Knowledge (XXG)

Smestow Brook

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axes, &c." A survey of 1834 adds corn mills to the list of enterprises at Swindon. It also tells us that Wombourne is a large village, "occupied chiefly by nailors, who work for the neighbouring manufacturers". The nail-makers were thus mainly self-employed contractors, working in their own small forges on iron brought in from the large producers. The demand for water to power the forges continued and even rose well into the Victorian period, during which the Smestow powered at least 30 mills. In some cases, as at Greensforge and Heath, iron-working gave way ultimately to corn milling.
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both forms are used for the whole length of the stream, with Smestow Brook predominating. Similarly, the term Smestow Valley is sometimes reserved for the narrow section from Aldersley to Wightwick, although it can be used for the entire catchment, including the much wider plain south of Trescott. The Smestow itself created neither of these features: it simply flows through a landscape opened up by
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vulnerable to pollution, and the actual river water at that time is unlikely to have been free of chemical and microbial pollution. Perhaps it is a good thing that Marten's idea was not put into practice until the 1890s, when a large pumping station was constructed at Ashwood, south of Swindon, to supply water to Black Country industry. This was soon followed by the
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In the 20th century attempts were made to clean up the Smestow. These, together with the almost total collapse of heavy industry in Wolverhampton and the Black Country during the 1980s, have allowed the river to recover from earlier pollution. Today the water is clear and the courses of the river and
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Although iron production was thus centralised, the small-scale, decentralised working of iron not only continued but increased. An 1817 commentator tells us that Swindon has "an iron-works, some forges, and a blade-mill, where by a peculiar temperament of the iron, it is formed into scythes, sickles,
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in Staffordshire. These are highly permeable, allowing the land above to drain quickly and reducing the flow within river courses. As a result, the areas of South Staffordshire around the river, despite fairly high rainfall, had a natural vegetation of heath and open birch woodland. This was modified
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Some local people maintain that the lower part of the stream, approximately from Wombourne, is properly called the River Smestow, while the upper section is the Smestow Brook. Certainly the lower Smestow is much more impressive since dredging and course alterations in the 1990s. In practice, however,
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The canal itself allowed coal, coke and iron to be transported more easily, allowing industrialists to combine water and steam power, alongside coke-fired blast furnaces, wherever the river and canal ran close together. The result was the development of larger iron-works at Swindon and Gothersley on
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was prevented from cutting off the flow of the upper Smestow when the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal was developed, around 1770. Instead he was forced to preserve the flow with a "water bridge" or aqueduct at Dunstall, in the Aldersley Gap, which carries the brook over the canal and releases
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The Smestow Brook has its source in the Springfield area, to the north-east of Wolverhampton city centre, in which many of the street names attest to the plentiful supplies of water originally found there. However, the natural springs were contained and culverted as building began here in the 1870s,
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settlement, with a gradual clearance of farmland. With the emergence of modern, high input farming, from the 18th century onwards, the aquifer became increasingly vulnerable to nitrate pollution. The relative decline of heavy industry in the region makes this the main, and growing, pollution threat
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The Smestow flows through an important local nature reserve at Wolverhampton, and its lower course largely follows the conservation area associated with the canal, often through linear woodland, as well as small areas of wetland. Hence, it is home to a wide range of wildlife: if little is rare, the
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The following year, Marten put forward a scheme for drinking water extraction from the lower Smestow. This time he sent water samples to analytical laboratories in London, where they were pronounced exceptionally clear and free from decaying matter. The aquifer beneath the sandstone is itself very
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in Shropshire and the Black Country brought charcoal-fired iron production gradually to an end. Heath Forge became a corn mill in the 1810s, while Swindon Forge was modernised in the mid-19th century. Water-power for the continuing industrial activity was so important that
732:, where it used to cause major flooding problems until its course was reshaped in the 1990s. Here it is joined by its most important tributary, the Wom Brook. From this point the Smestow again runs within a few hundred metres of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal. 1101:. As early as 1851, the engineer Henry Marten gauged the supply at ten million gallons (approximately 45,000,000 litres) per day and proposed to extract water for drinking and industrial use from the Smestow. This was blocked by opposition from the carpet makers of 1084:
Meanwhile, the industries of north Wolverhampton continued to use the water of the Smestow for a range of purposes, not least to carry away effluent. From the 1870s water was extracted in large quantities at the source for the brewing industry. The large
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The main reason that the brook itself often appears scant in flow and unimportant is that the rock beneath is highly-permeable sandstone. Hence, very large quantities of water can be locked away not far below the surface, in the underlying
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the Smestow, as well as nearby at the Hyde, near Kinver on the Stour – all situated between river and canal. The Swindon works included a rolling mill and generated power mainly from coal, although its drop hammer was driven by a large
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variety is great. Dredging and other works often disturb wildlife, but recolonisation is usually rapid. The reduction in pollution over the last three decades has allowed wildlife to diversify and flourish.
