By park, back of footpath, against stone wall, on north side of road. A prism shaped sandstone milestone, possibly late 18th century, for the Lobley Hill and Burnstones Turnpike. It indicates 22 miles to W(olsingham). 65cm high.

There have been numerous references to a possible Roman barrier across the River Wear at Hylton. {2} refers to "the site of an alleged Roman bridge over the Wear approximating to the position of the ferry at Low Ford. During dredging operations many relics such as clamped and other stones with the iron fixed in with lead, were brought up, at a part of the river at Hylton called the breakstones. The late Mr. W. Wealands Robson went no further than to consider the passage a causeway, but against that was the fact the stones were "finely cut and chiseled," some of them of "great architectural beauty"." {3} reports that around 1713 there were complaints about "ye stones of the old bridge being a nuisence to the river". The Sunderland Echo of May 25th 1881 refers to damage to a River Wear Commissioner's dredger deepening the river bed when it struck a stone block "about five feet square". It also describes a line of stone blocks of similar dimensions stretching across the river and Roman coins being found in this location {4}. Whellan's Directory of 1894 states that "In ancient times there was a bridge over the Wear at this place, built by Agricola, the great Roman general". It goes on to describe the stones discovered by the River Commissioners as "immense blocks of stone, carefully wrought and squared, clamped together with iron clamps, run in with lead, and laid upon a framework of oak timber. These stones had been known in the locality as "the Brig Stones" … A few of them might be seen a few years ago lying at the mouth of the Wear inside the dock gates…" {5}. In the 1880s, the Rev. R.E. Hoopell read a paper to the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, reporting masses of masonry called the "Brigg Stones" which formed part of an arch of the Roman bridge. When Society members examined one of these stones however, they decided that the stone was from a causeway not a bridge {6}. Deeds respecting the manor of Offerton refer to the area of the "Damflat" [what is the date of this document?] {7}. At a meeting of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1883, a Mr Robinson stated that he had seen a stone causeway on the site when he visited it on April 16th. A Mr Nichol stated that he remembered as a boy crossing the causeway of large blocks of stone clamped together with lead. Mr Robinson and a Mr Hodges said there was no trace of anything Roman on the spot {8}. An entry in "The Life of Harry Watts" (book about the Sunderland sailor and diver) states that Mr Watts was employed by the River Commissioners to remove the "Brixtons, large stones forming the remains of a bridge which spanned the river at Hylton" {9}. Rev. Hooppell gave a "Further Account of Traces of a Roman Bridge at Hylton" in 1884. Some Society members were of the opinion that the structure may be medieval {10}. As mentioned above, some of the stones which formed part of this structure were apparently dumped at the river mouth. According to Northern Archaeology Group, some of them were used in the construction of the North Pier, and were visible when part of the pier was damaged. When the pier was repaired some of these stones were deposited on the beach while others were used as a boundary to support the concrete infill of the pier. Other examples are used to block a car park entrance to the north of the North Pier. The 'brigstones' exhibit what are termed Lewis holes (rectangular slot into which a rope and crane can be fitted, to enable the lifting, moving and securing of the stone) and dove-tail cuts. Similar stones with Lewis holes form part of the Roman bridge at Chollerford. There is an example of a reused Roman stone with 'dove-tail cuts' at the Saxon monastery site at Jarrow and many stones with dove-tail cuts or Lewis holes in the strongroom at Arbeia Roman Fort at South Shields. Similar stones were found during the deepening of the River Kelvin at Summerston in Scotland in 1941 {1}. There are other examples at Seaton Sluice harbour. There are a large number of Roman sites in the northern region, especially along Hadrian's Wall, which incorporate lewis holes. The lewis device can be attached to stone blocks which can be lowered and placed under water, making lewis holes common on Roman bridges such as those at Piercebridge, Stanwix, Willowford, Corbridge and Chesters {11}.

Medieval deer park. No site evident now. Licence to Impark - John Scott 1370. Dated C14th.

Medieval deer park. No site evident now. Small area of open land now used as golf course. Ownership in C15 - Bishop of Durham. Dated C15th.

Medieval deer park now the grounds of Ravensworth Castle. Licence to Impark - Henry Fithurgh 1390. Dated C14th.

A number of metal artefacts were reported by a Mr P Burns of Grange Road West in Jarrow in 1993. Mr Burns had found the objects in an area of rough pasture at Shiremoor Farm. The finds were made using a metal detector. Numerous pieces of 20th century bronze and lead alloy were found, along with two lead tokens with moulded anchors on the obverse. Of more interest was the copper alloy casting of a middle Bronze Age axe head. It appeared to be the product of a faulty waste wax casting, weighing 10oz. Further bronzesmiths' lead-bronze alloy waste pieces were found scattered 100 to 200m to the south west.

Two small stone Celtic heads from the Walbottle area, donated to the Museum of Antiquities by Ernie Sockett in 1991. Accession number 1991.14.

Look out post and gun emplacement. Six storey World War One Command Centre, built at same time as Roberts Battery at Hartley in Northumberland (NZ 342 761) and Kitchener Battery at Marsden (HER 4616). Built for observation purposes for the Tyne turrets. Now a private residence {1}. Circa 1916 for the army. Reinforced concrete 7-storey tower with gun emplacement on roof. Plain boarded door in blank north face with raised corners. Main south front has 6-sided windows in round bays on four upper floors. Interior shows concrete stair with iron handrail, trap-door to roof now blocked. Historical note - supposed to have been built after German bombardment of the north-east coast, as a fall-of-shot tower and for range-finding of guns of Tynemouth Battery.

World War One battery just west of Souter lighthouse. Completed in September 1921. Consisted of a turret mounting two 12" guns with extensive underground works to accommodate operating mechanisms, crew accommodation and ammunition. Above ground buildings for signalling and control. There was a proposal to mount a high-angle 9.2" gun at Kitchener, to replace the 12" guns. In 1925 the War Office sought authorisation to dismantle Kitchener Battery in view of its "low efficiency, doubtful value and high cost of maintenance". The turret and guns were removed in April 1926. Underground works refurbished for use as an ammunition store during World War Two. There was a proposal to mount three radar-controlled 9.2" guns at Kitchener in December 1942, but this never happened. Site largely quarried away, but see pair of gateposts like those at Fort House {1}.

Possible enclosure shown on aerial photograph by B.K.S. Surveys in 1981. Presumably this is a different site to SMR 4844?