Twizell Bridge

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Twizell Bridge
Twizel Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 78955.jpg
Twizell Bridge viewed from the south
Coordinates 55°41′N02°11′W / 55.683°N 2.183°W / 55.683; -2.183
CarriesPedestrians since 1983
Crosses River Till
Locale Northumberland, England
Heritage status Scheduled monument and grade II* listed
Characteristics
Design Arch bridge
Width4.6 m (15 ft)
Longest span27.4 m (90 ft)
Clearance above 12.2 m (40 ft)
History
Opened1511
Closed1983 (to vehicular traffic)
Location
Twizell Bridge

Twizell Bridge (also spelt Twizel Bridge) is a Tudor arch bridge which crosses the River Till near Duddo, Northumberland in the Northeast of England. It is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument and no longer carries vehicular traffic. [1] The bridge played a role in the Battle of Flodden in 1513. [2]

Contents

History

Twizel Bridge was built in 1511, when it provided the only dry crossing over the River Till between its confluence with the River Tweed and the village of Etal some 5 miles (8 kilometres) to the southeast. [3] It was the longest stone span of any bridge in England for three centuries. [4] Local legend suggests that it was built by a lady of the Selby family, whose seat was Twizell Castle nearby. The bridge is described by the antiquary Francis Grose in his 1784 book, The Antiquities of England and Wales, as "Twisle Bridge of Stone, one bow, but greate and stronge". [5]

On the morning of 9 September 1513, the English army commanded by Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey undertook a march northwards to outflank the invading Scottish army commanded by James IV of Scotland, which was encamped at Flodden Hill. The English artillery train and vanguard under Edmund Howard crossed the Till at Twizel Bridge, while the main English force crossed by fords and smaller bridges upstream. [6] By making this manoeuvre, Surrey forced King James to abandon his secure position on Flodden Hill and the resulting battle that afternoon was fought on ground which was disadvantageous to the Scottish tactics and contributed to their defeat. [7]

Alterations in 1770 and 1820 added small flood arches and a rebuilt parapet with a decorative dentil cornice. The bridge carried the main A698 road from Hawick to Berwick-upon-Tweed until 1983, when a modern bridge was completed immediately to the south. [8]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Flodden</span> 1513 battle between England and Scotland

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Norhamshire was an exclave of County Durham in England. It was first mentioned in 995, when it formed part of the lands of the priory at Lindisfarne. When the lands north of the River Tees were partitioned into Northumberland and County Durham it, along with Bedlingtonshire and Islandshire, stayed under the jurisdiction of Durham despite being north of the River Tyne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norham</span> Human settlement in England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Till, Northumberland</span> River in Northumberland, England

The River Till is a river of north-eastern Northumberland. It is a tributary of the River Tweed, of which it is the only major tributary to flow wholly in England. Upstream of the locality of Bewick Bridge, 8.5 km to the southeast of Wooler the river is known as the River Breamish. It rises on Comb Fell in the Cheviot Hills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tweedmouth</span> Human settlement in England

Tweedmouth is part of the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland, England. It is located on the south bank of the River Tweed and is connected to Berwick town centre, on the north bank, by two road bridges and a railway bridge. Tweedmouth has historically always been part of England, in contrast to the walled town of Berwick which came under Scottish control for several periods in the Middle Ages. The local nickname for people from Tweedmouth is "Twempies". In 1951 the parish had a population of 6410.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ladykirk and Norham Bridge</span> Bridge in Borders, Scotland

The Ladykirk and Norham Bridge connects Ladykirk in the Borders, Scotland, with Norham in Northumberland, England, across the River Tweed. It's one of three bridges that cross it along the Anglo-Scottish Border, the others being the Coldstream Bridge and the Union Chain Bridge; out of these, the Ladykirk and Norham Bridge is the youngest, opening to the public in 1888.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coldstream Bridge</span> Bridge in Scottish Borders, Scotland

Coldstream Bridge, linking Coldstream, Scottish Borders with Cornhill-on-Tweed, Northumberland, is an 18th-century Category A/Grade II* listed bridge between England and Scotland, across the River Tweed. The bridge carries the A697 road across the Tweed.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Tweed Bridge</span> Bridge in Northumberland

The Royal Tweed Bridge is a road bridge in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England crossing the River Tweed. It was intended to divert traffic from the 17th century Berwick Bridge, and until the 1980s it formed part of the A1 road, the main route from London to Edinburgh. However, the construction of the A1 River Tweed Bridge to the west of Berwick has since reduced the Royal Tweed Bridge's importance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford, Northumberland</span> Human settlement in England

Ford is a small village and civil parish in Northumberland, England, about 13 miles (21 km) from Berwick-upon-Tweed. The parish also includes Etal.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anglo-Scottish Wars</span> Wars and battles between England and Scotland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twizell Castle</span>

Twizell Castle is a Grade II* listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument which stands on a bend of the River Till at Tillmouth Park, Northumberland, northern England. Below it, the medieval Twizell Bridge spans the river. It is located 10 miles (16 km) south-west of Berwick Upon Tweed. The site is visible from a public footpath, which passes the castle from the road. The gardens of the castle contain the earthwork remains of the once lost medieval village of Twizell, whilst the massive ruin presents the remains of an 18th-century castle which was never completed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norham Castle</span> Ruined castle in Northumberland, England

Norham Castle is a castle in Northumberland, England, overlooking the River Tweed, on the border between England and Scotland. It is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The castle saw much action during the wars between England and Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anglo-Scottish border</span> 96-mile long border between England and Scotland

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Ladykirk is a village on the B6470 in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, and the former Berwickshire, just north of the River Tweed and the Anglo-Scottish border. The town was formerly known as Upsettlington, but King James IV of Scotland renamed the town Ladykirk; the church is also known as St Mary's Church or Kirk of Steill. Ladykirk stands directly opposite Norham Castle, Northumberland, England

Scottish invasions of England occurred several times over a period of centuries. This is a list of notable invasions.

References

  1. "Twizel Bridge, Cornhill-on-Tweed / Duddo - Northumberland". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  2. "The tiny stone bridge that changed the course of British history". The Telegraph. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  3. "Twizel Bridge". co-curate.ncl.ac.uk. Co-Curate NE. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  4. Knowles, Eleanor. "Twizel Bridge". www.engineering-timelines.com. Engineering Timelines. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  5. Francis Grose (1784). "Twizell Castle and Bridge". The Antiquities of England and Wales. Great Britain: Hooper & Wigstead. pp. 141–143. Retrieved 18 April 2019 via books.google.co.uk.
  6. Hallam-Baker, Clive (2012). The Battle of Flodden: How and Why. The Remembering Floden Project. p. 59. ISBN   978-0-9573313-0-3.
  7. Hallam-Baker (2012), pp. 147-148
  8. "Pastscape - TWIZEL BRIDGE". www.pastscape.org.uk. Historic England. Retrieved 8 December 2017.