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with drinking water. Both of these extracted water from the aquifer, not directly from the river, and were actually sited closer to the canal, which could be used to supply them with coal.
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In some areas, especially around Wolverhampton, the Smestow runs over beds of gravels, laid down in the last Ice Age. For a large part of its course, however, the Smestow flows over deep
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of Physical and Environmental Constraints.pdf South Staffordshire Council: South staffordshire Local Development Framework – Assessment of Physical and Environmental Constraints, p.7.
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The Smestow then turns sharply to the west and disappears into a culvert, which takes it under the major roads and railway lines to the north of Wolverhampton, as well as under the
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The Smestow Valley reserve claims no less than 170 species of bird as residents or visitors, with 55 species breeding locally. Winter sees the greatest variety with the regular
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The banks of the Smestow and Stour were home to a thriving iron industry, based on locally produced charcoal, from the Middle Ages until the 18th century. This included many
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in surveys of the county. It means ″place of the smiths″. The whole of this part of the West Midlands was famed for iron production from the Middle Ages onwards. The nearby
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The Smestow runs down the length of the Smestow Valley Local Nature Reserve, under the main Wolverhampton – Tettenhall road, and past Tettenhall Station, formerly on the
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to maintain the flow of water in the Smestow and the Stour, both important sources of power to 18th century industry. The Smestow then descends to the level of the canal.
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with large quantities diverted to the Springfield Brewery. Note the street name and the disused brewery, since finally demolished, in the background of the photograph.
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catchments, creating the Aldersley Gap. As a result, the Smestow was able to break through to the south, and was thus captured from the Trent by the Severn catchment.
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Passing through the hamlet of Furnace Grange, the Smestow takes a turn southward as it is joined from the right by the Black Brook, a considerable tributary.
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road. Although mainly inaccessible to the public, the green trail of the river is easily visible for some distance as it snakes across open farmland.
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settlement that brought significant permanent human habitation to the valley, and it is probably from these settlers that the stream took its name.
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it passes a former Victorian corn mill, marking the site of one of the most important forges of earlier centuries, but now converted to apartments.
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Brewery that was built for William Butler at the source of the Smestow in 1873 was to operate until 1991, for much of its life in the hands of
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At Gothersley, just south of Ashwood, the Spittle Brook joins from the right. Here the two streams water a small but valuable area of wetland.
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P.J. Hooker et al.: 'An integrated hydrogeological study of a post-industrial city in the West Midlands of England' in Chilton, John (ed):
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Today there is no sign of the Smestow for several hundred metres from its putative source in Springfield. It emerges further north, in the
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but also, from the mid-17th century, some fairly large enterprises run by wealthy businessmen, like those at the Grange Furnace, near
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At Wightwick the brook begins to diverge for some kilometres from the route of the canal, just south of the main Wolverhampton to
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B. J. Williams & J. Van Leerzem: Water supplies of the Black Country "Smestow Valley", South Staffs. Water Company, undated.
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The Smestow flows through or past a number of settlements – many associated with the historic iron industry, or with the canal.
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in some 19th-century (and earlier) reference works. For example "Smestall, a river in Stafford, which runs into the Stour near
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The Smestow is enlarged by water from a number of tributaries. Travelling upstream from the Stour confluence, they include:
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The Smestow is entirely non-navigable. However, its valley forms a natural north-south route of such importance that the
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The name of the stream may be of Anglo-Saxon origin, although it was not written down before the 14th century in the
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Here the valley is hemmed in on both sides by steep slopes. The brook flows between the Wolverhampton suburbs of
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Brooks, which drain the west of Wolverhampton, and join the Smestow in the Smestow Valley Local Nature Reserve.
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at Dunstall, where a small lake provides both flood relief and a wildlife haven. It is then taken over the
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The innocent looking Trescott Ford is notorious for catching unwary motorists after heavy local downpours.
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Insect life is also rich and varied, with more than 20 kinds of butterfly seen on the reserve, including
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The meandering course crosses open farmland but is mostly screened from it by linear woodland. At
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The Perton Brook, which tumbles down Wightwick Bank and waters the gardens of Wightwick Manor.
