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DISCOVERING THE REMAINS OF THE MEDIEVAL BRIDGE AT ANCRUM
DISCOVERING THE REMAINS OF THE MEDIEVAL BRIDGE AT ANCRUM
Up until 2018, when Judith presented us with an extract from the Jedburgh council minutes, we were unaware of the existence of another bridge over the River Teviot at Cleikemin. The extract details an older bridge than the two currently spanning the Teviot, indicating it was constructed by the Abbey of Jedburgh. This bridge was the sole crossing in Roxburghshire that allowed the lieges to travel to and from Edinburgh. Additionally, it noted that the bridge was in need of repair at that time.
Judith believed this information would be of interest to us, and her intuition proved correct.
It is shown on this extract of Blaeu’s Map of Teviotdale in 1654, 130 years before the Toll Bridge was built
It is shown on this extract of Blaeu’s Map of Teviotdale in 1654, 130 years before the Toll Bridge was built
We initiated a riverbank survey of the area, during which Richard Strathie, our joint chairman at the time, utilized his drone to capture aerial images of the river, hoping to identify any remnants of the structure.
The photographs were remarkable, revealing a stone platform in the middle of the river, along with the outlines of kerbstones and large oak timbers beneath the arch of the 1784 bridge. Subsequently, we conducted a water survey, which allowed us to confirm both the size and shape of the platform.
ADHS acknowledged the potential discovery of a historically significant artifact pertaining to both Borders history and Scottish architecture.
Richard with his drone.
A paddle along the riverbed.
His aerial survey produced this remarkable photograph
Further Investigation Proved How Important This Bridge Was
Further Investigation Proved How Important This Bridge Was
Further research was conducted by Geoff Parkhouse, a member of ADHS, which involved a thorough examination of historical documents and archives to develop a comprehensive understanding of the medieval bridge's significance.
He also uncovered additional minutes from Jedburgh, this time dated 1699, which indicated that numerous attempts were made to secure funding for the bridge's repair. The Church of Scotland even organized a nationwide collection at church doors. Unfortunately, during this century of conflict, it was exceedingly challenging to raise funds for anything other than military needs. Consequently, the bridge suffered from flood damage and deterioration.
The bridge would have served as a vital connection between Jedburgh, its Abbey, Royal Castle, and the Borders, linking them to the broader network of Royal Castles and Abbeys established during the reign of David I. These Castles and Abbeys played a crucial role as centres of power, trade, and wealth generation for the Kings of Scots, particularly until the onset of the Wars of Independence. The wool trade, nurtured by the abbeys, represented a significant source of revenue in taxes, which were collected for the King at Roxburgh before being transported from Berwick. While trade was an essential component of the economy, the River Teviot disrupts this trade route, creating isolation. The proposed location of the Bishop of Glasgow's palace at the Mantle Walls in Ancrum emphasizes this significance; the bridge links Jedburgh to Ancrum, from where trade routes extend to Selkirk, Melrose, and Roxburgh, and further to Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Berwick, thereby servicing the abbeys and castles.
From both a geographical and historical perspective, Ancrum Old Bridge is noteworthy. The elevated river terraces flanking the Teviot converge at this point, effectively 'funnelling' the river flow into a narrower channel. As illustrated by the projected SEPA flood map of the area, the low-lying lands upstream and downstream facilitate the dispersion of floodwaters. In contrast, at the bridging point, while it permits the construction of a higher bridge with fewer spans to mitigate flood damage to the structure, it also subjects the bridge to a more vigorous river current impacting the cutwaters.
INVESTIGATING AND RECORDING THE REMAINS
INVESTIGATING AND RECORDING THE REMAINS
Recognizing the presence of timbers on the riverbed, ADHS sought the expertise of Coralie Mills from Dendrochronicle, who assisted us in obtaining dendrochronological samples from these timbers.
Funding was also secured from Community Archaeology Radio Carbon Dating (CARD). Both methodologies were employed to ascertain the date of the oak timbers found in the stone platform or pier base.
