River Hamble | |
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![]() Yachts on the Hamble | |
Location | |
Country | England |
County | Hampshire |
Settlements | Bishops Waltham, Botley, Bursledon, Hamble, Warsash |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Bishops Waltham, Hampshire. |
• coordinates | 50°57′15″N1°12′56″W / 50.954295°N 1.215497°W |
Mouth | |
• location | Southampton Water |
• coordinates | 50°50′30″N1°18′45″W / 50.841601°N 1.312546°W Coordinates: 50°50′30″N1°18′45″W / 50.841601°N 1.312546°W |
Length | 10.1 km (6.3 mi) |
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The River Hamble is located in south Hampshire, England. It rises near Bishop's Waltham and flows for 10.1 km (6.3 mi) through Botley, Bursledon, and Lower Swanwick before entering Southampton Water between Hamble Common and Warsash.
The Hamble is tidal for about half its length and is navigable below Botley. From the medieval period to the present it has been a major ship and boat-building area. Leisure craft are still built by the Hamble today. One of the main builders was Luke & Co , later Luke Bros, a well-reputed yard from around 1890 to its closure in 1945. The lower reaches are a major yachting area with easy access to the sheltered waters of Southampton Water and the Solent.
From source to mouth the river makes a repeated curve heading south-southwest. It gains tributary streams before reaching Botley, the site of an ancient watermill. Below Botley, the river becomes tidal and navigable. It gains strength from adjoining streams, draining surrounding Hedge End, Curdridge, Shedfield, and Burridge. [1]
This section was extensively used for medieval shipbuilding, using timber grown locally in the neighbouring woods. Nearby Kings Copse, a cut-back form of Kings Forest, [2] speaks of this key use of the land.
The river's west bank can be accessed from Manor Farm Country Park, where it is possible to walk through Dock Copse [1] and Fosters Copse. [1] At extreme low tide, it is just possible to see the remains of the wreck of Henry V's 15th century warship Grace Dieu. This section of the river was also home to HMS Cricket, the Royal Marine landing craft crew training base, during World War II.
At 2 mi (3.2 km) south of Botley, the river passes between the villages of Bursledon and Lower Swanwick and is crossed by the M27 motorway, the Portsmouth to Southampton railway line, and the A27 road via large bridges. A further 2 mi (3.2 km) south of Bursledon, the river flows between the villages of Hamble-le-Rice and Warsash before entering Southampton Water. [3]
A passenger ferry crosses the river between Hamble-le-Rice and Warsash, forming a link for the Solent Way and E9 European Coastal Path. This section of the river is dominated by a number of marinas, the largest being the Port Hamble Marina, and boat yards on both banks as far upstream as Bursledon. [3] On the east bank, south of Warsash, is the Warsash Maritime School, part of Solent University, which provides training for merchant navy crew.
The Environment Agency measure water quality of the river systems in England. Each is given an overall ecological status, which may be one of five levels: high, good, moderate, poor and bad. There are several components that are used to determine this, including biological status, which looks at the quantity and varieties of invertebrates, angiosperms and fish. Chemical status, which compares the concentrations of various chemicals against known safe concentrations, is rated good or fail. [4]
Water quality of the River Hamble in 2019:
Section | Ecological Status | Chemical Status | Overall Status | Length | Catchment | Channel |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Upper Hamble [5] | Moderate | Fail | Moderate | 5.309 km (3.299 mi) | 38.062 km2 (14.696 sq mi) | |
Main River Hamble [6] | Moderate | Fail | Moderate | 4.823 km (2.997 mi) | 7.176 km2 (2.771 sq mi) |
In the 1970s and 80s the many yachts using the river polluted the water by leaching tributyltin from their anti-fouling paints. By 1988 it had the highest known level in the UK. With its banning for use by vessels under 25 m (82 ft) long, the general concentration in the tidal waters declined to a level that is considered harmless. [7]
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Bursledon is a village on the River Hamble in Hampshire, England. It is located within the borough of Eastleigh. Close to the city of Southampton, Bursledon has a railway station, a marina, dockyards and the Bursledon Windmill. Nearby villages include Swanwick, Hamble-le-Rice, Netley and Sarisbury Green.
Warsash is a village in southern Hampshire, England, situated at the mouth of the River Hamble, west of the area known as Locks Heath. Boating plays an important part in the village's economy, and the village has a sailing club. It is also home to the Warsash Maritime Academy, part of Southampton Solent University, which provides training for Merchant Navy Officers from around the world.
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The Hamble–Warsash Ferry is an 'on-demand' passenger ferry service on the River Hamble in Hampshire, England. The ferry operates between Hamble-le-Rice on the west bank of the river and Warsash on the east.
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River Hamble Country Park is a 144.1-hectare (356-acre) Local Nature Reserve which runs along the west bank of the River Hamble between the villages of Botley and Bursledon in Hampshire. It is owned by Hampshire County Council and managed by Hampshire Countryside Service. It is part of Solent and Southampton Water Ramsar site and Special Protection Area, and of Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservation. Part of it is in Upper Hamble Estuary and Woods, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The Brickworks Museum, also known as Bursledon Brickworks, is a volunteer-run museum in Swanwick, Hampshire, England. It is purportedly the UK's sole surviving Victorian steam-driven brickworks.
The River Sem is a natural waterway that flows through the ceremonial county of Wiltshire in England. It flows approximately 4+1⁄4 miles (7 km) from its source near East Knoyle to join the River Nadder near Wardour.
Hook with Warsash is a 251.6-hectare (622-acre) Local Nature Reserve west of Fareham in Hampshire. It is owned by Hampshire County Council and managed by Hampshire Countryside Service. It is part of Solent and Southampton Water Ramsar site and Special Protection Area, of Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservation, and of Lee-on-The Solent to Itchen Estuary Site of Special Scientific Interest.
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