Beverley Brook
Beverley Brook | |
---|---|
The source of Beverley Brook in Cuddington Recreation Ground | |
Map of the Beverley and Pyl Brooks showing surrounding parkland and access from settlements | |
Location | |
Country | United Kingdom |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Cuddington Recreation Park, Worcester Park, Greater London |
Mouth | |
• location | Barn Elms, River Thames |
• coordinates | 51°28′18.48″N 0°13′22.8″W / 51.4718000°N 0.223000°W / 51.4718000; -0.223000 |
Length | 14.3 km (8.9 mi) |
Basin features | |
Tributaries | |
• left | Pen Ponds overflow, Keswick Avenue ditch, Coombe Brook |
• right | Kingsmere Stream, Queensmere Stream, Cannizaro Park stream, Pyl Brook, East Pyl Brook, Old Pyl ditch, Merton ditch culvert, Grand Drive ditch |
Beverley Brook is a 14.3 km (8.9 mi)-long river in the south-western suburbs of London, England. It rises in Worcester Park and joins the River Thames to the north of the Putney Embankment at Barn Elms, having flowed through the green spaces of Wimbledon Common, Richmond Park, Barnes Common and Putney Lower Common on its course. It is followed for much of its course by the Beverley Brook Walk.[1]
The brook has a catchment area of 64 km2 (25 sq mi).[2]
Etymology
The name is derived from the former presence in the river of the European beaver (Castor fiber), a species extinct in Britain since the sixteenth century. The Middle English word for beaver was bever, the word for meadow was ley (or lei or various other spellings, still rarely used today as lea) and brook meant stream, as it does today. Beverley Brook was thus the Beaver-Meadow Stream.[1][3][4]
For some 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to the south of Richmond Park, the brook is followed by the A3 trunk road from London to Portsmouth and that stretch of the road is named Beverley Way in consequence.[5]
Course
From source to Wimbledon Common
Beverley Brook rises at the top of a hill in a shady area at Cuddington Recreation Ground in Worcester Park then flows north in an approximately 1 km (0.62 mi) long culvert under several residential streets and the A2043 road, emerging into an open culvert across the 4 lane interchange from The Brook pub. From here the brook flows for about 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) alongside Green Lane and past Green Lane Primary School to a bridge under the Raynes Park to Epsom railway line. North of the railway, it flows about 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) through the suburb of Motspur Park and passes under the A3 for the first time, before reaching Beverley Park, where the Pyl Brook joins from the east.[6][5]
From the mouth of the Pyl Brook, the strengthened Beverley Brook flows north for just under 1 kilometre (0.62 mi), passing under the London to Southampton railway line and across Malden Golf Club before passing under the A3 for a second time. From the north side of the A3, the Beverley Brook Walk follows, at times more closely than others, the brook to its mouth. From the A3, the brook passes through a residential area for about 500 metres (1,600 ft) before passing under Coombe Lane and entering Wimbledon Common at its extreme south-western corner.[1][5]
Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park
After entering Wimbledon Common, the brook passes along the western edge of the common for some 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) before passing under the A3 for a third time. Along this stretch the lightly managed woodland of the common rises to the east of the brook, with the A3 some distance to the west. Except for the playing fields, the whole of the common, including Beverley Brook, is both a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation. Towards the south (upstream) end of the common, Fishpond Wood and Beverley Meads nature reserve lies a few metres east of the stream.[1][5][7][8][9][10]
After passing under the A3, the brook then flows northeast for 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) through Richmond Park, the largest of London's Royal Parks. The park is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve and was first enclosed by Charles I in 1637. It contains many ancient oak trees that pre-date its enclosure, as well as herds of red deer and fallow deer. Within the park the Beverley Brook creates a water feature used by the deer, smaller animals, water grasses and some water lilies. Along this stretch the brook is followed by the Tamsin Trail as well as the Beverley Brook Walk.[1][5]
Richmond Park to the Thames
