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Old Tyne Bridge is the name given to two two stone-arch bridges over the River Tyne, between Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead in north-east England, which predate the current 1928 Tyne Bridge. More broadly the term refers to the succession of bridges between the two localities predating current bridges.

The oldest extant bridge connecting Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead is Robert Stephenson's 1849 High Level Bridge. Prior to its construction, a single river crossing can be traced back to the period of Roman occupation of Britain, provided by a series of structures, albeit with considerable uncertainty and long periods for which little or no evidence exists.

The first Tyne Bridge is inferred from a number of observations; not least the naming of a roman fort as Pons Aelius in Notitia Dignitatum (a document of the late Roman Empire that details the administrative organization of the Eastern and Western Empires.) Contemporary scholarship is that the date of its construction is uncertain, in the range 122CE to perhaps 190CE; its exact location is unknown; and none of its fabric - perhaps apart from three alters - has been discovered. Prior scholarship placed the line of Pons Aelius on the line of the current Swing Bridge.

The history of the crossing is mainly blank from the Roman period up to a charter given by Henry II (reigned 1154–1189) to the town exempting them from pontage duty (a tax on the movement of goods across a bridge). Whatever bridge existed is reported by Matthew Paris to have burnt in a 1248 great fire in Newcastle.

Over perhaps a decade after the fire, in the 1250s, a 12-arch stone bridge was constructed, and this construction lasted - albeit not without incident and periods of ruination - until 1771, when it was substantially destroyed during an abnormal rising of the river. This Old Tyne Bridge was on exactly the course of the Swing Bridge.

A temporary wooden bridge structure was put in place in 1772, whilst a replacement 9-arch stone bridge was constructed in the period 1775-79 on the line of the previous stone bridge. That structure stood until 1866, ref when, on completion of another temporary wooden bridge, and with the High Level Bridge providing an alternative means of crossing, the stone bridge was removed to enable construction of a swing bridge facilitating river traffic to Armstrong's Elswick works. That bridge, again exactly on the line of its predecessors, was opened in 1876.

Pons Aelius
It is generally accepted that a bridge was erected, by Romans during the period of their occupation of Britain, across the River Tyne between what is now Newcastle and Gateshead. The key evidence for the bridge is the naming of a fort on the line of Hadrian's Wall as Ponte Aeli ('at the bridge of Aeli') in the Notitia Dignitatum, within a list suggesting its location was between the east-most wall fort at Segedunum (modern Wallsend, east of Newcastle city centre) and Condercum (modern Benwell, west of Newcastle city centre). However, the location at which the bridge crossed the river has not been established; nor the date of its construction; nor has any of its fabric been discovered - with the possible exception of three alters, the discovery locations of which may not shed light on the positioning of the bridge, and old concrete which might, alternatively, belong to a later bridge. Prior scholarship, particularly that by John Collingwood Bruce, concluding that the Roman bridge took the line of two second-millenium bridges and the current swing bridge, is refuted by Bidwell and Snape writing for English Heritage.

Despite the conspicuous absence of bridge remains or any direct evidence for its construction, historians have worked to marshal circumstantial evidence in order to draw tentitive suggestions as to the bridge's genesis, purpose and role, as well as to map out the considerable uncertainty which continues to attend.

The fort's name in Notitia Dignitatum is in a locative form indicating the location of the fort - 'at the bridge of Aeli'. The nominative form for the bridge would be Pons Aeli(i) or - as seems to be widely adopted - Pons Aelius. Aelius is the Gens of Hadrian, Roman emperor from 117 to 138; but also of Antoninus Pius (138-161) and Commodus (177-192), so that the bridge cannot be uniquely identified, by name, with one or another ruler. Hadrian is most closely associated with the wall, but Rome was active in the north of Britain during Antoninus Pius's reign, undertaking an invasion of southern Scotland and beginning construction of the more northerly Antonine Wall from 142; a building dedication slab in his name was dredged from the area around the Tyne's swing bridge in 1903, and Haverfield makes the point that the slab might commemorate the bridge, which "could date as well from Pius as from Hadrian". Rome was active during Commodus's reign, too, again invading southern Scotland and rebuilding the Antonine Wall, albeit at the cost of a local revolt against his rule.

Irrespective of which emperor is signified by Aelius, this attachment of an imperial name to a bridge is unique outside the city of Rome; what Roman bridges names are known normally take the name of the river crossed, or of a deity honoured; most bridge names are now lost. A supposition drawn is that Pons Aelius "was presumably conceived on a scale magnificent enough to justify its name,", or, "of a monumental design which bore no relationship to its modest purpose".

