Northumberland Yesterday and To-dayTerry, Jean F. (Jean Finlay)
History
Northumberland Yesterday and To-day
Terry, Jean F. (Jean Finlay)
Northumberland (England) -- Guidebooks; Northumberland (England) -- History
Passing Chollerton and Humshaugh, embowered amongst spreading
trees, we arrive at Chollerford, the prettiest village of North
Tyne, lying near the river where it was crossed by the Roman Wall.
From the bridge which spans the Tyne at Chollerford one of the
finest views of the river, both up and down the stream, is to be
seen; and to watch the swift brown stream, after a flood or a
freshet, foaming through the arches is an exhilarating sight. The
bridge itself is a modern one, for we know that all the bridges on
the Tyne, except that of Corbridge, were swept away by the great
flood of 1771.
In 1394, that prince of bridge-builders, Bishop Walter de Skirlaw
of Durham, granted thirteen days’ indulgence to all who should
assist in rebuilding the bridge at Chollerford; so that already
there was one here which had evidently fallen into disrepair. Yet,
in the ballad of “Jock o’ the Side,” the rescuers, with Jock in
their midst, reach Chollerford, and, after some anxious questioning
of an old man as to whether the “water will ride,” are compelled to
swim the Tyne in flood, which their pursuers, coming up, will not
attempt to do. Now Bishop Skirlaw’s bridges did not usually
disappear; those of Yarm, Shincliffe, and Auckland have stood until
to-day, with occasional repairs. Are we then reluctantly to
question the truth of “Jock o’ the Side”? Surely, if the choice
remain of the accuracy of the ballad or the fact of the bridge, it
is the duty of all leal North-country people to swear by the
ballad. Perhaps the good Bishop did not personally oversee the
rebuilding of Chollerford Bridge: more probably the Wear and Tees
do not come down with the angry impetuosity of the Tyne in flood!
The remains of the great Roman camp of Cilurnum (The Chesters) may
be seen here within Mrs. Clayton’s park. This was the largest
military station in Northumberland, Corstopitum, which is very much
larger, being more of a civil settlement. At some little distance
below the present bridge some of the piers of the old Roman bridge
are still to be seen when the river is low.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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