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The valley narrows considerably between steep sandstone ridges after the river passes through
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was constructed as a substitute for a navigable river, the Smestow supplying it with water.
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Wolverhampton City Council: Smestow Valley Local Nature Reserve (visitor's leaflet).
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The Smestow runs very close to a number of Roman sites, the most important being at
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valley, and flows down through a boggy area to join the Smestow near Gothersley.
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in the United Kingdom, and has contributed to the industrial development of the
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via the great pool at the Wodehouse, and joins the Smestow south of the village
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William White, History, Gazetteer, and directory of Staffordshire, 1834, p.292
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Tracey Williams, A history of Swindon, Staffordshire and the Williams family
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Finally, at Prestwood, close to Stourton and Kinver, the Smestow enters the
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https://www.geograph.org.uk/gallery/tributaries_of_the_river_severn_7213/2
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The Smestow flows northwards through the park, supplying water for a pool.
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8. Confluence with Graiseley Brook in Smestow Valley Local Nature Reserve
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10. Trescott Ford, close to the main Wolverhampton to Bridgnorth Road
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William Pitt, A Topographical History of Staffordshire, 1817, p.190.
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17. At Gothersley, close to its confluence with the Spittle Brook
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Wolverhampton City Council: Smestow Valley Local Nature Reserve.
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Sherwood sandstone – similar to the deposits underlying
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6. The Dunstall water Bridge viewed from the canal side
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The Smestow took its present shape as a result of the
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The Wom Brook, which drains an area as far afield as
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The Black Brook, which drains the area almost up to
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Richard Phillips. p.  1394: 1877: 1019:, Heath Forge near Wombourne, Swindon, 634:Sketch map of the course of the Smestow 374: 1949:Victoria County History, Staffordshire 1189:, and joins the Smestow near Trescott. 1155:The Holbeche Brook, which begins near 782:Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal 666:Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal 441:Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal 427:4. The brook disappears into a culvert 20: 1410:Source in Springfield, Wolverhampton 1064:it to descend to its natural course. 969:deposits of sandstone, also known as 16:River in the West Midlands of England 7: 2071:Rivers of the West Midlands (county) 2017:Groundwater in the Urban Environment 2019:, Rotterdam: Balkama, 1999, p.147, 1405:(links to map & photo sources) 1144:The Dawley Brook, which drains the 934:. There is also a great variety of 647:area, at the edge of Fowler's Park. 1915:Notes on Staffordshire Place Names 1884:The Smestow was also known as the 14: 1163:to join the Smestow at Hinksford. 343:. Both the lower Smestow and the 2081:Stour (Worcestershire) catchment 1637:South Staffordshire Railway Walk 1363: 799:growing against a background of 615: 603: 583: 567: 552: 536: 520: 508: 496: 484: 472: 460: 448: 432: 420: 415:3. Flowing through Fowler's Park 408: 389: 377: 1894:Capper, Benjamin Pitts (1825). 