River Sherbourne

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Sherbourne
Whitley bridge arch 19o06.jpg
Whitley Abbey Bridge, over the River Sherbourne in Whitley.
River Sherbourne
Location
Country England
City Coventry
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationHawkes End, Allesley
Mouth River Sowe
 • location
 Baginton
 • coordinates
 52°22′35″N1°29′38″W / 52.37639°N 1.49389°W / 52.37639; -1.49389

The River Sherbourne is a river that flows through the city of Coventry in the West Midlands, England. The name Sherbourne is said to derive from Scir Burna, "clear stream" in Old English.

Contents

Course

The source of the river is in the fields near Hawkes End in the parish of Allesley. It flows for about 8 miles or 13 km in a generally southeastern direction.

The Sherbourne is crossed by both a pedestrian and vehicular bridge in Lake View Park, Coundon. [1] Warwickshire Wildlife Trust in partnership with Coventry City Council have carried out work to renaturalise the river's man-made straightened course through Lake View Park. [2] [3]

A glimpse of the River Sherbourne in Coventry city centre between Palmers Lane and The Burges A glimpse of the River Sherbourne - geograph.org.uk - 5742119.jpg
A glimpse of the River Sherbourne in Coventry city centre between Palmers Lane and The Burges

Towards the centre of Coventry the river flows through Spon End (where it is spanned by Vignoles Bridge) and becomes culverted just before it reaches the Inner Ring Road and Spon Street. In the city centre, the Sherbourne reappears briefly between Palmers Lane and The Burges. An Ordnance Survey map published in 1888 shows the course of the now largely culverted Sherbourne across Coventry city centre, passing Pool Meadow and a remnant of the city wall. [4]

The river then flows under a railway viaduct and through the suburb of Whitley until it joins the River Sowe (a tributary of the River Avon) south of the A45 road near Baginton. [5]

Tributaries

The Sherbourne Valley Project map shows the named tributaries of the River Sherbourne from source to confluence with the River Sowe to be North Brook, Pickford Brook, Guphill Brook, Radford Brook, Springfield Brook, Spital Brook and Cheylesmore Brook. [6]

Plans

Coventry City Council has plans to open up a stretch of the river which is currently culverted, and runs beneath The Burges, a street in the city centre. [7]

As part of the Sherbourne Valley Project, there are plans to return the river to its natural course, avoiding the current culverts and weirs, in the area of Coundon Wedge, west of Coventry. Specifically where the river is joined by the North Brook. This would allow fish to pass up and down the river more easily. [8]

Ecological status

Environment Agency monitoring shows the River Sherbourne to have a poor ecological status from 2009 to 2019, improving to moderate in 2022. [9] [10]

Crossings

Notable crossings in downstream order from source to confluence with the Sowe:

References

  1. ↑ Broster, Nicole. "Lake View Park - Parks and open spaces in Coventry". Coventry City Council. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  2. ↑ Smith, Ryan (16 July 2023). "Work to re-naturalise Coventry's River Sherbourne to start later this month". Coventry Observer. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  3. ↑ "Enhancing Lakeview Park". warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  4. ↑ "Ordnance Survey, Warwickshire XXI.SE (includes: Coventry.)". maps.nls.uk. 1888. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  5. ↑ AA Street by Street. Coventry Rugby (2nd edition (May 2003) ed.). AA Publishing. p. 40. ISBN   0-7495-3973-9.
  6. ↑ "The River Sherbourne Map". sherbournevalley.co.uk. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  7. ↑ Gilbert, Simon (14 October 2015). "Revealed: £2million plan to showcase River Sherbourne in city centre". Coventry Telegraph . Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  8. ↑ Giddings, Andy. "River Sherbourne to be returned to historical route". BBC News. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  9. ↑ "Sherbourne - source to conf R Sowe | Catchment Data Explorer". environment.data.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  10. ↑ "Glossary | Catchment Data Explorer". environment.data.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  11. ↑ Stephens, W. B. (ed.). "The City of Coventry: Communications". British History Online. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  12. ↑ Historic England. "Spon Bridge (1076603)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  13. ↑ Historic England. "Sherbourne Viaduct (1431087)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  14. ↑ Historic England. "Whitley Abbey Bridge (1076652)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 2 January 2023.


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