Supplying Roman Corbridge Up the Tyne

Background

This page looks as the possiblity of barges supplying Roman Corbridge up the Tyne, at the first fort at Red House Farm and latter at the current location.

First, it has to be said there is no evidence, as any structure in the Tyne would have no chance of surviving the force of the River Tyne over nearly 2,000 years. This was particularly the case before the building of the Kielder dam in the 1970s. Only the bridge at Corbridge survived the great flood of 1771. At least one Roman bridge likely suffered the same fate.

Secondly, the role of the Navy has been greatly underestimated by all historian sources, particularly regarding bulk supplies, harbours and troop re-enforcement.

Following the occupation of the North in the 70s AD an important road was built from Carlisle to Corbridge, later called the Stanegate. A large fort had been built at Red House Farm about a mile north west of the current site as a depot and base to invade what became “Scotland”. The object was to march an army of about 20,000 men up what became Dere St (now A68). This was undertaken in 3 separate invasions of “Scotland”, around 80AD, 140 AD and 208AD. All supplies would need to follow the army, the country they passed through could not support the army.

There is a direct reference to the project by David Mason, Director of the Hadrian’s Wall Forum in his book “Roman Britain and Roman Navy” as follows:

No road has been found going east from Corbridge to the sea, which has generated the idea of supporting Corbridge and the army up the river Tyne

Feasibility

There is little doubt that the Romans had the engineering skills.

Using OS maps it is possible to measure the length of the river from west of Corbridge to the beginning of the tidal river east Wyham, and the descent of the river towards the sea.

Of course, rivers always change course and over long periods of time, particularly over 1900 years. Also over this period, sea levels have probably increased, indicating that the tidal reach would be lower.

From west Corbridge to east of Wyham, is 20km (12.4 miles) and the descent from Corbridge is 28 meters. (92 ft), 1.4meters per km increased by say 5 kilometres by lower sea levels.

This would require the building of 6 to 12 weirs along this stretch of the Tyne with gates (or locks) whereby the boats could be hauled through/ over the weirs. The Romans had this engineering capability, but no pound locks (the double-gated locks found throughout Britain’s canal system.) have not been found and through to have been invented long after the end of the Western empire but other forms of locks would have been possible.

These could have been wood, but would not have lasted very long, or a gravel weir with long slopes up and down the river, but would erode over time.

Obviously, seagoing ships could not deliver food, goods and services directly to Corbridge, they would require transshipping to barges probably between Newcastle and South Shields.

The question remains whether the effort justifies the benefit and whether there were troops were available to undertake a very significant project.

Piercebridge Formula

“This thesis tests a recent theory of Roman military supply in the

North-east of England. The Piercebridge formula (Selkirk, 1983) involves

a system of Roman forts provisioned by barges along rivers made navigable

by a series of dams, locks and canals. The formula is first assessed on

a theoretical basis: as a comprehensive road system was built across

Britain during the Conquest period, construction of Piercebridge formula

components for river-borne fort supply would have been justified only if

the Piercebridge formula was significantly more efficient than overland

transport.”

This is described by Dr James Anderson in his doctrinal theorist, covering the theory put forward in the 1980s by Ray Selkirk relating to 10 rivers in North East England.

Dr Anderson dismisses the theory after close analysis, as some of the suggestions are surprising and unrealistic logistically, like 70 weirs to get supplies to High Rochester.

Download the 600-page thesis, but failed to take account of supplying armies.

The resources needed to add the weir system to a river could not be justified by a small number of forts, but support an invading army, planned in advance would make the project feasible.

The best case for the project would be the first invasion of “Scotland” commanded by Apricola about 79AD (see the detail here), when the road system would only have been developing. Governor Apricola was a commander with the necessary imagination for the project and a legion with the skills to undertake the project, the Adiutrix 2nd Legion, recruited from the Navy a few years earlier, at the time having built Chester’s Roman Fortress and harbour, but not directly involved in the invasion.