After the Romans had completed the subjection of the Brigantes they constructed a great military road through the centre of their country from Eburicum, which became the capital of the province, to the Tweed and the country beyond. This road intersected the county of Durham from north to south, and much of its course can still be traced from its point of entry at Pierce Bridge, through Vinovium or Binchester in Auckland, Epiacum or Lanchester, and Vindomora or Ebchester where it passes over the Derwent into Northumberland. From Binchester a branch road led by way of Chester-le-Street to the Pons Ælii or Newcastle, which was continued by another branch to Jarrow and South Shields passing along the south bank of the Tyne. This great military road and the branch to Newcastle were cut through the dense forest which then covered the whole of Durham and which continued through Saxon times to form an almost impassable boundary, save by these roads, between the closely associated provinces of Deira and Bernicia. The considerable remains of the Roman towns still standing after the conquest of Northumbria by the Angles were no doubt occupied by them as settlements; and we find it stated in the life of St. Cuthbert that when he was crossing the wild country of Durham and was like to be starved he found succour from someone residing in the buildings still remaining at Chester-le-Street. Along the sides of the roads, between the towns, would be the ruins, not then entirely destroyed, of villas and other buildings which may have formed places for rest or refuge to those who like the saint traversed these dangerous forest paths, from which may have been derived the names of localities still in use although the ruins after which they were called have long since been forgotten. The monks who were conveying the body of St. Cuthbert to its final resting-place were directed to take it to Dunholm, and an accident revealed to them the obscure place which then bore that name; and when St. Godric was directed to repair to Finchale and there build himself a hermitage, he only discovered there was a place so called by a chance conversation he had with a monk at Durham.