Editing Piercebridge

{{Use British English|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox UK place
|country              =England
|static_image_name    =Piercebridge St Marys Church 001.jpg
|static_image_caption =St Mary's Church, Piercebridge
|coordinates          = {{coord|54.53684|-1.67777|display=inline,title}}
|official_name        =Piercebridge
|population           =113
|population_ref       = (2011)
|unitary_england      =[[Darlington (borough)|Darlington]]
|lieutenancy_england  =[[County Durham]]
|region               =North East England
|constituency_westminster = [[Darlington (UK Parliament constituency)|Darlington]]
|post_town            =DARLINGTON
|postcode_district    =DL2
|postcode_area        =DL
|dial_code            =01325
|os_grid_reference    =NZ209157
}}

'''Piercebridge''' is a village and [[Civil parishes in England|civil parish]] in the [[Darlington (borough)|borough of Darlington]] and the [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial county]] of [[County Durham|Durham]], England. It is situated a few miles west of the town of [[Darlington]]. It is on the [[Piercebridge Roman Fort|site of a Roman fort]] of AD 260–270, which was built at the point where [[Dere Street]] crossed the [[River Tees]]. Part of the fort is under the [[village green]].<ref name="RootsOfTheRegionPiercebridge">{{cite web|url=http://www.englandsnortheast.co.uk/PlaceNameMeaningsPtoS.html|title=Roots of the Region|last=Simpson|first=David|date=1991–2009|work=Piercebridge (County Durham)|access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref> The village is sited where the [[York]]-[[Newstead, Scottish Borders|Newstead]] Roman road known as [[Dere Street]] crosses the [[River Tees]].<ref name="RootsOfTheRegionPiercebridge"/>

The excavated Roman fort is open to the public and the remains of [[Piercebridge Roman Bridge]] over the Tees now lie around {{convert|90|m|-1}} south of the current course of the river, approximately {{convert|450|m|-1}} east of Piercebridge, at the east side of [[Cliffe, Richmondshire]].

==Toponym==
Piercebridge is named after its [[Piercebridge Roman Bridge|Roman bridge]] or ''brigg'': in 1104 it was ''Persebrig''; in 1577 it was ''Priestbrigg''. It is thought that ''pierce'' comes from ''pershe'', meaning [[willow|osiers]], perhaps because the bridge was at least partly made of osier twigs in 1050 when the name is first recorded. Alternative suggested meanings, of "priest" and the name "Piers", would be too modern in origin for such an old place name.

== Demographics ==
{{Main|Demographics of Tees Valley}}The population of the civil parish as of the 2011 census was 113.<ref>{{cite web |title=Civil parish population 2011 |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11127560&c=Piercebridge&d=16&e=62&g=6377594&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1454501571703&enc=1 |access-date=3 February 2016}}</ref>

==History==

===Roman===
{{main|Piercebridge Roman Fort}}
The [[Roman Britain|Roman]]s built a fort here to defend the [[Piercebridge Roman Bridge|crossing]] against the [[Brigantes]].<ref name="Durhamwhitewash09"/> The Roman [[castra|fort]] known as ''Morbium'' is now located under the village green. It was sited adjacent to [[Dere Street]], at the point where the [[Roman roads in Britannia|Roman road]] crossed the [[River Tees]]. The fort was occupied continuously from about 70 CE to at least the fifth century. A [[vicus (Rome)|civilian settlement]] was to the east of the fort in Tofts Field.<ref name="ADSromanpiercebridge"/> A Roman [[thermae|bath house]] was incorporated into St Mary's chapel (now on private land).<ref name="KeysStMarysChapel2010">{{cite web|url=http://www.durham-pa.gov.uk/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=D1550 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070516044500/http://www.durham-pa.gov.uk/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=D1550 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 May 2007 |title=Keys to the Past |year=2010 |work=Piercebridge, St. Mary's; site of Medieval chapel. (Piercebridge) |publisher=County Durham |access-date=9 March 2010 }}</ref><ref name="ConservationArea05">{{cite web|url=http://www.darlington.gov.uk/PublicMinutes/Cabinet/August%2030%202005/Item%2013%20Appendix.pdf|title=Darlington.gov.uk|year=2005|work=Piercebridge conservation area character appraisal, consultation draft|publisher=Darlington|access-date=9 March 2010}}</ref> The archaeology television programme ''[[Time Team]]'' was here in 2009, attracted by [[Piercebridge Roman Fort]].<ref name="NorthernEcho2jul09">{{cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/features/blogs/staff/echomemories/4472760.Time_Team_in_the_area/|title=The Northern Echo|last=Lloyd|first=Chris|date=2 July 2009|work=Piercebridge: Time Team investigates|access-date=9 March 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927204747/http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/features/blogs/staff/echomemories/4472760.Time_Team_in_the_area/|archive-date=27 September 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> 
Following the [[End of Roman rule in Britain|departure of the Romans]] in 410CE, the area in and around the fort remained inhabited for about another century.<ref name="ADSromanpiercebridge">{{cite web|url=http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/archive/piercebridge_eh_2008/index.cfm?CFID=3604358&CFTOKEN=55364513|title=ADS Archsearch|last=Evans|first=Tim|date=1996–2010|work=Roman Piercebridge ALSF Project Number 4698|access-date=9 March 2010}}</ref> The plain it sits on in the [[Tees Valley]] was the site of [[Battle of Catraeth]]. The kingdom  of Catraeth was composed  of the descendants of the [[Brigantes]].<ref name="Durhamwhitewash09"/>

