109-711: The River Soar ( / s ɔːr / ) is a major tributary of the River Trent in the East Midlands as well as the principal river of Leicestershire , England . The source of the river is midway between Hinckley and Lutterworth . The river then flows north through Leicester , where it is joined by the Grand Union Canal . Continuing on through the Leicestershire Soar Valley , it passes Loughborough and Kegworth until it reaches
218-758: A Grade I listed Church along with four Grade II listed buildings, all on Main Street: The Old Post Office (75 Main Street), Dovecote at Rangraak, Home Farmhouse and Ivy Cottage. The medieval Grade I Listed church, Church of St. James , was built in the 13th century. Located in the south of the village, on Main Street, it is situated on the east bank of the River Soar . The church is one of only two churches in Nottinghamshire to have
327-464: A band of Triassic Sherwood sandstone at Sandon, and it meets the same sandstone again as it flows beside Cannock Chase, between Great Haywood and Armitage, there is also another outcrop between Weston-on-Trent and King's Mill. Downstream of Armitage the solid geology is primarily Mercia Mudstones , the course of the river following the arc of these mudstones as they pass through the Midlands all
436-587: A central tower crowned with a spire (the other being the Church of St. John in Whatton ); although the Chapel of St. Mary at Clumber Park also has a central tower with a spire. The C.15th century timber roof was noted for being of "excellent design" in 1910. Also of note are the royal coat-of-arms of Charles II, dated 1683, which sit above the chancel arch. In April 2014 work was completed rebuilding and re-pointing
545-690: A considerable deterioration in the water quality of both the Trent and its tributaries, especially the Tame. To bring clean water to the West Midlands, Birmingham Corporation created a large reservoir chain and aqueduct system to bring water from the Elan Valley . Underlying the upper reaches of the Trent, are formations of Millstone Grit and Carboniferous Coal Measures which include layers of sandstones, marls and coal seams. The river crosses
654-594: A grander design, diverting the river east towards the Wash such that he would benefit from a much larger share of the divided Kingdom. Downstream of Burton upon Trent , the river increasingly trends northwards, cutting off a portion of Nottinghamshire and nearly all of Lincolnshire from his share, north of the Trent. The idea for this scene, may have been based on the disagreement regarding a mill weir near Shelford Manor , between local landowners Gilbert Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury , and Sir Thomas Stanhope which culminated with
763-703: A long diversion channel being dug to bypass the mill. This took place in 1593 so would have been a contemporary topic in the Shakespearean period. During the Pleistocene epoch (1.7 million years ago), the River Trent rose in the Welsh hills and flowed almost east from Nottingham through the present Vale of Belvoir to cut a gap through the limestone ridge at Ancaster and thence to the North Sea. At
872-505: A low pressure weather system, produced elevated tidal river levels in the lower reaches. The resulting surge overtopped the flood defences in the area near Keadby and Burringham, flooding 50 properties. The fifth largest flood recorded at Nottingham occurred in November 2000 , with widespread flooding of low-lying land along the Trent valley, including many roads and railways. The flood defences around Nottingham and Burton constructed during
981-518: A move towards re-developing the waterfront "offering one of the most exciting waterside regeneration opportunities in the country." The company is currently building luxury waterside apartments. This will enhance the areas aesthetic values. Research conducted by Newcastle University suggests that people's desire to reside on the waterfront and enjoy recreation offered by the canal is upset by "visually unattractive features, such as run-down derelict areas and poor design". The re-development plan has included
1090-590: A north-easterly direction, passing through Croft and between Narborough and Littlethorpe , until on the outskirts of Leicester it is joined by the Sence near Enderby . Before flowing through the centre of the city it meets the Grand Union Canal at Aylestone , where it is also joined by the River Biam. After passing over Freemens Weir, the river splits and recombines with the canal, creating an area of Leicester called Bede Island . The navigable arm that runs to
1199-619: A quarter of the total flow for the Trent, with the other significant tributaries being the Derwent at 18%, Soar 17%, the Dove 13%, and the Sow 8%. Four of these main tributaries, including the Dove and Derwent which drain the upland Peak District, all join within the middle reaches, giving rise to a comparatively energetic river system for the UK. Rainfall in the catchment generally follows topography with
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#17327725742451308-634: A rapid thaw. Due to the size of the flood and the ice entrained in the flow, nearly every bridge along the Trent was badly damaged or washed away. The bridges at Wolseley, Wychnor and the main span at Swarkestone were all destroyed. In Nottingham, residents of Narrow Marsh were trapped by the floodwaters in their first floor rooms, boats were used to take supplies to those stranded. Livestock was badly affected, 72 sheep drowned in Wilford and ten cows were lost in Bridgford. The vulnerable flood bank at Spalford
1417-570: A reduced majority of 8,010. The voter turnout for Rushcliffe was 78%, which was the ninth highest in the country. For Nottinghamshire County Council elections the parish comes within the Leake & Ruddington electoral ward, which has two council seats. The most recent election was in May 2017 , when Andy Brown and Reg Adair, both of the Conservative party, won the two available seats. For
