Bainbridge – Roman Fort and Village History

Bainbridge offers two distinct points of reference: the village green within the settlement and the Roman fort on Brough Hill. When planning a stay, you can distinguish between village history, buildings and a specific archaeological site. There are also two named routes that begin and end in Bainbridge; one of them also includes Askrigg.

Village Green and Settlement History

Today’s settlement of Bainbridge is arranged around an irregular, essentially rectangular village green. The village green is therefore also a defining feature of the settlement’s layout. The settlement most likely dates back to the 12th century, while the village green has been managed in trust since the mid-17th century. This places a cautious dating of the settlement’s origins alongside a considerably later management history.

Architectural Traces

The houses around the village green also offer a clue to the development of the village layout. Their gable-end orientation towards the green suggests that some of the houses now east of Back Syke were built in the 18th or 19th century, extending towards the village green. This interpretation concerns some houses east of Back Syke, not all buildings with their gables facing the green.

The Meeting House in Bainbridge uses local materials and is designed in the Georgian vernacular style. Alongside the possible expansion of individual houses towards the green, it illustrates another aspect of local history: a cautiously worded interpretation of the arrangement of houses sits alongside the description of a building made with local materials and Georgian design.

The Roman Fort on Brough Hill

The Roman fort at Bainbridge, known to the Romans as “Virosidum”, is on Brough Hill above the confluence of the River Bain and River Ure. It stands on a knoll-shaped glacial hill, bounded to the west by the River Bain. This describes both its elevated position and its location by the River Bain.

Between the rampart crests, the fort measures 91 metres from north to south and 111 metres from east to west; its enclosed area is 1.01 hectares. The two measurements in metres refer to different directions, while the figure in hectares describes the area. These measurements make it easier to understand the extent of the fort without confusing its length with its total area.

Routes Starting and Ending in Bainbridge

The “Bainbridge audio trail” begins and ends in Bainbridge and also includes Askrigg. The “Bainbridge, Semerwater, Raydale and the Roman Road Walk” circular walk also begins and ends in the village. The two routes therefore have two clear differences: Askrigg is included in the described course of the audio trail, while the second route is expressly described as a circular walk.

Both routes start and finish in Bainbridge. If you would like to plan around the named places, you can compare the audio trail, which includes Askrigg, with the route expressly described as a circular walk. The different names help distinguish the two options without attributing any additional shared route features to them.

Practical Information

Public toilets are located at the Village Green. When choosing a hotel, you could first consider whether you would like to connect your stay with the fort, the settlement history around the village green or one of the routes starting and ending in Bainbridge. These local points of interest give you a concrete starting point for deciding which destination suits your interests.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Battersby, Ruswarp, Hawes, Malham, Ravenscar, Whitby, Staithes, Well.

For the main travel overview: North Yorkshire.