Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire

The population has increased in recent years due to substantial new housing developments on the south side of the town.

• Stone ford bridge

The Romans established a fort here about 70 AD, around which later developed a large linear civilian settlement focused on a bridge one mile (1.6 km) south of the present town. [4][9]

Iter I of the Antonine Itinerary lists "Derventio" as being seven Roman miles from Eboracum (York) which matches the distance from York. In relation to known discoveries under the town of Malton, antiquaries always assumed that Malton should be called Derventio. The remains at Stamford Bridge were not known to them, lying undiscovered under arable and pasture fields until quite recently.[lower-alpha 2]

The name Derventio is of Celtic origin (dervo- "oak-tree") and relates to the River Derwent. The fort had access to the Roman road network of Roman Britain via the Roman road known as Cade's Road[lower-alpha 3] (Margary road 80a [lower-alpha 4]). The route of Cade's Road can clearly be seen heading North from Stamford Bridge.[lower-alpha 5][2][10]

The Battle of Stamford Bridge 1066 memorial

The Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September 1066 is often wrongly regarded as the traditional end of the Viking era in Britain – this ignores the substantial Norse possessions in Scotland until the aftermath of the Battle of Largs in 1263. At Stamford Bridge King Harold II repelled the invading Norwegian force led by his brother Tostig Godwinson and King Harald Hardrada of Norway, but three weeks later his loss at the Battle of Hastings allowed the Norman Conquest of England.

The settlement was called Pons Belli by the Normans, meaning battle bridge. Rents of freeholders and cottagers were recorded in 1368 and there was a common oven recorded the same year.

A coin from the Roman times of Emperor Proculus was recovered in Stamford Bridge in 2012

The A166 east–west road crossing the river at Stamford Bridge is one of the main roads from York to the East Riding and the coast. The road bridge in the village was closed on 5 March 2007, for just over 11 weeks, so that essential repairs could be carried out, in light of the enormous volume of traffic that uses it, exceptional for such an old bridge (dating from 1727). The bridge re-opened on 22 May.

The village suffered from record floods in November 2000 which seriously flooded 30 businesses and homes. Flood defences have now been installed, costing £3.7 million.

The history of Stamford Bridge is covered in British History Online: Catton Kexby, Scoreby, and Stamford Bridge West,[11] and Catton High and Low Catton and Stamford Bridge East.[12]

The River Derwent divides Stamford Bridge into two. It rises in the North York Moors and flows south-west rather than taking a direct route to the North Sea. It eventually joins the River Ouse north of the village of Long Drax, before flowing ultimately into the Humber Estuary.

During 4/5 March 1999, exceptional levels of rainfall were experienced in the Derwent catchment area, reaching 125 millimetres (4.9 in) inside a 24‑hour period. The situation was worsened by melting snow which had earlier accumulated on the North York Moors.

Village flood in October 2000

The conditions deteriorated and by Sunday 7 March large areas of Stamford Bridge were under water and a final flooding depth of approximately 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) was recorded by Monday 8 March.

At the height of the flooding the River Derwent reach the peak of 5m above its normal level, the highest level ever recorded exceeding the previous highest in 1931 by 0.5 metres (20 in).

However, the following year a new record flood level was set. In October 2000 the Derwent again burst its banks and peaked slightly above the 1999 flood level.

Work started in autumn 2003 to build new flood defences for Stamford Bridge and in autumn 2004, work on the defences were finished.[13]

The flood defences were breached, and much of the village square was under water, on the morning of 26 June 2007, in the wake of exceptional rainfall over the previous 24 hours.

Cornmill (now flats)

The Cornmill is a late 18th to early 19th century Grade II listed water mill.[19]

The current mill was possibly expanded in 1847–50 when nearly £1,000 was spent on it. Subsequently, there were two water wheels and seven pairs of grinding stones. The mill ceased operation in 1964 and was converted into a restaurant in 1967. More recently the Cornmill was converted into twelve two-bedroom flats but some original equipment remains.

The road bridge over the River Derwent

There has been a river crossing since at least Roman times. The river 270 yards (250 m) upstream of the current bridge was passable except at times of flood via a natural rock ford. There was a bridge at or near the village in the 11th century as one is referred to in accounts of the battle of 1066, noted in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Manuscript 'C'. Archaeological research has shown that there was a bridge crossing of the River Derwent one mile (1.6 km) south of the present village which linked the east and west bank of the Roman settlement of Derventio.

In the medieval period a new bridge made of timber supported on three stone piers was erected. Records show that this was repaired in the 13th and 16th centuries. A map from 1724 shows this bridge to have been 77 yards (70 m) upstream from the current bridge.

In the 18th century the weir and the by-pass canal and lock, known as the New Cut, were built and the medieval bridge was replaced with the current structure.

The present bridge was designed by William Etty under an Act of 1725 and completed in 1727. The bridge was strengthened in the 1960s and at the same time the adjacent pedestrian bridge was erected.[20]

The bridge is a Grade II* listed monument.[21]

Stamford Bridge Viaduct

Opened on 3 October 1847, the viaduct originally carried the York to Beverley railway line across the Derwent, closed 1965. It consists of red brick arches on either side of a single wider wrought-iron span that crosses the river. The viaduct now forms part of a public cycle route, and is Grade II* listed.[22]