"N, 1°40’33"W
Structure
History
	Built 16th century
Information

Piercebridge Bridge is a handsome Tudor-Age stone bridge across the River Tees at Piercebridge in County Durham, crossing south over the river into the North Riding of Yorkshire: on the Yorkshire bank is a hamlet, Cliffe.

The bridge is a Grade II* listed structure.

This is an ancient crossing place on the Tees: the Roman Dere Street reached the river just downstream of this point and overleapt the river, until washed away in a flood. The massive stones that are the remains of Piercebridge Roman Bridge, a later Roman bridge, are found close by on the Yorkshire bank.

The bridge is of local sandstone. It has three wide arches of 2 stepped orders. In the river are stepped triangular-plan cutwaters, flanking central arch, rise to form pedestrian refuges.

A bridge may have crossed in the current location in the 13th century. The current bridge was built in the early 16th century, and widened in 1781.

During the Civil War an engagement took place at the bridge in 1642, with a victory for the King's forces. The Duke of Cumberland crossed the bridge with his army during the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745.

The bridge suffered considerable damage during the severe floods of 1771 and traffic reverted to using the nearby ford until repairs were completed and the bridge was widened on downstream side in 1781.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Piercebridge Bridge)

References

Bridges and crossings on the River Tees
Gainford Railway Bridge	Barforth Hall Bridge	Piercebridge Pipe Bridge	Piercebridge Bridge	A1(M) Bridge	Blackwell Bridge	Croft Bridge