Rochester, Northumberland

Description
Rochester, a village and a township in Elsdon parish, Northumberland. The village stands on Watling Street, near the river Reed, 5 miles NW of Otterburn, and 9 from Woodburn station on the North British railway; has a post, money order, and telegraph office, High Rochester; and occupies part of the site of the Roman Bremenium on the brow of a rugged eminence. Bremenium was a great Roman station and a stipendiary city, and has left extensive and interesting remains. The fortified area comprises about 6 acres, is still inclosed on two sides by three earthen works, has remains of an inner wall 7 feet thick, retains well-preserved masonry of the W gate and distinct traces of the street lines and their houses; was excavated in 1852 by order of the Duke of Northumberland, and yielded both then and previously a great number and variety of Roman relics. Two peel-towers, built out of Roman masonry, are within the area. The township bears the name of Rochester Ward, includes the village of Horsley and Birdhope Craig, and comprises 23,238 acres of land and 62 of water; population, 342. There is a parish council consisting of five members. Most of the land is moor and mountain. There is a Presbyterian church at Birdhope Craig. Horsley Church is 1 1/2 mile from the village, and in 1883 an ecclesiastical parish was formed under the name of Horsley. See HORSLEY.