1526-560: A river that is prone to flooding. However, a more likely explanation may be that it was considered to be a river that could be crossed principally by means of fords , i.e. the river flowed over major road routes. This may explain the presence of the Romano-British element rid (cf. Welsh rhyd , "ford") in various place names along the Trent, such as Hill Ridware , as well as the Old English‐derived ford . Another translation
1635-475: A single season, and depths of 1.5 metres (5 ft) have been accumulated over time at some locations. A number of the smaller Trent tributaries are still named as warping drains, such as Morton warping drain, near Gainsborough. Warp was also used as a commercial product, after being collected from the river banks at low tide, it was transported along the Chesterfield Canal to Walkeringham where it
1744-729: A suggestion due to William Somner (1701) the Soar river may formerly have been called the Leir , from Brittonic * Ligera or * Ligora , cognate with the French Loire . This theory is based on the name of Leicester (as well as Loughborough and the village of Leire ) being derived from the name of the river. The Soar rises near Wibtoft in Warwickshire, and flows north to join the Soar Brook near Sharnford , it then continues in
1853-610: A tributary of the Moselle in Belgium), Sera ( la Serre , la Cère and le Séran , three rivers in France), Serantia ( Sierentz , Alsace), Serma ( Schremm , Brandenburg), Sora ( Cwm Sorgwm , Wales), Sorna ( die Zorn , Alsace), Sara ( Saire ), Saar(e) (Brandenburg), Saros ( Sar , Spain), Sarius ( Serio , Lombardy), Sarià (Lithuania), Saravus ( Saar , Germany), Sarnivos ( Sernf , Glarus), etc. According to
1962-500: A well-documented example being the meander cutoff at Sawley . The river's propensity to change course is referred to in Shakespeare 's play Henry IV, Part 1 : Methinks my moiety, north from Burton here, In quantity equals not one of yours: See how this river comes me cranking in, And cuts me from the best of all my land A huge half-moon, a monstrous cantle out. I'll have the current in this place damm'd up; And here
2071-675: Is Loughborough leading to the confusion of being in Nottinghamshire but with a Leicestershire post code . Normanton on Soar is situated in the Soar Valley (previously also known as the 'Vale of the Soar' ). The parish is mostly made up of farmland, and contains seven farms. The village is situated along the River Soar and extends uphill north-eastwards towards East Leake . White's Directory of Nottinghamshire, written in 1853, describes Normanton thus: Normanton-On-Soar
2180-582: Is a village and civil parish in the Rushcliffe district of Nottinghamshire , England near the River Soar . This historic village is home to one of the last operating chain ferries in the country, the only lived in cruck building in Nottinghamshire and a 13th-century Grade I listed parish Church. The ancient parish of Normanton on Soar occupies 1,449 acres about 13 miles south-west of Nottingham . Nearby villages include Zouch , Sutton Bonington , and Stanford on Soar . The post town for Normanton
2289-668: Is a Grade II listed thatched cruck cottage dating from 1454. It is the oldest house in Normanton and the only lived-in cruck building in Nottinghamshire. The Chain Ferry is located in the south of the village and was mentioned earliest on a map from 1771. It is one of the few remaining Chain Ferries operating in the UK. It is the last chain ferry still operating in Nottinghamshire (the Hazleford Ferry , in Nottinghamshire,
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#17327725742452398-471: Is a picturesque village and parish in the vale of the Soar, 13 miles south by west of Nottingham, bounded on the south by Leicestershire and on the north by the Wolds. John Throsby , writing during 1790 in his new edition of Robert Thoroton's Antiquities of Nottinghamshire, recalls his account when surveying Normanton: Shenstone [s]ung while I was viewing the [s]urrounding beauties. 'How [s]weetly [s]miled
2507-434: Is a relaxing way to visit the country and get 'in-touch' with nature. The tow-paths next to the canal are used for " cycling , rambling , horse-riding and picnicking " (Leicester City Council, 2005). The waterway is a popular location for match and occasional fishing. There are large carp, chub, bream, roach, and perch in the canal, plus dace and barbel on some stretches. The stretch of the River Soar which passes through
2616-461: Is available for hire. The community shop is run by volunteers and is located at the rear of the Village Hall. The shop is open Monday to Friday and Saturday morning. The Village Hall is surrounded by 5 acres of playing fields with an outdoor children's play area. The village allotments are located behind the Village Hall. The Soar Boating Club is a private members club which was founded in
2725-431: Is described on an old map as 'Old Trent Water', records show that this was once the main navigable route, with the river having switched to a more northerly course in the 18th century. Farther downstream at Hemington , archaeologists have found the remains of a medieval bridge across another abandoned channel. Researchers using aerial photographs and historical maps have identified many of these palaeochannel features,
2834-657: Is given as "the trespasser", referring to the waters flooding over the land. According to Koch at the University of Wales , the name Trent derives from the Romano-British Trisantona , a Romano-British reflex of the combined elements * tri-sent(o)-on-ā- (through-path- augmentative - feminine -) ‘great thoroughfare’. A traditional but almost certainly wrong opinion is that of Izaak Walton, who states in The Compleat Angler (1653) that
2943-788: Is joined by the River Erewash near the Attenborough nature reserve and enters Nottinghamshire . As it enters the city, it passes the suburbs of Beeston , Clifton and Wilford ; where it is joined by the Leen. On reaching West Bridgford it flows beneath Trent Bridge near the cricket ground of the same name, and beside The City Ground , home of Nottingham Forest F.C. , until it reaches Holme Sluices . Downstream of Nottingham it passes Radcliffe-on-Trent , Stoke Bardolph and Burton Joyce before reaching Gunthorpe with its bridge, lock and weir. The river now flows north-east below
