River Biss | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | United Kingdom |
Region | Wiltshire |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | near Upton Scudamore, Wiltshire |
• coordinates | 51°13′42″N2°11′40″W / 51.22833°N 2.19444°W |
Mouth | |
• location | Staverton, Wiltshire |
• coordinates | 51°20′12″N2°12′56″W / 51.33667°N 2.21556°W |
Length | 18.385 km (11.424 mi) |
Discharge | |
• location | Staverton, Wiltshire |
The River Biss is a small river in Wiltshire, England and is a tributary of the Bristol Avon. The name is of uncertain origin; it is claimed that the word is from the Old Norse bisa, meaning "to strive". [1]
The river rises near Upton Scudamore [2] on the western side of Salisbury Plain, at Biss Bottom, [3] as the Biss Brook, [4] and flows northwards passing Westbury towards Trowbridge. As it reaches Yarnbrook the brook becomes the River Biss. [5]
The Baptist church at North Bradley lies close to the River Biss and in the 19th century river baptisms took place with over 2000 in attendance; the bridge here is still called 'The Baptising'. [6]
The river enters the centre of Trowbridge from the south-east through the Biss Meadows Country Park. [7] For a semi-urban location, the country park has a very rich variety of wildlife and includes areas of three UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority habitats [8] ). Here the country park acts as an important flood plain as well as an amenity space. Passing through Biss Meadows it skirts round a pond (renovated in 2012 by the Friends [9] ), passes over a weir, skirts around the Tesco Extra car park (in 1993 the river was diverted here) and then flows under the County Way dual carriageway.
It then flows through the Town Park, where a small constituent lake is haunt to wildfowl, before passing behind shops and industrial buildings in a Riverside Walk which was opened in 1993 by the Duke of Edinburgh. [10] The walk is now largely an overgrown tarmac path for which improvements have been suggested. [11] Before leaving the centre of Trowbridge, the Biss flows under the Town Bridge in roughly the location of the original river crossing which gives the town its name; in this area the river is home to the yellow water lily known as "Brandy Bottle" after the shape of its fruit and its characteristic scent.
Although Trowbridge is a former woollen cloth manufacturing town, for which a supply of water was required, the Biss was never substantial enough to satisfy the demands of that industry. [12] However, there was an attempt to supply the town; the Trowbridge Water Company was formed and piped water was turned on in the town on 30 September 1874. Supplies were inadequate, however, and the venture failed. [13] The company had premises in Waterworks Road, now a residential area.
On leaving the town centre, the Biss continues northwards through the Ladydown area. It is crossed by the Kennet and Avon Canal at the Biss Aqueduct before flowing into the River Avon in Widbrook Wood, south of Staverton.
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire and Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to the south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to the west. The largest settlement is Swindon, and Trowbridge is the county town.
Trowbridge is the county town of Wiltshire, England, on the River Biss in the west of the county. It is near the county border with Somerset and lies 8 miles (13 km) southeast of Bath, 31 miles (50 km) southwest of Swindon and 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Bristol. The parish had a population of 37,169 in 2021.
Bradford-on-Avon is a town and civil parish in west Wiltshire, England, near the border with Somerset, which had a population of 10,405 at the 2021 census. The town's canal, historic buildings, shops, pubs and restaurants make it popular with tourists.
Melksham is a town and civil parish on the River Avon in Wiltshire, England, about 4.5 miles (7 km) northeast of Trowbridge and 6 miles (10 km) south of Chippenham. At the 2011 census, the Melksham built-up area had a population of 19,357, making it Wiltshire's fifth-largest settlement after Swindon, Salisbury, Chippenham and Trowbridge.
Melksham Without is a civil parish in the county of Wiltshire, England. It surrounds, but does not include, the town of Melksham and is the largest rural parish in Wiltshire, with a population of 7,230 and an area of 29 square kilometres.
The A350 is a north–south primary route in southern England, that runs from the M4 motorway in Wiltshire to Poole in Dorset.
Westbury is a market town and civil parish in west Wiltshire, England. The town lies below the northwestern edge of Salisbury Plain, about 4 miles (6 km) south of Trowbridge and a similar distance north of Warminster.
Dilton Marsh is a village and civil parish in the far west of the county of Wiltshire, in the southwest of England. The village is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) southwest of the centre of the town of Westbury; Dilton Marsh remains a distinct settlement with its own character and community, bounded and separated from Westbury Leigh by the Biss Brook.
Southwick is a semi-rural village and civil parish 3 miles (4.8 km) south-west of the county town of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England. It is separated from the south-west fringe of Trowbridge only by the Southwick Country Park, which consists of 380 acres (150 ha) of open fields. The majority of the village lies south of the A361, which runs through the village, linking Trowbridge with Frome.
The River Trym is a short river, some 4.5 miles (7.2 km) in length, which rises in Filton, South Gloucestershire, England. The upper reaches are culverted, some underground, through mostly urban landscapes, but once it emerges into the open it flows through a nature reserve and city parks before joining the tidal River Avon at Sea Mills. 18th-century water mills near the mouth gave the area its name.
The River Penk is a small river flowing through Staffordshire, England. Its course is mainly within South Staffordshire, and it drains most of the northern part of that district, together with some adjoining areas of Cannock Chase, Stafford, Wolverhampton, and Shropshire. It flows into the River Sow, which is a tributary of the River Trent, so its waters flow ultimately into the North Sea via the Humber Estuary.
North Bradley is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, between Trowbridge and Westbury. The village is about 1.75 miles (2.8 km) south of Trowbridge town centre. The parish includes most of the village of Yarnbrook, and the hamlets of Brokerswood, Cutteridge and Drynham.
The A363 is a main road in the United Kingdom which runs through Bath and North East Somerset and Wiltshire. It provides a link between the small market towns of West Wiltshire and Bath, the M4 westbound, and the M5. It runs from the A4 at Bathford to the A350 at Yarnbrook, passing through Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge. It also links Westbury by merging with the A350.
Upton Scudamore is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The village lies about 1.8 miles (3 km) north of the town of Warminster and about the same distance south of Westbury. The parish includes the hamlet of Halfway.
The River Nadder is a tributary of the River Avon, flowing in south Wiltshire, England.
Hilperton is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The village is separated by a few fields from the northeastern edge of the town of Trowbridge and is approximately 1.3 miles (2.1 km) from Trowbridge town centre.
Staverton is a village and civil parish in the west of the English county of Wiltshire, about 1.75 miles (2.82 km) north of the centre of Trowbridge and 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Bradford on Avon.
Heywood is a civil parish and small village in the county of Wiltshire in southwestern England. The village is approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of Westbury and 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south of the county town of Trowbridge.