River Blithe

Last updated

River Blithe
River Blithe Looking North - geograph.org.uk - 472496.jpg
Blithe near to The Blythe
Staffordshire UK relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Confluence with the River Trent shown in Staffordshire
Location
Country England
Counties Staffordshire
Physical characteristics
Source 
  locationHeywood Grange Farm, Staffordshire
Mouth  
  location
King's Bromley, Staffordshire
  coordinates
52°45′21″N1°49′54″W / 52.75580°N 1.83163°W / 52.75580; -1.83163
Length29 km (18 mi)
Basin size167 km2 (64 sq mi)
Discharge 
  location Hamstall Ridware [1]
  average1.16 m3/s (41 cu ft/s) [1]
Basin features
Tributaries 
  leftTad Brook, Ash Brook, Pur Brook
  rightBear's Brook, Stoney Brook
Progression : Blithe—TrentHumber

The River Blithe is a river in Staffordshire, England. It is a tributary of the River Trent and runs for around 18 miles from source to its confluence with the River Trent.

Contents

Etymology

The Origins of the name Blithe probably come from the Old English for gentle, cheerful, quiet or merry. [2] This is probably rooted in fact as the River runs as a gentle stream for most of its journey to the River Trent.

Course

The Blithe rises in the Hills to the East of Stoke on Trent near Heywood Grange Farm at around 800 feet above sea level. [3] It is joined by several smaller streams as it makes its way towards Caverswall. The River though is still only a small stream at this stage. It passes the village of Blythe Bridge and roughly follows the Stoke to Derby Railway line until it reaches Church Leigh. The countryside is mainly agricultural and is intensively farmed. The River then turns south and flows into Blithfield Reservoir at Newton Hurst. On leaving the reservoir it flows south-east for about another 5 miles, passing the village of Hamstall Ridware until it reaches its confluence with the River Trent at King's Bromley. [4]

Blithfield Reservoir

The River Blithe runs into the Blithfield Reservoir between Stafford and Burton-upon-Trent. The reservoir was constructed by the South Staffordshire Water Company and was opened in 1953. [5] The reservoir is a major water source for South Staffordshire but is also utilised for a range of leisure activities from Angling to Sailing.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Derwent, Derbyshire</span> River in Derbyshire, England

The Derwent is a river in Derbyshire, England. It is 50 miles (80 km) long and is a tributary of the River Trent, which it joins south of Derby. Throughout its course, the river mostly flows through the Peak District and its foothills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Trent</span> River in England – third-longest in the UK

The Trent is the third longest river in the United Kingdom. Its source is in Staffordshire, on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through and drains the North Midlands into the Humber Estuary. The river is known for dramatic flooding after storms and spring snowmelt, which in the past often caused the river to change course.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Tame, West Midlands</span> River in the West Midlands of England

The River Tame is a river in the West Midlands of England, and one of the principal tributaries of the River Trent. The Tame is about 95 km (59 mi) long from the source at Oldbury to its confluence with the Trent near Alrewas, but the main river length of the entire catchment, i.e. the Tame and its main tributaries, is about 285 km (177 mi).

Blythe Bridge is a village in Staffordshire, England, south-east of Stoke-on-Trent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Dove, central England</span> River in Derbyshire and Staffordshire, England

The River Dove is the principal river of the southwestern Peak District, in the Midlands of England, and is around 45 miles (72 km) in length. It rises on Axe Edge Moor near Buxton and flows generally south to its confluence with the River Trent at Newton Solney. From there, its waters reach the North Sea via the Humber Estuary. For almost its entire course it forms the boundary between the counties of Staffordshire and Derbyshire. The river meanders past Longnor and Hartington and cuts through a set of deep limestone gorges, Beresford Dale, Wolfscote Dale, Milldale and Dovedale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blithfield</span> Human settlement in England

Blithfield is a civil parish in the East Staffordshire district of Staffordshire, England. It includes the settlements of Admaston, Newton along with Blithfield Hall, home of the Bagot family since 1360. It is situated 7.5 miles (12.1 km) south-west of Uttoxeter and 5.3 miles (8.5 km) north of Rugeley. Blithfield and Admaston comprise 1,414 acres (572 ha) of land, with Newton occupying 1,744 acres (706 ha). The nearest railway stations are Rugeley Trent Valley 4.5 miles (7.2 km) and Rugeley Town 6.0 miles (9.7 km).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bourne Brook</span> Stream in Staffordshire, England

