The earliest bridge across the River Tyne,…

The earliest bridge across the River Tyne, Pons Aelius, had been built by the Romans near the location of the present Tyne Bridge.

Built around CE 122, it had fallen into disrepair, and a stone bridge had been built in 1270.

During the night of November 16, 1771, the Tyne floods, destroying many bridges, including the main one at Newcastle upon Tyne, and killing several people; a new stone bridge will not be completed until 1781.