Cade's Road
Encyclopedia
Cade's Road is a postulated Roman Road
in north-east England. It is named after John Cade of Durham
, an 18th century antiquarian who in 1785 proposed its existence and possible course from the Humber Estuary northwards to the River Tyne
, a distance of about a hundred miles. Although evidence exists for such a road on some parts of the proposed route, there is still some doubt regarding its exact course. The road's Roman name is unknown.
where there was a ferry, a Roman fort and civilian settlement (Petuaria
) alongside a major Celtic settlement. The road ran northwards through Thorpe le Street
and Market Weighton
, before gradually turning westwards (possibly following the line of another Roman road) until it reached York
(Roman Eboracum
). From York it continued northwards to Thornton-le-Street
near Thirsk
and on to cross the River Tees
(on a stone bridge now gone, but stones of which are incorporated into local buildings) near Middleton St George
and Middleton One Row
, where 'Pounteys Lane' is named after the Roman Pons Tees (Bridge of Tees).
and then Great Stainton
(also known as Stainton-le-Street) near Sedgefield
. The route of the road in the Durham area is unknown, but it is thought the road passed east of Durham City
, crossing the River Wear at Kepier
. The road ran past the Roman fort of Concangis
, located at Chester-le-Street
. Concangis is the only known Roman fort on the road between York and Newcastle. From Concangis the road headed north through Birtley
to Wrekenton
, once a village but now a suburb of Gateshead
. From Wrekenton, a branch road, known as the Wrekendyke, headed north-east to the Roman fort and harbour of Arbeia
at South Shields
. It has been conjectured that the site of a Roman fort exists on the golf course at Wrekenton, but this has never been confirmed. Cade’s Road continued north from Wrekenton along Gateshead
High Street and crossed the Tyne over the Roman bridge of Pons Aelius
(Newcastle-upon-Tyne). It is not believed that the road continued north of Hadrian's Wall
.
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
in north-east England. It is named after John Cade of Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
, an 18th century antiquarian who in 1785 proposed its existence and possible course from the Humber Estuary northwards to the River Tyne
River Tyne
The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...
, a distance of about a hundred miles. Although evidence exists for such a road on some parts of the proposed route, there is still some doubt regarding its exact course. The road's Roman name is unknown.
From the Humber to the Tees
Cade's Road began at Brough-on-HumberBrough, East Riding of Yorkshire
Brough , or Brough-on-Humber, is a small town in the civil parish of Elloughton-cum-Brough in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The town has a population of around 7,000.-Location:...
where there was a ferry, a Roman fort and civilian settlement (Petuaria
Petuaria
Petuaria was originally a Roman fort situated where the town of Brough-on-Humber in the East Riding of Yorkshire now stands. Petuaria means something like 'quarter' or 'fourth part', incorporating the archaic Brythonic *petuar, 'four' .It was founded in 70 AD and abandoned in about 125...
) alongside a major Celtic settlement. The road ran northwards through Thorpe le Street
Thorpe le Street
Thorpe le Street is a hamlet in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately south east of the market town of Pocklington and north west of the market town of Market Weighton. It lies to the south of the A1079 road....
and Market Weighton
Market Weighton
Market Weighton is a small town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is one of the main market towns in the East Yorkshire Wolds and lies midway between Hull and York, about from either one...
, before gradually turning westwards (possibly following the line of another Roman road) until it reached York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
(Roman Eboracum
Eboracum
Eboracum was a fort and city in Roman Britain. The settlement evolved into York, located in North Yorkshire, England.-Etymology:The first known recorded mention of Eboracum by name is dated circa 95-104 AD and is an address containing the Latin form of the settlement's name, "Eburaci", on a wooden...
). From York it continued northwards to Thornton-le-Street
Thornton-le-Street
Thornton-le-Street is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the A168 , about three miles north of Thirsk....
near Thirsk
Thirsk
Thirsk is a small market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. The local travel links are located a mile from the town centre to Thirsk railway station and to Durham Tees Valley Airport...
and on to cross the River Tees
River Tees
The River Tees is in Northern England. It rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the North Pennines, and flows eastwards for 85 miles to reach the North Sea between Hartlepool and Redcar.-Geography:...