3052-614: Is no longer in use). In 1981 responsibility for the maintenance of the Ferry was transferred from the Paget Estate to the Parish Council. The Ferry was relaunched in April 2017 offering crossings between 10AM and 4:30PM every weekend during the summer (between April and September). The current fee per crossing is £1 per person and 50p per dog/bicycle. The Ferry is operated by volunteers from the village. The old telephone box
3161-501: Is now used to house a defribrillator which can be accessed in case of an emergency. In June 2012 a memorial plaque was unveiled on the playing fields commemorating the crash of a Wellington Bomber in the village on 19 April 1944 during a training exercise. Four members of the Royal Air Force were killed. The current MP for the constituency of Rushcliffe is James Naish (Labour) who replaced Ruth Edwards (Conservative) in
3270-588: Is rich in wildlife with thriving bird, fish and plant populations being popular with wildlife enthusiasts. The river was once notorious for its unusual pink colour - a result of discharges from Leicester's prosperous textile industries. However the end to textile industries near the river in Leicester and clean-up work by the Environment Agency has now restored it to its natural state. Industry now wanting to attempt to discharge any sewage waste into
3379-507: Is served by the Skylink bus service, operated by Trent Barton, which can be taken from the edge of the village on the A6006. The village is also served by the volunteer-run Soar Valley Bus service which can be taken from within the village. Both bus services provide regular journeys to Loughborough and Nottingham . The Village Hall , built in 2007, is located south within the village and
River Soar - Misplaced Pages Continue
3488-623: Is spanned by the 16th-century Essex Bridge near Shugborough Hall . At this point the River Sow joins it from Stafford . The Trent now flows south-east past the town of Rugeley until it reaches Kings Bromley where it meets the Blithe. After the confluence with the Swarbourn, it passes Alrewas and reaches Wychnor, where it is crossed by the A38 road dual carriageway, which follows the route of
3597-729: The Avon to the south and west, the Weaver to the north-west, the tributaries of the Yorkshire Ouse to the North and the basins of the Welland , Witham and Ancholme to the east. A distinctive feature of the catchment is the marked variation in the topography and character of the landscape, which varies from the upland moorland headwaters of the Dark Peak , where the highest point of
3706-654: 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. The river passes through Stoke-on-Trent , Stone, Staffordshire , Rugeley , Burton-upon-Trent and Nottingham before joining the River Ouse, Yorkshire at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into
3815-605: The North Sea between Kingston upon Hull in Yorkshire and Immingham in Lincolnshire. The wide Humber estuary has often been described as the boundary between the Midlands and the north of England. The name "Trent" is possibly from a Romano-British word meaning "strongly flooding". More specifically, the name may be a contraction of two Romano-British words, tros ("over") and hynt ("way"). This may indeed indicate
3924-637: The White Peak in the Dove catchment, and the large woodland areas, including Sherwood Forest in the Dukeries area of the Idle catchment, the upland Charnwood Forest , and the National Forest in the Soar and Mease drainage basins respectively. Land use is predominantly rural, with some three-quarters of the Trent catchment given over to agriculture. This ranges from moorland grazing of sheep in
4033-724: The 1950s, following the 1947 event, stopped any major urban flooding , but problems did occur in undefended areas such as Willington and Gunthorpe, and again at Girton where 19 houses were flooded. The flood defences in Nottingham that protect 16,000 homes and those in Burton where they prevent 7,000 properties from flooding were reassessed after this flood, and were subsequently improved between 2006 and 2012. Normanton on Soar Normanton on Soar ( / ˈ n ɔːr m ə n t ən ... ˈ s ɔːr / ), formerly known as Normanton-upon-Soar and known locally as Normanton ,
4142-643: The Environment Agency which keeps check on the level of pollution. The pollution in the water running through the Soar in the city of Leicester is low and the water is generally of good quality; however there is a significant decrease in the quality just downstream of the city, where the Wanlip sewage treatment works enters the river. New tourism industry has caused environmental problems; Barge hulls and propellers may cause "physical damage and uprooting" of plants and turbulence may increase water turbidity to
4251-696: The Hill, the Vale, 'And all the Land[s]cape round! 'The River gliding down the Dale, 'The Hill with Beeches crown'd! The 1881 census reported that the village had 322 inhabitants. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 448, falling to 406 residents at the 2021 census . The Lordship of the Manor of Normanton on Soar is currently held since 1995 by John and Enid Burnett as Lord and Lady of
4360-420: The Holocene period, which created lowland mires such as the Thorne and Hatfield Moors . The topography, geology and land use of the Trent catchment all have a direct influence on the hydrology of the river. The variation in these factors is also reflected in the contrasting runoff characteristics and subsequent inflows of the principal tributaries. The largest of these is the River Tame, which contributes nearly
4469-482: The Manor of Normanton on Soar. The Official History Project of everything to do with the Parish is conducted under the direction of the Lord and Lady and the High Steward Ivan J Manning QStJ Esq. Normanton appears several times in the Domesday survey of 1086 as Normantune and Normantun . The name, Normanton, derives from the Anglo-Saxon 'Northman's Tun' meaning Northman's Farm. It is believed to be first used sometime between AD 870 and 940. Normanton on Soar has
River Soar - Misplaced Pages Continue
4578-468: The Monasteries under Henry VIII . From this legend, the bridge carrying the A47 across the Soar at Leicester is known as "King Richard's Bridge". However, in 2013, it was confirmed that the skeleton discovered beneath a car park in 2012 was, in fact, that of Richard III and, in March 2015, the skeleton was re-interred in Leicester Cathedral . The Soar is now a hive of tourism rather than of industry. Holiday narrowboat cruises are extremely popular as it
4687-513: The Pleistocene epoch between 450,000 and 12,000 years BP. Contained within these terraces is evidence of the mega fauna that once lived along the river, the bones and teeth of animals such as the woolly mammoth, bison and wolves that existed during colder periods have all been identified. Another notable find in a related terrace system near Derby from a warmer interglacial period, was the Allenton hippopotamus . The lower sequences of these terraces have been widely quarried for sand and gravel, and
4796-404: The Roman Ryknild Street . The river turns north-east where it is joined by its largest tributary, the River Tame (which is at this point actually the larger, though its earlier length shorter) and immediately afterwards by the River Mease , creating a larger river that now flows through a broad floodplain. The river continues north-east, passing the village of Walton-on-Trent until it reaches
4905-441: The Soar in central Leicester are the premises of Donisthorpe and Company, a producer of textiles. The Donisthorpe Mill, also known as Friars' Mill, is one of the oldest mills in the East Midlands , and manufacturing activity has occurred on its site since the 1730s. The mill was awarded listed status in 1975. A number of surrounding buildings, including a Victorian pump house, were also listed at this time. The Donisthorpe Company left
5014-424: The Toot and Trent Hills before reaching Hazelford Ferry , Fiskerton and Farndon . To the north of Farndon, beside the Staythorpe Power Station the river splits, with one arm passing Averham and Kelham , and the other arm, which is navigable, being joined by the Devon before passing through the market town of Newark-on-Trent and beneath the town's castle walls. The two arms recombine at Crankley Point beyond
5123-419: The Trent adopted its current course into the Humber. The Trent basin covers a large part of the Midlands, and includes the majority of the counties of Staffordshire , Derbyshire, Leicestershire , Nottinghamshire and the West Midlands ; but also includes parts of Lincolnshire , South Yorkshire, Warwickshire and Rutland . The catchment is located between the drainage basins of the Severn and its tributary
5232-450: The Trent at the county boundary. In the 18th century, the Soar was made navigable, initially between Loughborough and the Trent, and then through to Leicester. It was not until the early 19th century that it was linked by the Grand Union Canal to the wider network to the south and to London . The name of the Soar is included in a family of old river-names derived from a root *ser- "to flow", alongside (among others) Saravus ( Soar ,
5341-464: The Trent between Scunthorpe and Alkborough are also made up of mudstones, but are of the younger Rhaetic Penarth Group . In the wider catchment the geology is more varied, ranging from the Precambrian rocks of the Charnwood Forest, through to the Jurassic limestone that forms the Lincolnshire Edge and the eastern watershed of the Trent. The most important in terms of the river are the extensive sandstone and limestone aquifers that underlie many of
5450-450: The Trent is "... so called from thirty kind of fishes that are found in it, or for that it receiveth thirty lesser rivers." The Trent rises within the Staffordshire Moorlands district, near the village of Biddulph Moor , from a number of sources including the Trent Head Well. It is then joined by other small streams to form the Head of Trent, which flows south, to the only reservoir along its course at Knypersley Reservoir . Downstream of
5559-479: The Trent is joined by the Chesterfield Canal and the River Idle and soon after enters Lincolnshire fully, passing to the west of Scunthorpe . The last bridge over the river is at Keadby where it is joined by both the Stainforth and Keadby Canal and the River Torne . Downstream of Keadby the river progressively widens, passing Amcotts and Flixborough to reach Burton upon Stather and finally Trent Falls . At this point, between Alkborough and Faxfleet
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#17327725742455668-432: The autumn being followed by further rainfall, producing flood conditions in November of that year. Another meteorological risk, although one that occurs less often, is that related to the rapid melting of snow lying in the catchment. This can be a result of a sudden rise in temperature after a prolonged cold period, or when combined with extensive rainfall. Many of the largest historical floods were caused by snowmelt, but
5777-551: The average flow rises to 83.8 m /s (2,960 cu ft/s), due to the combined inputs of the other major tributaries namely the Dove, Derwent and Soar. The last point of measurement is North Muskham here the average flow is 88.4 m /s (3,120 cu ft/s), a relatively small increase due to the input of the Devon, and other smaller Nottinghamshire tributaries. The Trent has marked variations in discharge, with long term average monthly flows at Colwick fluctuating from 45 m /s (1,600 cu ft/s) in July during
5886-511: The basin from the Atlantic, especially during the autumn and winter when evaporation is at its lowest. This combination can produce a water-logged catchment that can respond rapidly in terms of runoff, to any additional rainfall. Such conditions occurred in February 1977, with widespread flooding in the lower reaches of the Trent when heavy rain produced a peak flow of nearly 1,000 m /s (35,000 cu ft/s) at Nottingham. In 2000 similar conditions occurred again, with above average rainfall in
5995-402: The building of the Walkers stadium, home to Leicester City F.C. , along the canal in 2002, "from a barren, desolate piece of waste-ground has risen a stunning futuristic collaboration of steel and glass that dominates the skyline of Leicester." Old warehouses have also been converted into student accommodation for De Montfort University , increasing the value of the area. On the eastern bank of
6104-419: The canal meant that industry could start to develop along the canal side, with the transport provided by the canal being "vital to the industry ." This included buildings and industries like "wind and watermills; brewing and malting ; bridges ; canal and railway structures; public utilities." "By 1895, there were 231 listed hosiery manufacturers in the county. In Leicester, the industry employed 10% of
6213-402: The catchment is the Kinder Scout plateau at 634 metres (2,080 ft); through to the intensively farmed and drained flat fenland areas that exist alongside the lower tidal reaches, where ground levels can equal sea level. These lower reaches are protected from tidal flooding by a series of floodbanks and defences. Elsewhere there is a distinct contrast between the open limestone areas of
6322-407: The centre of Leicester known as the 'Mile Straight' is home to De Montfort University Rowing Club, the University of Leicester Boat Club and Leicester Rowing Club a rowing and sculling club formed in 1882. River Trent 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
6431-431: The city and surrounding areas were flooded with 9,000 properties and nearly a hundred industrial premises affected some to first floor height. The suburbs of Long Eaton , West Bridgford and Beeston all suffered particularly badly. Two days later, in the lower tidal reaches of the river, the peak of the flood combined with a high spring tide to flood villages and 2,000 properties in Gainsborough. River levels dropped when
6540-420: The county boundary between Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. Between Stanford and Normanton on Soar , the canal rejoins the river, which then continues to Zouch , passing the 'Devils Elbow' to reach Kegworth . Downstream of Kegworth, it meets the Kingston Brook , near the village of the same name, passing Ratcliffe-on-Soar and its power station, before flowing into the Trent at Trent Lock . The River Soar
6649-444: The earliest floods can be assessed by using Spalford bank as a substitute measure for the size of a particular flood, as it has been estimated that the bank only failed when flows were greater than 1,000 m /s (35,000 cu ft/s), the bank was also breached in 1403 and 1795. Early bridges were vulnerable to floods, and in 1309 many bridges were washed away or damaged by severe winter floods, including Hethbeth Bridge. In 1683
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#17327725742456758-413: The east has been canalised with parallel banks and is known as 'The Mile Straight'. Beyond Blackfriars, the river splits again to form Frog Island and Abbey Park ; it recombines at Belgrave where it passes beside the National Space Centre . Once out of the city the Soar passes Birstall and threads its way through the lakes of Watermead Country Park , until it reaches Wanlip . The river then meets
6867-431: The election of a councillor to Rushcliffe Borough Council , the parish forms part of the Leake ward, which has three council seats. The most recent election was on 7 May 2015 when Ronald Hetherington, Margaret Males and John Thurman, all of the Conservative party, won the three available seats. The next Borough election will be on 2 May 2019. The parish council has seven seats. Council meetings usually take place on
6976-406: The end of August, and were given a drought return period of greater than one hundred years. The river's flow is measured at several points along its course, at a number of gauging stations . At Stoke-on-Trent in the upper reaches, the average flow is only 0.6 m /s (21 cu ft/s), which increases considerably to 4.4 m /s (160 cu ft/s), at Great Haywood , as it includes
7085-428: The end of the Wolstonian Stage (c. 130,000 years ago) a mass of stagnant ice left in the Vale of Belvoir caused the river to divert north along the old Lincoln river, through the Lincoln gap, along what is now the course of the Witham . During a following glaciation ( Devensian , 70,000 BC) the ice held back vast areas of water – called Glacial Lake Humber – in the current lower Trent basin. When this retreated,
7194-426: The end of the last Devensian glacial period the formation of Lake Humber in the lowest reaches of the river, meant that substantial lake bed clays and silts were laid down to create the flat landscape of the Humberhead Levels . These levels extend across the Trent valley, and include the lower reaches of the Eau, Torne and Idle. In some areas, successive layers of peat were built up above the lacustrine deposits during
7303-464: The entire length of the river, and are an important feature of the middle and lower reaches, with the alluvial river silt producing fertile soils that are used for intensive agriculture in the Trent valley. Beneath the alluvium are widespread deposits of sand and gravel, which also occur as gravel terraces considerably above the height of the current river level. There is thought to be a complex succession of at least six separate gravel terrace systems along
7412-400: The extent that light may not reach underwater plants, reducing photosynthesis. Sewage works have an adverse effect on water life. The River Soar before the late 1700 was too small and shallow to allow navigation of barges; however this was partially solved by the construction of the Leicester canal which allowed the Soar to be navigable for almost about 40 miles (64 km). The expansion of
7521-428: The extraction of these minerals continues to be an important industry in the Trent Valley, with some three million tonnes of aggregates being produced each year. Once worked out, the remaining gravel pits which are usually flooded by the relatively high water table have been reused for a wide variety of purposes. These include recreational water activities, and once rehabilitated, as nature reserves and wetlands. During
7630-404: The fact that eighty loads of faggots and upwards of four hundred tons of earth were required to fill up the hole, an operation which took several weeks to complete. The flood bank was subsequently strengthened and repaired, following further floods during 1824 and 1852. The principal flood of the 19th century and the second largest recorded, was in October 1875. In Nottingham a cart overturned in
7739-413: The factory in 1983, which led to immediate concerns about the mill's conservation. The building stood empty for a number of years, and fell into a state of disrepair. In July 2012, a fire destroyed its roof, clocktower and most of the interior. In November 2012, Leicester City Council announced its decision to purchase and restore the Donisthorpe Mill building. Geoffrey of Monmouth , who claimed Leicester
7848-583: The first Thursday of each month at the village hall . The parish fell within the ancient Rushcliffe wapentake of Nottinghamshire. Before 1894 Normanton, along with the nearby villages of Sutton Bonnington , Stanford on Soar , East Leake and West Leake , was part of the Loughborough Rural Sanitary District. From 1894 the parish was part of the Leake Rural District , until its abolition in 1935, when
7957-419: The floodbank at Morton breached, resulting in the flooding of some 78 sq mi (200 km ; 50,000 acres) of farmland in the Trent valley. Flooding on the Trent can also be caused by the effects of storm surges independently of fluvial flows, a series of which occurred during October and November 1954, resulting in the worse tidal flooding experienced along the lower reaches. These floods revealed
8066-468: The floodwaters near the Wilford Road and six people drowned, dwellings nearby were flooded to a depth of 6 feet (1.8 m). Although not quite as large as 1795 this flood devastated many places along the river, at Burton upon Trent much of the town was inundated, with flooded streets and houses, and dead animals floating past in the flood. Food was scarce, "in one day 10,000 loaves had to be sent into
8175-480: The flow of the upper tributaries draining the Potteries conurbation. At Yoxall , the flow increases to 12.8 m /s (450 cu ft/s) due to the input of larger tributaries including the Sow and Blithe. At Drakelow upstream of Burton the flow increases nearly three-fold to 36.1 m /s (1,270 cu ft/s), due to the additional inflow from the largest tributary the Tame. At Colwick near Nottingham,
8284-471: The highest annual rainfall of 1,450 mm (57 in) and above occurring over the high moorland uplands of the Derwent headwaters to the north and west, with the lowest of 580 mm (23 in), in the lowland areas to the north and east. Rainfall totals in the Tame are not as high as would be expected from the moderate relief, due to the rain shadow effect of the Welsh mountains to the west, reducing amounts to an average of 691 mm (27.2 in) for
8393-494: The large town of Burton-upon-Trent . The river in Burton is crossed by a number of bridges including the ornate 19th-century Ferry Bridge that links Stapenhill to the town. To the north-east of Burton the river is joined by the River Dove at Newton Solney and enters Derbyshire , before passing between the villages of Willington and Repton where it turns directly east to reach Swarkestone Bridge . Shortly afterwards,
8502-477: The last such episode occurred when the bitter winter of 1946-7 was followed by a rapid thaw due to rain in March 1947 and caused severe flooding all along the Trent valley. At the other extreme, extended periods of low rainfall can also cause problems. The lowest flows for the river were recorded during the drought of 1976 , following the dry winter of 1975/6. Flows measured at Nottingham were exceptionally low by
8611-419: The major aquifers in the catchment. In the lower tidal reaches the Trent has a high sediment load, this fine silt which is also known as ‘warp', was used to improve the soil by a process known as warping , whereby river water was allowed to flood into adjacent fields through a series of warping drains, enabling the silt to settle out across the land. Up to 0.3 metres (1 ft) of deposition could occur in
8720-582: The majority of the 6 million people who live in the catchment. The majority of these urban areas are in the upper reaches of either the Trent itself, as is the case with Stoke, or its tributaries. For example, Birmingham lies at the upper end of the Tame, and Leicester is located towards the head of the Soar. Whilst this is not unique for an English river, it does mean that there is an ongoing legacy of issues relating to urban runoff , pollution incidents, and effluent dilution from sewage treatment , industry and coal mining. Historically, these issues resulted in
8829-423: The medieval Hethbeth bridge that pre-dated the existing 19th-century crossing. Historic flood levels have also been recorded at Girton and on the churchyard wall at Collingham . One of the earliest recorded floods along the Trent was in 1141, and like many other large historical events was caused by the melting of snow following heavy rainfall, it also caused a breach in the outer floodbank at Spalford . Some of
8938-399: The need for a tidal protection scheme, which would cope with the flows experienced in 1947 and the tidal levels from 1954, and subsequently the floodbanks and defences along the lower river were improved to this standard with the works being completed in 1965. In December 2013, the largest storm surge since the 1950s occurred on the Trent, when a high spring tide combined with strong winds and
9047-471: The nineteenth century reduced canal profits. This was the beginning of the end for many of the companies who owned the canals; several of these companies converted their canals to railways while many of the others were bought out by railway companies looking to expand their businesses. With the decline of industry in the 1960s, the warehouses and factories which were once the core of Leicester's economy had fallen into dereliction. Leicester City Council has made
9156-524: The once navigable River Wreake , near Cossington Mill, with another tributary the Rothley Brook , joining the river just downstream. The Soar continues north-east to reach Mountsorrel then passes between Quorn and Barrow-on-Soar , at which point an arm of the canal extends into Loughborough, although the river passes to the East of the town at Cotes . Downstream of Stanford on Soar the river forms
9265-627: The only toll bridge along its course at Dunham on Trent . Downstream of Dunham the river passes Church Laneham and reaches Torksey , where it meets the Foss Dyke navigation which connects the Trent to Lincoln and the River Witham . Further north at Littleborough is the site of the Roman town of Segelocum, where a Roman road once crossed the river. It then reaches the town of Gainsborough with its own Trent Bridge . The river frontage in
9374-581: The parish was then transferred to the Basford Rural District . In 1974 the Basford Rural District was abolished and the non-metropolitan district of Rushcliffe was created, which Normanton became part of. Within the village there is a small primary school , located on Main Street, catering for children aged between three and eleven. In its most recent Ofsted report (2013) the school was rated as Good. The village
9483-463: The parliamentary election held on 4 July 2024. The Member of Parliament for the parliamentary constituency of Rushcliffe was Kenneth Clarke , of the Conservative party, who held the seat from 1970 to 2019. Despite stating he would not stand for reelection in June 2016 (before the announcement of the 2017 election), Ken Clarke stood for reelection at the 2017 General Election and was reelected with
9592-675: The population in 1851, and around 7% in 1881 and 1911." This shows the importance of hosiery to Leicester's economy. This industry needed a consistent supply of water and needed transport links, so was located alongside the canal. Due to the transport links provided by the Grand Union Canal, the Hosiery industry was able to expand rapidly. Many of these factories however soon outgrew themselves, moving to new larger sites, which vacated space for other trades such as boot and shoe manufacture, printing or box making. Railway competition in
9701-552: The reservoir it passes through Stoke-on-Trent and merges with the Lyme, Fowlea and other brooks that drain the six towns of the Staffordshire Potteries to become the River Trent. On the southern fringes of Stoke, it passes through the landscaped parkland of Trentham Gardens . The river then continues south through the market town of Stone, and after passing the village of Salt , it reaches Great Haywood , where it
9810-535: The river becomes the Derbyshire - Leicestershire border, passing the traditional crossing point of King's Mill , Castle Donington, Weston-on-Trent and Aston-on-Trent . At Shardlow , where the Trent and Mersey Canal begins, the river also meets the Derwent at Derwent Mouth. After this confluence, the river turns north-east and is joined by the River Soar before reaching the outskirts of Nottingham , where it
9919-408: The river must now obtain an agreement from the Environment Agency. Several consents have been granted to companies to use the River Soar, however the quantity and quality of the sewage is strictly controlled to a preset amount that is agreed on with the Environment Agency. The quality of any water is determined by what is able to contaminate the river upstream, the River Soar is constantly monitored by
10028-535: The river reaches the boundary with Yorkshire and joins the River Ouse to form the Humber which flows into the North Sea . Unusually for an English river, the channel altered significantly during historic times, and has been described as being similar to the Mississippi in this respect, especially in its middle reaches, where there are numerous old meanders and cut-off loops. An abandoned channel at Repton
10137-427: The river, deposited when a much larger Trent flowed through the existing valley, and along its ancestral routes through the water gaps at Lincoln and Ancaster. This ‘staircase’ of flat topped terraces was created as a result of successive periods of deposition and subsequent down cutting by the river, a product of the meltwater and glacially eroded material produced from ice sheets at the end of glacial periods through
10246-562: The same bridge was partially destroyed by a flood that also meant the loss of the bridge at Newark. Historical archives often record details of the bridge repairs that followed floods, as the cost of these repairs or pontage had to be raised by borrowing money and charging a local toll. The largest known flood was the Candlemas flood of February 1795, which followed an eight-week period of harsh winter weather, rivers froze which that meant mills were unable to grind corn, and then followed
10355-431: The smug and silver Trent shall run In a new channel, fair and evenly; It shall not wind with such a deep indent, To rob me of so rich a bottom here. Henry Hotspur's speech complaining about the river has been linked to the meanders near West Burton , however, given the wider context of the scene, in which conspirators propose to divide England into three after a revolt, it is thought that Hotspur's intentions were of
10464-540: The spire. Within the Church there is a bronze war memorial dedicated to the lives of villagers lost in World War One . The priest in charge also serves the neighbouring parish of Sutton Bonington . There are regular weekly services, with the village choir attending on the first Sunday of each month. The Church is kept open for the public during the day on Saturday and Sunday. The Old Post Office, on Main Street,
10573-460: The spring of 1953. In 1961 the club acquired its current position on Main Street. The club has a membership of around 100 boats and holds its main annual rally over the spring bank holiday. The village has a pub, located on Main Street, called the Plough Inn. The pub is positioned along the river bank and offers free moorings. Next to the Plough Inn, but separate, Soar Lane offers access to
10682-503: The summer, and increasing to 151 m /s (5,300 cu ft/s) in January. During lower flows the Trent and its tributaries are heavily influenced by effluent returns from sewage works, especially the Tame where summer flows can be made up of 90% effluent. For the Trent this proportion is lower, but with nearly half of low flows being made up of these effluent inflows, it is still significant. There are also baseflow contributions from
10791-433: The town and distributed gratuitously to save people from famine". In Newark the water was deep enough to allow four grammar school boys to row across the countryside to Kelham. The flood marks at Girton show that this flood was only 4 inches (100 mm) lower than that of 1795, when the village was flooded to a depth of 3 feet (0.91 m). On 17–18 March 1947 the Trent overtopped its banks in Nottingham. Large parts of
10900-456: The town is lined with warehouses, that were once used when the town was an inland port, many of which have been renovated for modern use. Downstream of the town the villages are often named in pairs, representing the fact that they were once linked by a river ferry between the two settlements. These villages include West Stockwith and East Stockwith , Owston Ferry and East Ferry , and West Butterwick and East Butterwick . At West Stockwith
11009-466: The town, where the river turns due north to pass North Muskham and Holme to reach Cromwell Weir , below which the Trent becomes tidal. The now tidal river meanders across a wide floodplain, at the edge of which are located riverside villages such as Carlton and Sutton on Trent , Besthorpe and Girton . After passing the site of High Marnham power station , it becomes the approximate boundary between Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire and reaches
11118-418: The tributary basin. The average for the whole Trent catchment is 720 mm (28 in) which is significantly lower than the average for United Kingdom at 1,101 mm (43.3 in) and lower than that for England at 828 mm (32.6 in). Like other large lowland British rivers, the Trent is vulnerable to long periods of rainfall caused by sluggish low pressure weather systems repeatedly crossing
11227-612: The tributary catchments. These include the Sherwood sandstones that occur beneath much of eastern Nottinghamshire, the Permian Lower Magnesian limestone and the carboniferous limestone in Derbyshire. Not only do these provide baseflows to the major tributaries, the groundwater is an important source for public water supply. Sand, gravels and alluvium deposits that overlie the mudstone bedrock occur almost along
11336-572: The upland areas, through to improved pasture and mixed farms in the middle reaches, where dairy farming is important. Intensive arable farming of cereals and root vegetables, chiefly potatoes and sugar beet occurs in the lowland areas, such as the Vale of Belvoir and the lower reaches of the Trent, Torne and Idle. Water level management is important in these lowland areas, and the local watercourses are usually maintained by internal drainage boards and their successors, with improved drainage being assisted by
11445-531: The use of pumping stations to lift water into embanked carrier rivers , which subsequently discharge into the Trent. The less populous rural areas are offset by a number of large urbanised areas including the conurbations of Stoke-on-Trent , Birmingham and the surrounding Black Country in the West Midlands; and in the East Midlands the major university cities and historical county seats of Leicester , Derby and Nottingham . Together these contain
11554-423: The way to the Humber. The mudstones are not exposed by the bed of the river, as there is a layer of gravels and then alluvium above the bedrock. In places, however the mudstones do form river cliffs, most notably at Gunthorpe and Stoke Lock near Radcliffe on Trent, the village being named after the distinctive red coloured strata. The low range of hills, which have been formed into a steep set of cliffs overlooking
11663-496: Was breached again, floodwaters spreading out across the low-lying land, even reaching the River Witham and flooding Lincoln. Some 20,000 acres (81 km ; 31 sq mi) were flooded for a period of over three weeks. A description of the breach was given as follows: The bank is formed upon a plain of sandy nature, and when it was broken in 1795, the water forced an immense breach, the size of which may be judged from
11772-439: Was dried out and refined to be eventually sold as a silver polish for cutlery manufacturers. The Trent is widely known for its tendency to cause significant flooding along its course, and there is a well documented flood history extending back for some 900 years. In Nottingham the heights of significant historic floods from 1852 have been carved into a bridge abutment next to Trent Bridge, with flood marks being transferred from
11881-471: Was named for an eponymous King Leir , claimed that the king was buried in an underground chamber beneath the river near Leicester. This was supposedly devoted to the god Janus . Leir, Lerion, and Ligora(ceastre) all derive from the old Brittonic name of the River Soar, *Ligera or *Ligora. The body of King Richard III was sometimes said to have been thrown into the river during the Dissolution of
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