Anniversary Address. 223 



Having collected his somewhat scattered forces, Dr Bruce 

 gave a most lucid description of what lay before us. The 

 structure was conspicuous for its solidity, and perfect state 

 of preservation ; the large blocks of stone remaining for the 

 most part in situ in the courses in which they had been 

 laid. The upper stones had been joined together by bands 

 of iron ; the grooves in which these had rested were quite 

 obvious, and they had been secured by lead run into the 

 stone hollowed for that purpose ; some of the pieces of lead 

 are still preserved. 



The abutment presents a frontage of 22 feet to the river. 

 In its centre is a piece of masonry differing from all the rest ; 

 it is surmised that it may be the remains of an earlier bridge, 

 probably erected by Agricola. The present structure is sup- 

 posed to have been the work of Hadrian as well as Severus. 

 Its exact age is not known ; an inscription was found on one 

 stone, the greater part of which is unfortunately worn away ; 

 but enough remains to shew that it was built by iElius 

 Longinus, a Prefect of Cavalry. Several curiously shaped 

 stones were noticed and commented on. One, like an elon- 

 gated barrel-shaped nave of a wheel, with sockets round its 

 centre, attracted much attention. It might have been some 

 thirty inches in length, by a foot or more in diameter at its 

 widest part. Dr Bruce stated, that many surmises had been 

 made as to its use, but no satisfactory solution had been ar- 

 rived at. It was thought by some to have been used to pul- 

 verise the mortar for building the bridge ; but there was no 

 appearance of its having been worn by any such process. It 

 had also been suggested, that it might have in some way 

 helped to move the wooden platform which had extended 

 from the abutment to the nearest pier of the bridge. This, 

 like others, standing in the bed of the river and visible when 

 the water is low, could not now be seen from its flooded 

 state. A short way behind the river front of the abutment 

 are the remains of a small fort ; no doubt at one time occu- 

 pied by the men told off to guard the bridge ; from each side 

 of this, is a covered way running in the direction of the 

 river, the uses of which are still matter of doubt. 