After leaving Richmond Park, the brook flows for some 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi), passing alongside Palewell Common and the Bank of England Sports Ground, before passing under the A205 Upper Richmond Road and reaching Priest's Bridge. At Priest's Bridge, a weir and culvert exist to take flood water directly to the Thames.[1][5]
The brook then continues some 850 metres (2,790 ft) in a north-easterly direction, passing under both the Waterloo to Reading and Hounslow Loop railway lines in close succession, before reaching Barnes Green and Barnes Common. Here the brook flows under a footbridge linking the two open spaces. Despite the Thames being under 500 metres (1,600 ft) to the north-west along this stretch, the brook here turns east and heads across the base of the peninsular formed by the larger river's meander around Barnes.[1][5]
The brook then flows for another 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi) through the south of Barnes, passing between the Barnes playing fields to the north and Putney Lower Common to the south, and joins the River Thames between Barn Elms and Leader's Gardens.[1][5][6]
Beverley Brook as a boundary
The Beverley Brook lies entirely within Greater London but flows through a number of London boroughs. It rises in the borough of Sutton, which it remains in until Green Lane Primary School, where it briefly becomes the boundary between the boroughs of Sutton and Kingston upon Thames, before becoming the boundary between the boroughs of Kingston upon Thames and Merton. This historic South West London boundary continues for the next 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) until just before the brook flows into Richmond Park, where the brook briefly becomes the boundary between the boroughs of Kingston on Thames and Wandsworth.[11][12]
Once in Richmond Park, the river passes into the borough of Richmond. After leaving Richmond Park, the brook briefly forms the boundary between the boroughs of Richmond and Wandsworth, before flowing back into the borough of Richmond near Priest's Bridge. It remains in that borough until it reaches Putney Lower Common, where it again forms the boundary between the boroughs of Richmond and Wandsworth as far as the Thames.[11]
Tributaries
Beverley Brook's longest tributary is Pyl Brook, 5.3 km (3.3 mi) long,[2] which is a Local Nature Reserve.[13] It flows from Sutton through Lower Morden to join it at Beverley Park in New Malden.[6] Both brooks are on the Environment Agency's watchlist of rivers susceptible to flooding.[citation needed]
Environmental improvements
For much of the twentieth century, Beverley Brook was joined by poorly treated sewage from a sewage works in Green Lane, Worcester Park. Since some pipe redirection enabling the removing of the works and the introduction of improved treatment methods in 1998, the range of wildlife species in the river has steadily increased.[citation needed]
At Wimbledon Common, Beverley Brook has banks reinforced with wooden "toe-boarding", which prevents use by water voles,[14] and there is scope for further such improvements.[clarification needed]
In fiction
Beverley Brook is a regular character in Ben Aaronovitch's series of urban fantasy police procedural novels Rivers of London. She describes her kind thus: "'Orisa', said Beverley. 'We're Orisa. Not spirits, not local geniuses – Orisa'."[15]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Beverley Brook Walk" (PDF). London Borough of Merton. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ a b "HA16 Rivers and Streams" (PDF). Gateway to WildPRO. Wildlife Information Network. 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
- ^ Field, John (1980). Place-names of Greater London. Batsford. pp. 30, 166. ISBN 0-7134-2538-5.
- ^ Martin, Horace T. (1892). Castorologia: Or The History and Traditions of the Canadian Beaver. W. Drysdale. p. 26. ISBN 0-665-07939-7.
- ^ a b c d e f g h OpenStreetMap
- ^ a b c Inwood, Stephen (2008). Historic London: An Explorer's Companion. Pan Macmillan. p. 382. ISBN 978-0-230-70598-2.
- ^ "Natural England, Wimbledon Common citation" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
- ^ "Map of Wimbledon Common SSSI". Natural England.
- ^ "Wimbledon Common". UK Special Areas of Conservation site list. DEFRA Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
- ^ "Map of Fishpond Wood and Beverley Meads". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
- ^ a b Election Map (Map). Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ "AIM25 collection description". Aim25.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
- ^ "Pyl Brook". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014.
- ^ "London Water Vole Project" (PDF). London Biodiversity Partnership. 2004. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2009.
- ^ Aaronovitch, Ben (2011). Rivers of London. Gollancz. p. 150.