(on a stone bridge now gone, but stones of which are incorporated into local buildings) near Middleton St George
Middleton St George
Middleton St George is a village in the borough of Darlington and the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It is served by Dinsdale railway station....
and Middleton One Row
Middleton One Row
Middleton One Row is a village in the borough of Darlington and the ceremonial county ofCounty Durham, England. It is situated to the east of Darlington, just north of the River Tees...
, where 'Pounteys Lane' is named after the Roman Pons Tees (Bridge of Tees).
From the Tees to the Tyne
From the Tees the road heads north through SadbergeSadberge
Sadberge is a village in the borough of Darlington and ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It is situated between Darlington and Stockton-on-Tees. The village of Sadberge was once the Wapentake of the Viking settled area north of the Tees known as the Earldom of Sadberge which stretched...
and then Great Stainton
Great Stainton
Great Stainton is a village in the borough of Darlington and ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It is situated to the north of Darlington, and to the west of Stockton-on-Tees.-External links:...
(also known as Stainton-le-Street) near Sedgefield
Sedgefield
Sedgefield is a small town and civil parish in County Durham, England. It has a population of 4,534.Sedgefield has attracted particular attention as the Member of Parliament for the wider Sedgefield constituency was the former Prime Minister Tony Blair; he was the area's MP from 1983 to 2008,...
. The route of the road in the Durham area is unknown, but it is thought the road passed east of Durham City
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
, crossing the River Wear at Kepier
Kepier
Kepier, in the city of Durham, England, is the site of the medieval . It is situated on the River Wear, close to Gilesgate, Durham. It lies in the parish of Belmont.Kepier is notable as the location of the medieval Hospital of St Giles at Kepier....
. The road ran past the Roman fort of Concangis
Concangis
Concangis was an auxiliary castra close to Dere Street, in the Roman province of Britannia Inferior . Its foundations are located at Chester-le-Street, County Durham, England...
, located at Chester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street is a town in County Durham, England. It has a history going back to Roman times when it was called Concangis. The town is located south of Newcastle upon Tyne and west of Sunderland on the River Wear...
. Concangis is the only known Roman fort on the road between York and Newcastle. From Concangis the road headed north through Birtley
Birtley, Tyne and Wear
Birtley is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, in Tyne and Wear, England. It is situated to the south of Gateshead town and is physically linked to Chester-le-Street across the County boundary in County Durham. Until 1974, Birtley and the adjoining areas of Barley Mow, Vigo and...
to Wrekenton
Wrekenton
Wrekenton is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, in Tyne and Wear, England, that was formerly a separate village.Wrekenton is probably best known to passers by as the location of a large branch of the Co-op supermarket...
, once a village but now a suburb of Gateshead
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
. From Wrekenton, a branch road, known as the Wrekendyke, headed north-east to the Roman fort and harbour of Arbeia
Arbeia
Arbeia was a large Roman fort in South Shields, Tyne & Wear, England, now ruined, and which has been partially reconstructed. It was first excavated in the 1870s and all modern building on the site were cleared in the 1970s. It is managed by Tyne and Wear Museums as Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum.-...
at South Shields
South Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
. It has been conjectured that the site of a Roman fort exists on the golf course at Wrekenton, but this has never been confirmed. Cade’s Road continued north from Wrekenton along Gateshead
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
High Street and crossed the Tyne over the Roman bridge of Pons Aelius
Pons Aelius
Pons Aelius or Newcastle Roman Fort was an auxiliary castra and small Roman settlement on Hadrian's Wall in the Roman province of Britannia Inferior...
(Newcastle-upon-Tyne). It is not believed that the road continued north of Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...
.
External sources
This article derives from local newspaper reports and local amateur group reports listed below:- http://www.n-a-g.freeserve.co.uk/DOCUMENTS/ISS02_OCT98/ISS02_OCT98.htm#6
- http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/archaeologynorth/page5.phtml
- http://www.biffvernon.freeserve.co.uk/northallerton.htm
- http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/sadberge/page3.phtml
- On verge of rewriting history, The Northern EchoThe Northern EchoThe Northern Echo is a leading daily regional morning newspaper, serving the North East of England. The paper is based in Priestgate, Darlington. Its covers national as well as regional news. It is one of the UK's most famous provincial newspaper titles....
, 2005-09-22. Retrieved on 2007-07-29. - http://www.northeastengland.talktalk.net/Darlington%20and%20the%20Tees%20Vale.htm