This Prehistoric Bridge Connected England To Wales And Was Built By The Romans 2,000 Years Ago
In the historic town of Chepstow, archaeologists found the remains of a prehistoric bridge that connected the areas now known as Wales and England.
Chepstow is home to a Norman castle from the 12th century and has served as a strategic location throughout various periods in history. In the past, archaeologists have uncovered evidence of prehistoric, Roman, and Anglo-Saxon constructions within the town’s borders.
More recently, they have stumbled upon a well-preserved wooden bridge believed to have been built by the Romans about 2,000 years ago.
The ancient structure was hidden beneath layers of mud on the banks of the River Wye. It connected England and Wales before the two countries even existed.
“The team was able to locate upright timbers in a tidal pool on the location of the Roman crossing. Until the results come back, we won’t know for sure the period of the structure. We are thrilled with what we were able to achieve and await dating results with keen anticipation,” said Simon Maddison, an expert from Chepstow Archaeological Society (CAS).
The researchers only had two hours to dig out the bridge while the area was experiencing an extremely low tide event.
During the excavation, the CAS team received assistance from the Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA).
The group made sure the research team stayed safe while they worked on excavating the bridge. According to Maddison, the mud was very sticky and dense.
The researchers got stuck in it quite frequently. Without SARA’s help, the task would have been too dangerous to complete.
David Matthew Lyons – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only – pictured above is the River Wye
The research team managed to expose timbers and joints. They also collected timber samples for carbon dating in order to determine the exact age of the bridge.
For centuries, the wooden bridge acted as a vital passageway for travelers between Wales and England, facilitating trade and communication. The route was roughly half a mile upstream of Chepstow to Gloucestershire’s Tutshill village.
The bridge was actually first discovered by Dr. Orville Owen in 1911. Although its presence was documented and showed up on an old Ordnance Survey map, the exact location of the bridge was unknown.
By studying drawings found in the Chepstow Museum, the archaeologists successfully tracked down the bridge.
The bridge linking Wales and England isn’t the only one of its kind in the area. Another bridge, known as The Old Wye Bridge, was constructed near Chepstow Castle, which was established by the Norman lord William FitzOsbern. The construction of the castle transformed the town into a strategic stronghold.
The Old Wye Bridge was built in 1816 and made with stone and cast iron. It stretches across the River Wye and connects Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire. It is regarded as the largest iron arch road bridge in the world.
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
More About:News
Read This Next
