Trimontium

**cessna152towser** · 29th November 06, 11:15 AM

Close to the spot where the modern A68 road from Jedburgh to Edinburgh bridges the River Tweed, stood the ancient settlement of Trimontium.

Roughly half way between Hadrian's Wall and the Antonine Wall, the Roman builders of Dere Street had to bridge the Tweed here and in AD79 they established a fort overlooking the site. There is evidence though of an even earlier bronze age settlement.

Trimontium (three mountains) took its name from the Eildon Hills though at this point we are end on to the ridge of three hills so they appear as one.

On the walk up from the road I met this camera shy Border Terrier out walking with his master.

On the trackbed of the old railway, a replica Roman watch tower has been constructed to provide a viewpoint.

From the watch tower we can oversee traffic crossing the Tweed bridge as the Roman sentries may have done.

**cessna152towser** · 29th November 06, 11:24 AM

Not just three hills, but nowadays three bridges here too. The wind on the old road bridge blows the tie over the shoulder but the Black Watch Union Kilt stays in place.

Looking downstream through the new road bridge.

The old and new road bridges.

The old railway viaduct, known as the Leaderfoot Viaduct, as the Leader Water flows into the Tweed near here.

This sculpture honours the builders of the railway viaduct. This was an impressive structure for a minor cross country route which left the Waverley Route near here and headed north up the valley of the Leader Water to Earlston, then north-east via Duns to join the East Coast Main Line at Reston. The line closed to passengers in 1948 and to goods in 1965.

We conclude with an upstream view towards Melrose.