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Teesside’s early history starts with the defeat of the early tribal natives by the invading Romans who constructed their first fort in the region in the Piercebridge area, just west of Darlington around 70AD.

The Romans then stayed in and dominated the area until about 410AD, when they left in their droves to defend Rome, which itself was under invasion.

During their time in the North, the emperor of Rome, Hadrian, visited the area and it was he that decided to construct the wall we know today as Hadrians Wall. It was the withdrawal of the Romans that prompted the influx of the Angles into the area from the south of Denmark.

With the Saxons invading the South of the country, these were troubled times!

As the years passed, the Tees eventually acted as a border between two rival Anglo-Saxon kingdoms (around 740AD). North of the river was known as Bernicia and the south Deira. It remained this way in one form or another until the era of the Vikings from Norway who started invading the area, attracted by the wealth and fortune of the regions monasteries.

The Vikings were then in the area in one form or another until around AD1030, when King Cnut, the then king of England (a Dane!), invaded the North east in fear of his own territories being invaded by the Scots, who had had their eye on the area for some time.

In 1066, King William I was crowned king of England (William the conqueror) and after a number of revolts in the North, laid pillage to the whole of the north of England in what was to be known as ‘the harrying of the north’. In 1070 the Scots got their way and after a massive battle in the Hunderthwaite area (nr Barnard castle), the North east was claimed as part of Scotland.

After many battles and skirmishes, North of the Tees was recognised by the then King Stephen in 1139 as being part of Scotland and the River Tees acted as a border between the two parties. During this time, the first signs of settlements in what is now Middlesbrough area were beginning to take place with Robert de Brus presenting a chapel to a group of Monks from Whitby Abbey.

Around this time he also established an Augustinian Priory at Guisborough, The Tees’ status as the Anglo-Scottish border was, however, short-lived.

King Henry II reclaimed land north of the river from the Scots around AD1157 and reinstated it as part of England. The following years in the Teesside and surrounding region were plagued by the constantly warring parties of England and Scotland. This carried on for hundreds of years and involved the area being taken and retaking by both parties.

These altercations resulted in the eventual demolition of Stockton's castle in AD1652 by Oliver Cromwell.

Well, there’s a brief history of the area. I’m no historian and I don’t claim all this to be 100% accurate. I’m always open to corrections, additions and even a total rewrite! The rest of Teesside’s history will be split into town specific history as Teesside starts to develop into a major industrial area.