River Stort

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Stort
River Stort - geograph.org.uk - 258527.jpg
The Stort above Harlow, Essex
Location
Country United Kingdom
Region Hertfordshire
City Bishop's Stortford
Physical characteristics
Source 
  locationNear Langley, Essex, England
  coordinates 52°00′10″N0°04′06″E / 52.0027°N 0.0683°E / 52.0027; 0.0683
  elevation130 m (430 ft)
Mouth River Lea
  location
Near Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire
  coordinates
51°45′52″N0°00′51″E / 51.7644°N 0.0141°E / 51.7644; 0.0141
  elevation
28 m (92 ft)
Length38 km (24 mi)

The River Stort is a river in Essex and Hertfordshire, England. It is 24 miles (39 km) long and flows from near the village of Langley to the River Lea at Hoddesdon.

Contents

The river's name is a back-formation from the name of the town of Bishop's Stortford. The 16th-century cartographers Christopher Saxton and William Camden named it the Stort, assuming the town of Stortford was named for its ford. [1] The river was originally called the Stour. [2]

Course

River Stort
Course of the River Stort

The Stort rises north of Langley in Hertfordshire, although north of Maunden it only flows in times of high rainfall. From Langley, the river flows in a generally southerly direction through the villages of Clavering and Manuden and the market town of Bishop's Stortford.

It then flows past Sawbridgeworth, before it changes direction and flows west past Harlow and Roydon. The Stort finally empties into the Lea at Feildes Weir, Hoddesdon. [3]

Stort Navigation

The Stort Navigation is the canalised section of the River Stort running 22 km (14 mi) from Bishop's Stortford to its confluence with the Lee Navigation. It has 15 locks.

The Stort Navigation at Spellbrook in Essex River Stort Navigation, Spellbrook, Essex - geograph.org.uk - 4669044.jpg
The Stort Navigation at Spellbrook in Essex

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References

  1. "River Stort – Stort Navigation". Bishop's Stortford and Thorley, A History and Guide. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  2. Thomas, Richard (July 2016). "Stort History". History of the Lee and Stort Navigations.
  3. "River Stort catchment description". www.riverleacatchment.org.uk. Retrieved 22 September 2024.