In the north of England the Roman occupation took much longer to have any effect on the people and landscape. The initial occupation covered the southern parts of England and a pact was made with the Brigantia, the tribe that occupied the north. This pact however did not last and the north was invaded in AD71.

This would probably have little effect on the people of Grindon at least for some time. Eventually the Roman tax gatherer and the army-recruiting officer would appear, but there would be a ready market for farm produce, and profits could be made from the trade with the Romans.

In the earlier part of the Roman occupation (100-120AD) some forts were built tc try to suppress the uprisings of the native peoples. Eventually Hadrian's Wall was built to control the people to the north. Forays by the Roman army into Scotland left some of the forts south of Hadrian's Wall deserted which left the way open for the Brigantes to attack and destroy many of these forts.

There is little evidence of effects of this violence in the immediate area of the Tees lowlands; indeed there is little evidence of military activity at all in the area. The major Roman Road ran from York and crossed the Tees at Piercebridge and then on to the Hadrian's Wall. Another road ran from York crossing the Tees at Middleton-one-Row (Pountney's Bridge) then on to Sedgefield and following the line of the A177 road to the fort at Chester-le-Street.

A number of probable Roman roads crossed the Tees further downstream. The one crossing at Yarm could possibly have run north into Grindon joining the existing road at Sedgefield.

Another crossing the river between the present sites of Stockton and Middlesbrough would go to the coast at Seaton Carew and possibly branch off to Sedgefield. At present there is no evidence to confir in 1848m the existence of any of these roads.

A few Roman artefacts have been found around the River Tees and indeed Roman coins were found in the parish at Whitton.