External links
- Beverley Brook Catchment
- Royal Parks press release on the improving water quality of the river, 1 January 2004
- The Beverley Brook waymarked walk
- Beverley Brook Walk
- Beverley Brook Walk map
- Flow measurements
Next confluence upstream | River Thames | Next confluence downstream |
Stamford Brook (north) | Beverley Brook | River Wandle (south) |
- v
- t
- e
- Barnes
- Barnes Bridge
- Fulwell
- Hampton
- Hampton Wick
- Kew Gardens
- Mortlake
- North Sheen
- Richmond
- St Margarets
- Strawberry Hill
- Teddington
- Twickenham
- Whitton
- A307 road
- A308 road
- A309 road
- A316 road
- Barnes High Street
- Castelnau, Barnes
- Church Road, Barnes
- George Street, Richmond
- Kew Green
- Mill Hill, Barnes
- Mortlake High Street
- Old Palace Lane
- Old Palace Yard
- Queen's Road
- Ringway 2
- South Circular Road
- The Green, Richmond
- The Terrace, Barnes
- The Vineyard, Richmond
and river services
- Beverley Brook
- River Crane
- Duke of Northumberland's River
- Longford River
- Sudbrook and Latchmere stream
- River Thames
- Athletic Ground, Richmond
- Barn Elms playing fields
- The Championship Course
- Cricket clubs and grounds
- Golf clubs and courses
- Hampton Pool
- The Lensbury
- Pools on the Park
- Royal Tennis Court, Hampton Court
- Teddington Pools and Fitness Centre
- Thames Young Mariners
- Twickenham Stadium
- Twickenham Stoop
- former Ranelagh Club
- former Richmond Ice Rink
- Britannia, Richmond
- The Bull's Head, Barnes
- The Crown, Twickenham
- Dysart Arms, Petersham
- The Fox, Twickenham
- The George, Twickenham
- Hare and Hounds, East Sheen
- Jolly Coopers, Hampton
- Old Ship, Richmond
- Park Hotel, Teddington
- Richmond Brewery Stores
- Sun Inn, Barnes
- Twickenham Fine Ales
- Watney Combe & Reid
- White Cross, Richmond
- The White Swan, Twickenham
and music venues
- The Bull's Head
- Crawdaddy Club
- The Exchange
- Olympic Studios
- Orange Tree Theatre
- OSO Arts Centre
- Puppet Theatre Barge
- Richmond Theatre
- TwickFolk
- Wathen Hall
- former Eel Pie Island Hotel
- former Richmond Theatre (1765–1884|
- Richmond and Twickenham Times
- former Gaydar Radio
- former Hogarth Press
of interest
- 123 Mortlake High Street
- 14 The Terrace, Barnes
- 18 Station Road, Barnes
- 70 Barnes High Street
- Asgill House
- Barnes power station
- Brinsworth House
- Bushy House
- Cambridge Cottage
- Chapel House
- Chapel in the Wood
- Clarence House
- Doughty House
- Douglas House
- Downe House
- East Sheen Filling Station
- Fulwell bus garage
- Garrick's Temple to Shakespeare
- Garrick's Villa
- Great Pagoda, Kew Gardens
- Grove House, Hampton
- Halford House
- Ham House
- Hampton Water Treatment Works
- Hampton Youth Project
- Harrods Furniture Depository
- Hogarth House
- The Homestead
- Hotham House
- Kew Gardens
- Kew Mortuary
- King's Observatory
- Kneller Hall
- Langham House
- Langham House Close
- Latchmere House
- Lichfield Court
- Marble Hill House
- Montrose House
- National Physical Laboratory
- Normansfield Theatre
- The Old Court House
- Old Town Hall, Richmond
- Ormeley Lodge
- Parkleys
- Park Lane Stables Teddington
- The Pavilion
- Pembroke Lodge
- Pope's Grotto
- Poppy Factory
- Royal Military School of Music
- Royal Star and Garter Home
- St Leonard's Court
- Strawberry Hill House
- Stud House
- Sudbrook House and Park
- Thatched House Lodge
- Trumpeters' House
- University Boat Race Stones
- Victoria Working Men's Club
- West Hall
- White Lodge
- The Wick
- Wick House
- Yelverton Lodge
- York House
- former Admiralty Research Laboratory
- former Alcott House
- former Camp Griffiss
- former Cardigan House
- former Cross Deep House
- former The Karsino
- former Mortlake Tapestry Works
- former Mount Ararat
- former Pope's villa
- former Radnor House
- former Richmond House
- former Richmond Lodge
- former Richmond Theological College
- former Sheen Priory
- former Star and Garter Hotel
- former Twickenham Park
- Adana Printing Machines
- Ashe baronets
- Cook baronets of Doughty House
- Darell baronets, of Richmond Hill
- GHQ Liaison Regiment (Phantom)
- Hampton Court Conference
- Kew Letters
- Petersham Hole
- Pocock baronets
- Richmond Flyers
- Richmond, Petersham and Ham Open Spaces Act 1902
- Treaty of Hampton Court (1562)
- Vandeput baronets
- Warren-Lambert
- Wigan baronets
- Richmond Park
- Twickenham
- former Richmond and Barnes
- former Richmond (Surrey)