In pursuit of further information and assistance, the discovery was presented at the Edinburgh Lothians and Borders Archaeology Conference (ELBAC). This presentation led to the involvement of Historic Environment Scotland (HES), which provided funding for an initial underwater survey conducted by Wessex Archaeology Coastal and Marine Team.
This project is unusual in that investigations of old bridge remains in Scotland are few and far between. it is said that the last serious study of a Scottish medieval bridge foundations was in 1907, during restoration the Old Bridge of Ayr. There was a study of old Stirling Bridge (Wallace’s) in the 1990s, but the conditions were very difficult, as the Forth is tidal there, so the current and visibility precluded a detailed study of the remains on the riverbed.
DESTRUCTIVE DEBRIS: The bridge remains are under threat: As you can see from the photograph of these timbers that were dragged down river like a great plough during a storm in 2019, and are now lodged against the A68 Bridge downstream from the Toll Bridge.
FLOOD SURGES: The comparative photographs above are of the River Teviot at low water and in spate, taken just a week apart in February 2020. Monitoring over the past 2 years has led ADHS to suspect that bit by bit, the remnants of the medieval bridge are being affected by Climate Change and are being eroded away.
Our first goals were therefore to:
1) Establish the extent and age of the medieval bridge.
2) Confirm the state of the remains on the riverbed and to assess their vulnerability to erosion.
UNDERWATER SURVEY BY WESSEX ARCHAEOLOGY
UNDERWATER SURVEY BY WESSEX ARCHAEOLOGY
Over two site visits, Wessex, along with ADHS members and Dendrochronicle, conducted a thorough survey, mapping, recording, and sampling the remains. Some timber samples were sent to the Scottish Universities Environment Research Centre in East Kilbride for “wiggle match” radiocarbon dating, which yielded results indicating a date range to the mid-1300s.
Wessex Archaeology begin their survey of the bridge remains.
Richard, Coralie, Steph and Bob demonstrate the length and width of the stone platform under the 1784 Toll Bridge.
an excellent sample of bridge timber - Coralie examines it for tree ring data
The reverse of the same sample: Eoin Cox, of Buy Design was able to identify four different woodworking toolmarks on this piece: auger, adze, saw and chisel.
Subsequent research conducted at Swansea University has aimed to refine the dating of the first Scottish site to utilize dendro-isotope dating, a method that proves more effective than traditional techniques for challenging materials such as bridge timbers. This research has definitively established that the timbers, featuring intact bark edges, used in the construction of the sub-structure of the medieval bridge at Ancrum were felled during the winter of AD 1428/29. Given that wood was typically processed while still green (unseasoned), it is highly probable that the bridge was constructed at the earliest AD1429 or within a few years thereafter the felling. Notably, this finding indicates that the bridge is approximately 80 years younger than the date suggested by wiggle match radiocarbon dating.
While it may seem that these two dating methods are at odds, it is crucial to clarify that the radiocarbon dating is not erroneous. Instead, it provides a date range with a probability that reflects the likelihood of the actual date falling within a statistically determined interval. In this instance, the actual date simply lies outside the 95.4% range reported, representing an effective 1 in 20 chance.
Consequently, the isotopic dendrochronological evidence reveals that the construction of the medieval bridge at Ancrum occurred not during a time of instability and conflict under the reign of David II, but rather during the more stable reign of King James I. This new understanding allows for a reorientation of archaeological and archival research towards this later period, facilitating a deeper comprehension of the bridge's significance in the cultural and political history of the region.
THE PARTICIPATING BODIES INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT:
THE PARTICIPATING BODIES INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT:
WESSEX ARCHAEOLOGY COASTAL AND MARINE TEAM www.wessexarch.co.uk/archaeological-services/marine-maritime-archaeology-and-cultural-heritage-services
WESSEX ARCHAEOLOGY COASTAL AND MARINE TEAM www.wessexarch.co.uk/archaeological-services/marine-maritime-archaeology-and-cultural-heritage-services
WORK IN PROGRESS
WORK IN PROGRESS
"We are working with our partners in this Project to digest all the information we have acquired before pursuing our next steps. This will include further archive research as well as the possibilities of gleaning more data from the remains in the river and the surrounding hinterland."
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