===Medieval===
[[File:Piercebridge bridge 025.jpg|thumb|right|East side of bridge, from Piercebridge,looking south]]
There was no permanent inhabitation in the area until the [[Normans|Norman]]s arrived in the mid 11th century.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

===16th century onwards===
There was no medieval Piercebridge [[Parish councils in England|parish]], but there was a chapel recorded in 1546.<ref name="KeysToThePastPiercebridgeHist">{{cite web|url=http://www.durham-pa.gov.uk/DURHAMCC/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=D6859 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070516044500/http://www.durham-pa.gov.uk/DURHAMCC/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=D6859 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 May 2007 |title=Keys to the Past |year=2010 |work=Local History Piercebridge (County Durham) |publisher=Northumberland County Council |access-date=14 January 2010 }}</ref> The name of White Cross Farm and cottage may come from the 17th century apocryphal tale that one of the [[Duke of Cleveland|Dukes of Cleveland]] demanded the whitewashing of houses on his land so that he could recognise his own property should he require shelter during a storm while hunting.<ref name="Durhamwhitewash09">{{cite web|url=http://www.englandsnortheast.co.uk/Teesdale.html|title=County Durham|last=Simpson|first=David|date=1991–2009|work=Teesdale and Barnard Castle|access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref> The 18th-century farmhouse, Piercebridge Grange, may be on the site of a [[monastic grange]]. It was tenanted by James Rawe, gentleman, in 1847.<ref name="Chapman1847">{{cite web|url=http://www.jaydax.co.uk/family/pafc07.htm|title=Last will and testament of John Chapman, 1847|year=1847|work=Citation|access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref> It is now a Grade II [[listed building]],<ref name="DarlingtonListedBuildings08">{{cite web|url=http://www.darlington.gov.uk/dar_public/Documents/Development%20and%20Environment/Development%20and%20Regeneration/Planning%20Services/Conservation/LBIndex.pdf|title=Darlington Borough Council: Index of buildings in Darlington borough|date=19 August 2008|work=Parish Piercebridge|publisher=Regeneration Division, chief executive's Department, Darlington Borough Council|pages=42|access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref> but was derelict by 2008.<ref name="DBC-Buildingsatrisk08">{{cite web|url=http://www.darlington.gov.uk/dar_public/Documents/Development%20and%20Environment/Development%20and%20Regeneration/Planning%20Services/Conservation/BaR.pdf|title=Buildings at risk register|year=2008|work=Piercebridge Grange Farm|publisher=Darliington Borough Council|pages=31|access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref> The [[Battle of Piercebridge]] was partly fought on the bridge, when on 1 December 1642 a small [[Cavalier|Royalist]] contingent including [[William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne|William Cavendish]] defended it against [[Roundhead|Parliamentarians]] led by [[Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron|Lord Fairfax]].<ref name="KeysToThePastPiercebridgeHist"/> St Mary's church and churchyard were used for 115 extant memorials and burials from 1836 to 1987.<ref name="FFHS-DurhamMemorials">{{cite web|url=http://www.familyhistoryonline.net/database/ClevelandFHS_MI.shtml|title=Federation of Family History Societies|date=2002–2009|work=Cleveland, North Yorkshire and County Durham Memorial Inscription index|access-date=12 March 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100219194746/http://www.familyhistoryonline.net/database/ClevelandFHS_MI.shtml|archive-date=19 February 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In 2001 the Piercebridge area suffered in the [[2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth crisis|foot and mouth epidemic]].<ref name="BBCfootandmouth01">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1207463.stm|date=19 October 2001|title=Timeline: Foot-and-mouth cases|access-date=12 March 2010 | work=BBC News}}</ref> By 1887, the village had grown to cover {{convert|973|acre|km2}} of which 17 were water. It had a population of 206, a railway station and a [[General Post Office|post office]].<ref name="Bartholomew1887">{{cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/place_page.jsp?p_id=5301&st=Piercebridge|title=A vision of Britain through time: Piercebridge County Durham|last=Bartholomew|first=John|year=1887|work=1887, John Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isles|access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref> Since then it has lost the railway station, gained few residents, and retained its post office.<ref name="Thomson2010-PO">{{cite web|url=http://www.thomsonlocal.com/Piercebridge-Post-Office/0354632196206023000/map/companyinfo.html|title=Thomson local.com|year=2010|work=Piercebridge Post Office|access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref>

A clock in the George Hotel inspired [[Henry Clay Work]]'s 1876 song "[[My Grandfather's Clock]]". The clock was said to have been owned by two brothers named Jenkins. When one brother died, the clock began losing time, and it stopped for ever upon the death of the other.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of the Grandfather Clock at the George Hotel in Piercebridge, Darlington, County Durham - The George Hotel |url=http://www.george-ontees.co.uk/history-of-the-grandfather-clock/ |publisher=The George Hotel |access-date=27 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903134532/http://www.george-ontees.co.uk/history-of-the-grandfather-clock/ |archive-date=3 September 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==Preservation==
Within the village there are numerous [[Georgian era|Georgian]] and [[Victorian era|Victorian]] cottages: some painted white or cream; some of one storey only. There are several Grade II [[listed building]]s in the village and its environs, including White Cross Farmhouse, White Cross Cottage, Carlbury Bridge, Piercebridge Grange Farmhouse, the Church of St Mary and its wall and gate, and numbers 2, 28, 29 and 30 on The Green. The Grange farm buildings, however, were developed into residential properties in 2008.<ref name="CharltonsGrange08">{{cite web|url=http://www.charltonsestateagents.com/details.php?id=1857|title=Charltons|year=2008|work=Details for Piercebridge Grange – For Sale|access-date=12 March 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708135559/http://www.charltonsestateagents.com/details.php?id=1857|archive-date=8 July 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref> [[Piercebridge Roman Bridge]] and the [[Middle Ages|medieval]] chapel ruins on [[Roman Britain|Roman]] foundations behind Bath House in Tees View are [[listed building|listed]] Grade II*.<ref name="DarlingtonListedBuildings08"/> The bridge carrying the main B6275 road was originally built in the early 16th century and was widened in 1781; it is Grade II* listed and a Scheduled Ancient Monument.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1145843 |desc=PIERCEBRIDGE BRIDGE|date =3 November 2000 |access-date=22 April 2020}}</ref> The village green contains some very old trees, and in the river are [[brown trout|trout]] and [[Thymallus thymallus|grayling]].<ref name="InfoBritainGuide">{{cite web|url=http://www.information-britain.co.uk/county40/townguidePiercebridge+On+Tees/|title=Information Britain|year=2009|work=A guide to Piercebridge on Tees|access-date=9 March 2010}}</ref> At the north end of the village, near the A67 is the Carlbury Arms pub.<ref name="LivingCarlburyArms09">{{cite web|url=http://www.livingnortheast.co.uk/restaurant/4225718.Carlbury_Arms__Piercebridge/|title=Living: restaurant guide|date=23 March 2009|work=Carlbury Arms, Piercebridge|access-date=12 March 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090619074854/http://livingnortheast.co.uk/restaurant/4225718.Carlbury_Arms__Piercebridge/|archive-date=19 June 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref> There is also a Farmway Country Store and Piercebridge Feed Company, retailing rural supplies.<ref name="Farmway09">{{cite web|url=http://www.farmway.co.uk/corporate/|title=Farmway|year=2009|work=Suppliers to the rural community|access-date=12 March 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100618064453/http://www.farmway.co.uk/corporate/|archive-date=18 June 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The dismantled [[Tees Valley Railway]] has become the Tees Valley Railway Path.<ref name="TeesValleyRailwayPath">{{cite web|url=http://www.ldwa.org.uk/ldp/members/show_path.php?path_name=Tees+Valley+Railway+Path|title=The long distance walkers association|work=[[Tees Valley Railway]] Path|access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref> Church services are held at St Mary's every other week,<ref name="StMarysChurch">{{cite web|url=http://www.churchindarlington.org.uk/churches/a_st_marys_piercebridge.htm|title=Churchindarlington.org.uk|work=St Mary's Church, Piercebridge|access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref> and there is also a [[Wesleyanism|Wesleyan]] [[Methodism|Methodist]] chapel.<ref name="WesleyanChapelPhoto">{{cite web|url=http://www.durham-pa.gov.uk/durhamcc/DRE.nsf/DREPicture?readform&PIC=dre/m/09699.jpg&NAME=Piercebridge,+Wesleyan+Chapel&IMGID=M9099&KEYWORD=Wesleyan+Methodists |title=durham-pa.gov.uk |year=1981 |work=Piercebridge, Wesleyan chapel |publisher=Durham County Council |access-date=12 March 2010 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name="MethodistChurcharchives">{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O98239|title=The National Archives|year=2009|work=Piercebridge Methodist Church, 1864–1961 minutes and accounts|access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref>

==Transport==
Originally Dere Street crossed the Tees {{convert|260|yd|m}} further upstream, but in 1771 a flood washed away the remains of the old [[Piercebridge Roman Bridge|Roman bridge]], and in 1789 a new bridge replaced the ferry.<ref name="RootsOfTheRegionPiercebridge"/> The 1806 map shows Dere Street as the main route via Piercebridge between [[Richmond, North Yorkshire|Richmond]] and [[Bishop Auckland]], although the [[Ripon]]-[[Durham, England|Durham]] route went via [[Darlington]].<ref name="CSmith1806map">{{cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/maps/|title=A vision of Britain through time: historical maps|last=Smith|first=C.|year=1806|work=C.Smith: New Map of Great Britain and Ireland, central England, 1806, 1:633600 |access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref> The 1904 map shows the route diverted via [[Staindrop]], and that part of Dere Street between Piercebridge and Bishop Auckland had become a minor road.<ref name="OS-1904">{{cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/maps/|title=A vision of Britain through time: historical maps|last=Ordnance Survey|year=1904|work=Ordnance Survey sheets 7 and 8, 1904, 1:633600|publisher=OS|access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref> This was possibly due to the advent of the [[North Eastern Railway (UK)|NER]] Darlington and Barnard Castle railway (1856) whose {{rws|Piercebridge}} station closed to passengers in 1964. According to the land-usage map of 1942, this was an area of arable land and pasture, and the urbanisation around [[Darlington]] had not yet begun to encroach.<ref name="Landutilisationmap1942">{{cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/maps/|title=A vision of Britain through time: his torical maps|year=1942|work=Geographical Publications Limited Land Utilisation Survey of Britain, Sheet 2|publisher=Ordnance Survey|access-date=12 March 2010}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Piercebridge}}
* [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/mapsheet.aspx?compid=55116&sheetid=3164&ox=2515&oy=946&zm=1&czm=1&x=164&y=183 OS map of Piercebridge, 1859]
* [http://www.darlington.gov.uk/PublicMinutes/Cabinet/August%2030%202005/Item%2013%20Appendix.pdf Piercebridge conservation area character appraisal 2005]

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Piercebridge
|North     = [[Summerhouse, County Durham|Summerhouse]]
|Northeast = [[Walworth, County Durham|Walworth]]
|East      = [[Carlbury]]
|Southeast = ''[[River Tees]]'' / [[Manfield]]
|South     = ''[[River Tees]]'' / [[Cliffe, Richmondshire|Cliffe]]
|Southwest = ''[[River Tees]]'' / [[Eppleby]]
|West      = [[Gainford, County Durham|Gainford]]
|Northwest = [[Headlam]]
}}

{{Civil parishes in County Durham}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in County Durham]]
[[Category:Places in the Borough of Darlington]]
[[Category:Places in the Tees Valley]]