Chesters Bridge
| Chesters Bridge | |
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 Chesters Bridge
 Chesters Bridge shown within Northumberland |
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| OS grid reference | NY913700 |
| Coordinates | 55°01′30″N 2°08′17″W / 55.025°N 2.138°WCoordinates: 55°01′30″N 2°08′17″W / 55.025°N 2.138°W |
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Chesters Bridge was a Roman bridge over the River North Tyne at Chollerford, Northumberland, England, and adjacent to Chesters Roman fort on Hadrian's Wall. The fort, mentioned in the Notitia Dignitatum, and now identified with the fort found at Chesters, was known as Cilurnum or Cilurvum.
In 2016, public access to Chesters Roman bridge abutments was suspended due to flood damage.
The remains of the bridge on the east bank of the River North Tyne are approached along a footpath from near Chollerford Bridge. These remains were first located in 1860. They form one of the most impressive and massive masonry structures to be seen on Hadrians Wall. A shift in the course of the Tyne has moved the river westwards about 66 feet (20 m), completely covering or sweeping away much of the west abutment, leaving the eastern abutment high, if not always dry, on the other bank.
The bridge carried the Military Way Roman road behind the wall across the River North Tyne at this point, and was defended by the adjacent cavalry fort at its foundation, later given over to infantry. An early inscription on an altar dedicated to Disciplina, found in 1978, indicates the earliest known military presence was a wing of cavalry, ala Augusta ob virtutem appellata ("named Augusta because of its valour").
There were at least two bridges on this spot. The first, less massive than its successor, was probably contemporary with the construction of the Wall in AD 122-4. It crossed the river on a series of at least eight hexagonal stone piers about 13 feet (4 m) apart: the first of these (from the east) can be seen where it has been incorporated into the stonework of the later abutment. The overall length of the bridge between abutments was 200 feet (61 m). The width of these piers suggests that the bridge was intended to convey a structure 10 feet (3.0 m) wide - the width of the Broad Wall in this area - and that it therefore carried Hadrian's Wall across the river with a series of small stone arches. The masonry appears to have been plain but substantial, and the surviving hexagonal pier bears traces of dovetail cramps of iron set in lead which would have held the stones tightly together.
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