The Bourne Brook or Black Brook, as it is known in its upper reaches, is a tributary of the River Tame in Staffordshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Sence</span> River in Leicestershire, England

The River Sence is a river which flows in Leicestershire, England. The tributaries of the Sence, including the Saint and Tweed, fan out over much of western Leicestershire from Charnwood Forest and Coalville in the north-east to Hinckley and almost to Watling Street in the south and south-west. Its watershed almost coincides with Hinckley and Bosworth Borough of Leicestershire, which was formed in 1974 by amalgamation of Market Bosworth Rural District and Hinckley Urban District. It flows into the Anker, which in turn flows into the River Tame. It is part of the wider River Trent catchment, which covers much of central England. In 1881, Sebastian Evans wrote that the usual names for this river were Shenton Brook and Sibson Brook.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piethorne Brook</span> Stream in Greater Manchester, England

Piethorne Brook is a watercourse in Greater Manchester. It is a tributary of the River Beal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mavesyn Ridware</span> Human settlement in England

Mavesyn Ridware is a village and civil parish in Lichfield District, Staffordshire, England. The parish had a population of 1,048 in 2001, increasing to 1,128 at the 2011 Census. It includes the villages of Hill Ridware, Rake End, Pipe Ridware and Blithbury, all of which lie between the River Trent and a small tributary, the River Blithe. To the east is the parish of Hamstall Ridware and to the south the larger village of Armitage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leigh, Staffordshire</span> Civil parish in Staffordshire, England

Leigh is a civil parish in the English county of Staffordshire. The parish includes the village of Church Leigh, together with the settlements of Withington, Upper Leigh, Lower Leigh, Morrilow Heath, Middleton Green, Dodsley, Godstone, Nobut and Field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wom Brook</span> Stream in Staffordshire, England

The Wom Brook is a stream in South Staffordshire, England. It flows through the large village of Wombourne, and has played an important part in its industrial history. It is an important tributary of the River Smestow and part of the Severn catchment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Dove, Barnsley</span> River in South Yorkshire, England

The River Dove is a river that extends through the Low Valley in Barnsley, England. It flows from Worsbrough Reservoir to its confluence with the River Dearne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Green Brook</span> Stream in Staffordshire, England

Ford Green Brook flows through Staffordshire and the outlying areas of Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the first named tributary stream of the River Trent, and is 6.2 miles (10 km) long.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingstone, Staffordshire</span> Human settlement in England

Kingstone is a village and civil parish within the English county of Staffordshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of St Michael and All Angels, Hamstall Ridware</span> Church in Staffordshire, England

The Church of St Michael and All Angels is a parish church and Grade I listed building in the village of Hamstall Ridware, Staffordshire. The church is situated in a remote position to the north of the village accessed by a 250 m (820 ft) pathway through pasture land. The church is situated on a gentle slope 160 m (520 ft) west of the River Blithe. The church was founded in 1130—1150 but the majority of the present church was built of ashlar sandstone in the 14th and 15th centuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Swarbourn</span> River in Staffordshire, England

The River Swarbourn is a minor tributary of the River Trent that flows for 10 miles (16 km) in Staffordshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fowlea Brook</span> Stream in Staffordshire, England

Fowlea Brook rises in Staffordshire and flows through the northern parts of Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is a tributary stream of the River Trent, and is 6 miles (9.7 km) long.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lyme Brook</span> Stream in Staffordshire, England

Lyme Brook is a tributary stream of the River Trent, which flows through Newcastle-under-Lyme, and the outlying areas of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Bourne, Warwickshire</span> River in Warwickshire, England

The River Bourne flows for 10.9 miles (17.6 km) through North Warwickshire, England, and is a tributary of the River Tame. In the 19th century, the river with its undeveloped catchment close to Birmingham, was selected to provide a source of clean drinking water for the city.

References

  1. 1 2 "28002 - Blithe at Hamstall Ridware". The National River Flow Archive. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  2. Horovitz, David. The Place names of Staffordshire. ISBN   0 9550309 0 0.
  3. Ordnance Survey Explorer 258 Map. Ordnance Survey. ISBN   0-319-21894-5.
  4. "Get-a-map online". Ordnance Survey . Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  5. Official South Staffordshire Water Website