1) The remarkable remains of Piercebridge Roman Bridge, which once carried 'Dere Street', the main Roman road from York (Eboracum) to Hadrian's Wall and beyond. Here the road crossed the River Tees which has changed course over the centuries, now flowing 50 metres to the north.. 
2) The remains of the bridge, a rare survival from Roman Britain, were only discovered by accident in 1972. A strategic river-crossing was first built here around 90 AD; this was washed away sometime in the 2nd century and this more substantial bridge constructed in its place..
3) Like other Roman bridges of the time such as Trajan's famed bridge over the Danube, the crossing comprised stone abutments and sophisticated pointed cutwater piers that lowered water resistance, all supporting a large wooden roadway..
4) While only the lowest elements of the bridge survive, disturbed by ancient floodwaters, the scale and precision of the Roman masonry is still impressive..
5) Even more impressive is the surviving washway of flagstones paving the ancient riverbed, which helped the river flow more smoothly as it passed underneath the bridge..
6) The most southerly bridge pier is well-preserved, surviving to a height of two courses. Like the other piers, its large stones are joined with iron clamps to withstand the force of the river..
7) As the course of the river moved further north, the bridge had to extended and this and other piers at its southern end became silted up and gradually buried. It seems to have survived through the Roman period but soon fell out of use and its remains buried in silt.
I am reminded the legendary “Time Team” made a very entertaining episode on Roman Piercebridge viewable here:
