379:
31:
447:
554:
602:
286:, which is a watercourse that flows from chalk-fed groundwater. Chalk streams are a very rare habitat globally, with more than 85% of all the 210 chalk streams in the world are found in England. The river is reduced in size, due to human activity, the main one being the building of the London to Birmingham Grand Union Canal through the narrow valley which takes most of the river's water.
577:
restored a kilometre stretch of the River; the river in this location had been heavily modified in the past, and as a result was overly deep, straight and wide. As such, the restoration work was carried out in order to return the river to a more natural state. The bulk of this work was carried out in
540:
The Bourne Gutter is a short 400 yards (370 m) tributary of the
Bulbourne, rising between Berkhamsted and Bourne End. In very wet years it runs from springs nearly three miles further up a side valley, near Hockeridge Bottom. According to local legend it is a "Woe Water", said to only flow at a
493:
was dug alongside the entire length of the river, and the
Bulbourne became the main source of water for the canal, which was the main link between London and the coalfields of the Midlands. This manmade waterway was the only one to be built across the Chilterns Hills. Ensuring a constant supply of
582:
took place in
November, 2017. The ‘Bringing Back the Bulbourne’ project scooped the ‘best medium scale’ award at The Wild Trout Trust Conservation Awards. The natural meander of this section of the chalk stream was restored (a globally rare habitat), creating new habitats for plants and wildlife.
394:
The River
Bulbourne was historically rich in eels and other fish, fast-moving and prone to frequent localised flooding. Over the years, human activity has had a significant effect on the river. Originally, the source of the Bulbourne was near the hamlet of Bulbourne, near
544:
Another small tributary was 60 feet (20 yd) at St Johns Well Lane (in
Berkhamsted); it dried up in the 1930s due to increased local water-pumping needs. From at least the Middle Ages the 'holy well' there had been Berkhamsted's principal source of drinking water.
523:
In
October 2011, concerns were raised about local water levels when the River Bulbourne dried up. Local commentators blamed increased water consumption brought about by the number of new property developments in Berkhamsted, although the
1231:
322:. The underlying geology is chalk, which outcrops in places along the east side of the valley. The subsoil is predominantly a stiff reddish clay-with-flints; in the valley itself the chalk is overlain with
482:, that stands close to the centre of the town. The river created a marsh environment (at times referred to as an 'unhealthy swamp') in the centre of the valley, which added to the defences of the castle.
415:
was a major iron production centre (considered to be one of the most important late Iron Age and Roman industrial areas in
England). Water was drawn from 14 well shafts close to the river at
1224:
314:
ice erosion of the
Chiltern scarp, giving it a smooth, rounded appearance. Around Berkhamsted the valley sides rise 300 ft. It is situated on the northern rim of the larger
1217:
742:
450:
The
Bulbourne provided water for the two or three moats around the important medieval Berkhamsted Castle, as well as a further defensive barrier of a marsh.
622:
617:
1027:
516:
beds. Thus the River
Bulbourne was reduced by centuries of increased drinking needs, dredging, milling and agriculture, as well as by the London to
1185:
688:
768:
832:
794:
378:
1174:
569:, and it was on this stretch that a major river restoration project was undertaken in January 2017. Working in conjunction with the
30:
494:
water in a region of permeable chalk was an engineering challenge which required the building of reservoirs, pumps and boreholes.
1388:
640:
1155:
370:. The current total length of the river is 7 miles (11 km); from its source to its mouth it falls 30 metres (98 ft).
872:
583:
Removing a weir has allowed fish to move along the river, while cutting back trees has allowed more light to reach the river.
1307:
187:
502:
498:
497:
After the Pre-Roman Road and the canal, the next major transport route to carve its way along the Bulbourne valley was
1277:
399:(which would make the river 2.9 miles (4.7 km) longer); in 1700 the source was said to be Parkhill Farm, near
275:
107:
439:)) Iron production ceased at the end of the Roman period. There were Roman villas in Northchurch, Berkhamsted and
1054:
351:
1398:
1252:
1099:
666:
339:
89:
512:
congratulated a Mr Bedford on having converted the remaining "dirty ditches and offensive marshes" into
440:
363:
169:
1203:
466:
in Berkhamsted (Upper and Lower - recorded in 1086) and another in Bourne End. It also fed the three
259:
311:
302:
throughout eastern and southern England, which formed between 84 and 100 million years ago in the
1322:
981:
644:
570:
525:
479:
403:(making the river 0.5 miles (0.80 km) shorter). Settlement in the valley began prior to the
715:
1170:
1151:
490:
471:
446:
383:
303:
38:
1393:
1357:
607:
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
475:
1209:
959:
1362:
459:
367:
255:
173:
553:
1312:
574:
486:
299:
295:
56:
1382:
1327:
1282:
1257:
1241:
613:
608:
420:
404:
400:
283:
247:
1317:
898:
876:
532:
water company claimed it was due to a low water table, caused by lack of rainfall.
319:
279:
1120:
407:
period. The upper Bulbourne Valley was rich in timber and iron ore in the form of
1352:
1272:
1262:
579:
455:
432:
412:
347:
343:
307:
153:
93:
310:-depositing marine environment. The valley is at the southernmost limit of the
1337:
1297:
1287:
558:
517:
513:
411:. In the late Iron Age, a four-square-mile (ten-square-kilometre) area around
359:
271:
847:
834:
809:
796:
202:
189:
122:
109:
1367:
1347:
1342:
1332:
1302:
1292:
463:
424:
416:
335:
267:
85:
419:, where a Roman town grew up between the river and the Roman- engineered
408:
323:
315:
875:. Dacorum Environmental Forum Water Group. 23 March 2013. Archived from
689:"The threat to chalk streams, our unique contribution to global ecology"
566:
387:
355:
251:
243:
529:
263:
1191:(Report). Historic Environment Unit, Hertfordshire County Council.
552:
445:
396:
377:
467:
1213:
641:"River restoration project wins national conservation award"
334:
The river runs in a south-easterly direction from between
561:
at Boxmoor near Hemel Hempstead. Shown before restoration
458:
settlements arose in Northchurch and Berkhamsted. In the
930:
928:
382:
The unnavigable River Bulbourne to the right of the
1186:
Extensive Urban Surveys: Berkhamsted, Revision 2005
557:River Bulbourne just above its confluence with the
228:
218:
179:
162:
152:
138:
99:
79:
71:
62:
52:
47:
23:
1028:"Tap use blamed for drying up of River Bulbourne"
769:"The Roman Settlement at Cow Roast,. Northchurch"
752:. Dacorum Borough Council. 2004. pp. 93–96.
1014:
1002:
946:
1225:
8:
626:(11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
1232:
1218:
1210:
1184:Thompson, Isobel; Bryant, Stewart (2005).
750:Landscape Character Assessment for Dacorum
737:
735:
733:
423:(which had been a pre-existing route from
1055:"Observations on the Bourne Gutter 2014"
867:
865:
592:
1086:
1074:
934:
919:
763:
761:
759:
669:. Landscape Institute. 16 January 2016
278:, which in turn is a tributary of the
20:
1100:"Herts chalk stream to be reprofiled"
667:"Herts chalk stream to be reprofiled"
635:
633:
578:January 2017, whilst the creation of
7:
318:or down-folding of rocks called the
1169:. Kings Langley, UK: Alpine Press.
1167:Berkhamsted, an Illustrated History
1150:. Kings Langley, UK: Alpine Press.
282:. The Bulbourne is an example of a
718:. Hertfordshire Geological Society
501:founded in 1762, followed by the
14:
743:"Area 117 Upper Bulbourne Valley"
42:which is a couple of metres away)
962:. The Dacorum Heritage Trust Ltd
600:
29:
1204:River Bulbourne interactive map
1032:Berkhamsted & Tring Gazette
35:River Bulbourne in Berkhamsted
16:River in Hertfordshire, England
1308:River Lee Flood Relief Channel
181: • coordinates
101: • coordinates
1:
1206:on the Chilterns AONB website
63:Physical characteristics
1053:Nicholas, Pierpoint (2014).
774:. M M Dworetsky. 5 July 2005
565:The Bulbourne flows through
541:time of national emergency.
503:London to Birmingham railway
462:, the Bulbourne powered two
220: • elevation
140: • elevation
1240:Rivers and watercourses of
294:The Bulbourne flows in the
164: • location
81: • location
1415:
1062:Nat. Hist. Soc. 46(2) 2014
1015:Thompson & Bryant 2005
1003:Thompson & Bryant 2005
947:Thompson & Bryant 2005
716:"Geology on your Doorstep"
1248:
148:
67:
28:
984:. Dacorum Heritage Trust
358:, to where it joins the
232:11 km (6.8 mi)
144:120 m (390 ft)
1389:Rivers of Hertfordshire
623:Encyclopædia Britannica
499:Sparrows Herne Turnpike
274:, which flows into the
266:. It is an unnavigable
224:90 m (300 ft)
1148:A Hertfordshire Valley
1121:"May Bulbourne Update"
562:
451:
391:
312:Pleistocene glaciation
298:, part of a system of
1165:Hastie, Scot (1999).
1146:Hastie, Scot (1996).
556:
449:
381:
306:when the area was a
242:is a small river in
982:"Cow Roast Pottery"
844: /
806: /
199: /
119: /
645:Environment Agency
571:Environment Agency
563:
526:Environment Agency
480:Berkhamsted Castle
452:
392:
1376:
1375:
873:"River Bulbourne"
647:. 20 October 2017
510:Berkhamsted Times
491:Grand Union Canal
384:Grand Union Canal
362:at Two Waters in
304:Cretaceous Period
258:derives from the
236:
235:
39:Grand Union canal
1406:
1358:Stort Navigation
1234:
1227:
1220:
1211:
1192:
1190:
1180:
1161:
1132:
1131:
1129:
1127:
1117:
1111:
1110:
1108:
1106:
1096:
1090:
1084:
1078:
1072:
1066:
1065:
1059:
1050:
1044:
1043:
1041:
1039:
1034:. 4 October 2011
1024:
1018:
1012:
1006:
1000:
994:
993:
991:
989:
978:
972:
971:
969:
967:
956:
950:
944:
938:
932:
923:
917:
911:
910:
908:
906:
895:
889:
888:
886:
884:
869:
860:
859:
858:
856:
855:
854:
849:
848:51.739°N 0.471°W
845:
842:
841:
840:
837:
828:
822:
821:
820:
818:
817:
816:
811:
810:51.778°N 0.601°W
807:
804:
803:
802:
799:
790:
784:
783:
781:
779:
773:
765:
754:
753:
747:
739:
728:
727:
725:
723:
711:
705:
704:
702:
700:
685:
679:
678:
676:
674:
663:
657:
656:
654:
652:
637:
628:
627:
606:
604:
603:
597:
549:Part restoration
476:Motte and Bailey
214:
213:
211:
210:
209:
204:
203:51.739°N 0.471°W
200:
197:
196:
195:
192:
141:
134:
133:
131:
130:
129:
124:
123:51.778°N 0.601°W
120:
117:
116:
115:
112:
102:
82:
37:(reduced by the
33:
21:
1414:
1413:
1409:
1408:
1407:
1405:
1404:
1403:
1399:Colne catchment
1379:
1378:
1377:
1372:
1363:Small River Lea
1244:
1238:
1200:
1195:
1188:
1183:
1177:
1164:
1158:
1145:
1141:
1136:
1135:
1125:
1123:
1119:
1118:
1114:
1104:
1102:
1098:
1097:
1093:
1085:
1081:
1073:
1069:
1057:
1052:
1051:
1047:
1037:
1035:
1026:
1025:
1021:
1013:
1009:
1001:
997:
987:
985:
980:
979:
975:
965:
963:
960:"Cow Roast Dig"
958:
957:
953:
945:
941:
933:
926:
918:
914:
904:
902:
901:. openstreetmap
897:
896:
892:
882:
880:
879:on 15 July 2014
871:
870:
863:
852:
850:
846:
843:
838:
835:
833:
831:
830:
829:
825:
814:
812:
808:
805:
800:
797:
795:
793:
792:
791:
787:
777:
775:
771:
767:
766:
757:
745:
741:
740:
731:
721:
719:
713:
712:
708:
698:
696:
687:
686:
682:
672:
670:
665:
664:
660:
650:
648:
639:
638:
631:
618:Bourne (stream)
616:, ed. (1911). "
612:
601:
599:
598:
594:
589:
580:ephemeral ponds
551:
538:
460:Medieval period
376:
368:Hemel Hempstead
332:
300:chalk downlands
292:
240:River Bulbourne
221:
207:
205:
201:
198:
193:
190:
188:
186:
185:
182:
174:Hemel Hempstead
165:
139:
127:
125:
121:
118:
113:
110:
108:
106:
105:
100:
80:
43:
41:
36:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1412:
1410:
1402:
1401:
1396:
1391:
1381:
1380:
1374:
1373:
1371:
1370:
1365:
1360:
1355:
1350:
1345:
1340:
1335:
1330:
1325:
1320:
1315:
1313:Lee Navigation
1310:
1305:
1300:
1295:
1290:
1285:
1280:
1275:
1270:
1265:
1260:
1255:
1249:
1246:
1245:
1239:
1237:
1236:
1229:
1222:
1214:
1208:
1207:
1199:
1198:External links
1196:
1194:
1193:
1181:
1175:
1162:
1156:
1142:
1140:
1137:
1134:
1133:
1112:
1091:
1079:
1077:, p. 206.
1067:
1045:
1019:
1007:
995:
973:
951:
939:
924:
912:
890:
861:
853:51.739; -0.471
823:
815:51.778; -0.601
785:
755:
729:
706:
695:. 24 July 2014
680:
658:
629:
614:Chisholm, Hugh
591:
590:
588:
585:
575:Box Moor Trust
550:
547:
537:
534:
487:Industrial Age
390:at Berkhamsted
375:
374:Human activity
372:
331:
328:
296:Chiltern Hills
291:
288:
234:
233:
230:
226:
225:
222:
219:
216:
215:
208:51.739; -0.471
183:
180:
177:
176:
166:
163:
160:
159:
156:
150:
149:
146:
145:
142:
136:
135:
128:51.778; -0.601
103:
97:
96:
83:
77:
76:
73:
69:
68:
65:
64:
60:
59:
57:United Kingdom
54:
50:
49:
45:
44:
34:
26:
25:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1411:
1400:
1397:
1395:
1392:
1390:
1387:
1386:
1384:
1369:
1366:
1364:
1361:
1359:
1356:
1354:
1351:
1349:
1346:
1344:
1341:
1339:
1336:
1334:
1331:
1329:
1326:
1324:
1321:
1319:
1316:
1314:
1311:
1309:
1306:
1304:
1301:
1299:
1296:
1294:
1291:
1289:
1286:
1284:
1283:Cuffley Brook
1281:
1279:
1276:
1274:
1271:
1269:
1266:
1264:
1261:
1259:
1258:Bayford Brook
1256:
1254:
1251:
1250:
1247:
1243:
1242:Hertfordshire
1235:
1230:
1228:
1223:
1221:
1216:
1215:
1212:
1205:
1202:
1201:
1197:
1187:
1182:
1178:
1176:0-9528631-1-1
1172:
1168:
1163:
1159:
1153:
1149:
1144:
1143:
1138:
1122:
1116:
1113:
1101:
1095:
1092:
1089:, p. 16.
1088:
1083:
1080:
1076:
1071:
1068:
1063:
1056:
1049:
1046:
1033:
1029:
1023:
1020:
1017:, p. 25.
1016:
1011:
1008:
1005:, p. 10.
1004:
999:
996:
983:
977:
974:
961:
955:
952:
948:
943:
940:
936:
931:
929:
925:
921:
916:
913:
900:
899:"opentopomap"
894:
891:
878:
874:
868:
866:
862:
857:
827:
824:
819:
789:
786:
770:
764:
762:
760:
756:
751:
744:
738:
736:
734:
730:
717:
710:
707:
694:
690:
684:
681:
668:
662:
659:
646:
642:
636:
634:
630:
625:
624:
619:
615:
610:
609:public domain
596:
593:
586:
584:
581:
576:
572:
568:
560:
555:
548:
546:
542:
535:
533:
531:
527:
521:
519:
515:
511:
508:In 1883, the
506:
504:
500:
495:
492:
489:in 1797, the
488:
483:
481:
477:
473:
470:of the large
469:
465:
461:
457:
448:
444:
442:
438:
434:
430:
426:
422:
421:Akeman Street
418:
414:
410:
406:
405:Late Iron Age
402:
401:Pendley Manor
398:
389:
385:
380:
373:
371:
369:
365:
361:
357:
353:
349:
345:
341:
337:
329:
327:
325:
321:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
297:
289:
287:
285:
281:
277:
273:
269:
265:
261:
257:
253:
249:
248:Hertfordshire
245:
241:
231:
227:
223:
217:
212:
184:
178:
175:
171:
167:
161:
157:
155:
151:
147:
143:
137:
132:
104:
98:
95:
91:
87:
84:
78:
74:
70:
66:
61:
58:
55:
51:
46:
40:
32:
27:
22:
19:
1267:
1166:
1147:
1124:. Retrieved
1115:
1103:. Retrieved
1094:
1082:
1070:
1061:
1048:
1036:. Retrieved
1031:
1022:
1010:
998:
986:. Retrieved
976:
964:. Retrieved
954:
949:, p. 3.
942:
937:, p. 8.
922:, p. 7.
915:
903:. Retrieved
893:
881:. Retrieved
877:the original
826:
788:
776:. Retrieved
749:
720:. Retrieved
714:Catt, John.
709:
697:. Retrieved
693:The Guardian
692:
683:
671:. Retrieved
661:
649:. Retrieved
621:
595:
564:
543:
539:
522:
509:
507:
496:
484:
453:
436:
428:
393:
333:
320:London Basin
293:
284:chalk stream
280:River Thames
239:
237:
18:
1343:Rhee or Cam
1157:0-952863103
1087:Hastie 1999
1075:Hastie 1996
935:Hastie 1996
920:Hastie 1999
851: /
813: /
722:28 December
651:10 December
536:Tributaries
505:, in 1834.
485:During the
456:Anglo-Saxon
433:Cirencester
413:Northchurch
348:Berkhamsted
344:Northchurch
276:River Colne
262:word for a
260:Anglo-Saxon
254:. The word
206: /
168:Two Waters
126: /
94:Northchurch
1383:Categories
836:51°44′20″N
798:51°46′41″N
587:References
559:River Gade
518:Birmingham
514:watercress
464:watermills
429:Verulamium
360:River Gade
352:Bourne End
346:, through
272:River Gade
191:51°44′20″N
111:51°46′41″N
1333:Pix Brook
1323:New River
1268:Bulbourne
1038:7 October
988:1 October
839:0°28′16″W
801:0°36′04″W
425:St Albans
417:Cow Roast
336:Cow Roast
290:Geography
268:tributary
194:0°28′16″W
114:0°36′04″W
86:Cow Roast
24:Bulbourne
1105:24 March
966:25 March
905:28 March
883:20 March
778:27 March
699:25 March
673:20 March
528:and the
437:Corinium
409:bog iron
340:Dudswell
324:alluvium
316:syncline
90:Dudswell
48:Location
1394:Dacorum
1328:Oughton
1139:Sources
611::
567:Boxmoor
520:Canal.
441:Boxmoor
388:towpath
356:Boxmoor
270:of the
252:England
244:Dacorum
53:Country
1318:Mimram
1173:
1154:
605:
573:, the
530:Veolia
472:Norman
454:Early
364:Apsley
330:Course
264:stream
256:bourne
229:Length
170:Apsley
158:
75:
72:Source
1353:Stort
1278:Colne
1273:Chess
1263:Beane
1189:(PDF)
1126:9 May
1058:(PDF)
772:(PDF)
746:(PDF)
468:moats
431:) to
397:Tring
366:near
308:chalk
154:Mouth
1338:Quin
1298:Ivel
1288:Gade
1171:ISBN
1152:ISBN
1128:2017
1107:2017
1040:2011
990:2014
968:2016
907:2016
885:2016
780:2016
724:2014
701:2016
675:2016
653:2017
354:and
338:and
238:The
1368:Ver
1348:Rib
1303:Lea
1293:Hiz
1253:Ash
620:".
386:'s
342:in
1385::
1060:.
1030:.
927:^
864:^
758:^
748:.
732:^
691:.
643:.
632:^
478:)
350:,
326:.
250:,
246:,
172:,
92:,
88:/
1233:e
1226:t
1219:v
1179:.
1160:.
1130:.
1109:.
1064:.
1042:.
992:.
970:.
909:.
887:.
782:.
726:.
703:.
677:.
655:.
474:(
443:.
435:(
427:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