Consideration of the role of the bridge within the wider Roman transportation system is no more certain a guide to the period of its construction than is its name. General opinion has the bridge as part of the earliest plan for the wall, and being built as one of its first structures; much of the wall was built in the 122 to 128 period. Bidwell and Snape offer an argument for an earlier date, in the Flavian period of 69 to 96. Under either scenario, the purpose of the bridge is given as providing a means of connecting Arbeia, a fort at the mouth of the Tyne (in modern South Shields) to the string of forts and later wall on the north side of the Tyne; and, indeed, to connect the Tyne seaport to more westerly Roman infrastructure of Dere Street and Stanegate. An earlier, Flavian, date for the bridge rests on the observation that in its absence the area to the east of Dere Street, and what must have been a critically important seaport, were left unconnected to the rest of the Roman northern frontier. A model supposing an earlier date must also deal with the late dates for the establishment of the Pons Aelius fort in the last 2nd or early 3rd century and of Arbeia in 160; Bidwell and Snape suggest the possibility that there was a fort, undiscovered, in modern Gateshead serving to protect the bridgehead until the time of the wall. They postulate an early wooden bridge and a road running westwards, north of the Tyne and south of the route of the wall, to Coria (modern Corbridge), Stanegate and Dere Street.

The bridge also served a north-south road - the northern part of the supposed Cade's Road - linking the east Tyne with Concangis (modern Chester-le-Street) and extending as far south as Petuaria (modern Brough On Humber); and there may have been a northern road from the bridge linking to the Devil's Causeway perhaps south of the River Coquet. The relative absence of forts between Concangis and Petuaria suggest this route was of lesser importance; the connection to the Devil's Causway is nothing more than speculative, and that road having only a single fort at Learshild, on the River Aln 18km north of the postulated junction of the road to Pons Aelius again suggests the minor importance of these routes.

9-arch stone bridge 1775-79 - 1866
9-arch: http://access.bl.uk/item/pdf/lsidyv37c40316 p.21

History
Newcastle town walls were constructed in the 13th and 14th centuries. The New Gate of Newcastle, occupying a position on a northern section of wall, is mentioned as far back as the fourteenth century. From its name, it has been surmised that it stood on the site of an older structure; Eneas Mackenzie surmises that this latter must have been the Berwick Gate.

The south front was the most ancient part of Newgate. Its architecture was of the same style as that of the inner ward of Alnwick Castle. The north front was intended as an outwork to the defences of the main gate, and had a gallery on each side, facilitating attack on assailants who had passed the first entrance. On this front were three ancient shields of arms, being St. George's cross; the arms of England, with the fleurs de lis semee; and those of Newcastle. In later timus there was above the south front a statue of James VI and I, placed under an arch, and having a crown and robes, a sceptre in the right hand, and a globe in the left.

By 1820, New Gate was "presented" at the Assizes by the grand jury "as being out of repair and inconvenient, insufficient, and insecure." This led to the building of the new prison in Carliol Croft, to which the felons were gradually removed, whilst the debtors were transferred to the Castle. In June, 1823, workmen began to pull down the east wing of Newgate, which was followed by the removal of the west wing ; and the north wing was then demolished. The most ancient part of the Gate still remained, and a vigorous effort was made to save it from destruction. It was proposed to form a carriage-road and footpath on each side of the old gateway, which was to be converted into halls for such incorporated companies as might need them. But the authorities would not hear of this. They wanted the old stones for the new prison ; and so, in September, part of the remaining walls were blown down with gunpowder. The rest were more easily removed. The portcullis was found in a perfect state ; it was removed to Matthew White Ridley, 1st Viscount Ridley grounds at Blagdon Hall. During the demolition, several cannon-balls were found, deep sunk in the wall.

Jeu d'esprit
Whilst the work was going on, a jeu d'esprit was privately circulated, which attracted some notice.

Alack! and well-a-day! Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor, We are all to grief a prey, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor, They are pulling Newgate down, That structure of renown, Which so long has graced the town, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor.

Antiquarians think't a scandal, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor, It would shock a Goth or Vandal, They declare; What, destroy the finest Lion That ever man set eye on! 'Tis a deed all must cry fie on, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor,

'Tis a pile of ancient standing, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor, Deep reverence commanding, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor, Men of note and estimation, In their course of elevation Have in it held a station. Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor.

Still, if Newgate's doomed to go, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor, To the Carliol Croft heigh ho ! Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor, As sure as you're alive, (And long, sir, may you thrive), This shock we'll ne'er survive, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor.

Then pity our condition, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor, And stop its demolition, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor; The commissioners restrain From causing us such pain. And we'll pay, and ne'er complain, The gaol-cess, Mr. Mayor.