1037:Edward Sutton, 5th Baron Dudley 991:History and economic importance 396:2. Emergence in Fowler's Park, 251:, Holbeche Brook, Dawley Brook 176: • coordinates 107: • coordinates 24:Smestow Brook or River Smestow 1: 1917:, Henry Frowde, London, 1902. 1072:. It was to last until 1976. 819:reinforced by visitors, like 675:The aqueduct was provided by 77:Physical characteristics 2046:South Staffs Water Archives. 1713:Confluence with Black Brook 672:, the Dunstall Water Bridge. 491:9. In farmland near Trescott 443:by the Dunstall Water Bridge 339:and working iron before the 1350:GPX (secondary coordinates) 293:River Stour, Worcestershire 160: • location 95: • location 2097: 261:Black Brook, Spittle Brook 1345:GPX (primary coordinates) 1320:Map all coordinates using 1035:, an illegitimate son of 144: 81: 1734:52.5607906°N 2.2381854°W 1485:Wolverhampton Racecourse 1328:Download coordinates as: 982:progressively after the 662:Wolverhampton Racecourse 622:18. Confluence with the 467:7. By Tettenhall Station 257: • right 198:52.4675047°N 2.2027346°W 2076:Rivers of Staffordshire 1091:Mitchells & Butlers 977:in Nottinghamshire and 271:, sometimes called the 236: • left 217:27 km (17 mi) 1739:52.5607906; -2.2381854 1523:Dunstall Water Bridge 804: 635: 596:Ashwood, Staffordshire 547:in South Staffordshire 531:in South Staffordshire 515:11. At Furnace Grange. 203:52.4675047; -2.2027346 129:52.59191°N 2.1206188°W 1639:Local Nature Reserve 1340:GPX (all coordinates) 795: 686:but now a small café. 684:Wombourne Branch Line 633: 341:Industrial Revolution 1377:adding missing items 724:The same is true at 134:52.59191; -2.1206188 1850: /  1810: /  1770: /  1730: /  1693: /  1656: /  1616: /  1577: /  1540: /  1503: /  1464: /  1427: /  1217:South Staffordshire 1148:area and fills the 769:Stourport-on-Severn 527:12. The Smestow at 303:Etymology and usage 281:South Staffordshire 222:Basin features 194: /  125: /  71:South Staffordshire 32:Place of the smiths 1854:52.4676°N 2.2027°W 1814:52.5080°N 2.2333°W 1774:52.5255°N 2.2138°W 1697:52.5727°N 2.2197°W 1660:52.5740°N 2.1882°W 1620:52.5836°N 2.1941°W 1581:52.5967°N 2.1620°W 1544:52.6033°N 2.1513°W 1507:52.6029°N 2.1481°W 1468:52.5973°N 2.1182°W 1431:52.5921°N 2.1197°W 1375:; you can help by 892:green-veined white 805: 636: 590:16. Marina in the 384:1. Putative source 1869: 1868: 1393: 1392: 916:purple hairstreak 265: 264: 2088: 2028: 2013: 2007: 2002: 1996: 1991: 1985: 1980: 1974: 1969: 1963: 1958: 1952: 1946: 1940: 1935: 1929: 1924: 1918: 1911: 1905: 1903: 1882: 1865: 1864: 1862: 1861: 1860: 1859:52.4676; -2.2027 1855: 1851: 1848: 1847: 1846: 1843: 1830:Confluence with 1825: 1824: 1822: 1821: 1820: 1819:52.5080; -2.2333 1815: 1811: 1808: 1807: 1806: 1803: 1785: 1784: 1782: 1781: 1780: 1779:52.5255; -2.2138 1775: 1771: 1768: 1767: 1766: 1763: 1750:Confluence with 1745: 1744: 1742: 1741: 1740: 1735: 1731: 1728: 1727: 1726: 1723: 1708: 1707: 1705: 1704: 1703: 1702:52.5727; -2.2197 1698: 1694: 1691: 1690: 1689: 1686: 1671: 1670: 1668: 1667: 1666: 1665:52.5740; -2.1882 1661: 1657: 1654: 1653: 1652: 1649: 1631: 1630: 1628: 1627: 1626: 1625:52.5836; -2.1941 1621: 1617: 1614: 1613: 1612: 1609: 1592: 1591: 1589: 1588: 1587: 1586:52.5967; -2.1620 1582: 1578: 1575: 1574: 1573: 1570: 1555: 1554: 1552: 1551: 1550: 1549:52.6033; -2.1513 1545: 1541: 1538: 1537: 1536: 1533: 1518: 1517: 1515: 1514: 1513: 1512:52.6029; -2.1481 1508: 1504: 1501: 1500: 1499: 1496: 1479: 1478: 1476: 1475: 1474: 1473:52.5973; -2.1182 1469: 1465: 1462: 1461: 1460: 1457: 1442: 1441: 1439: 1438: 1437: 1436:52.5921; -2.1197 1432: 1428: 1425: 1424: 1423: 1420: 1395: 1388: 1385: 1367: 1366: 1360: 1174:, flows through 817:common chaffinch 797:Himalayan balsam 619: 607: 587: 571: 556: 540: 524: 512: 500: 488: 476: 464: 452: 436: 424: 412: 393: 381: 347:were lined with 295:and part of the 258: 245:Finchfield Brook 237: 209: 208: 206: 205: 204: 199: 195: 192: 191: 190: 187: 140: 139: 137: 136: 135: 130: 126: 123: 122: 121: 118: 108: 96: 21: 2096: 2095: 2091: 2090: 2089: 2087: 2086: 2085: 2056: 2055: 2037: 2032: 2031: 2014: 2010: 2003: 1999: 1992: 1988: 1981: 1977: 1970: 1966: 1959: 1955: 1947: 1943: 1936: 1932: 1925: 1921: 1913:W. 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Duignan, 1912: 1908: 1893: 1890:Stourton-Castle 1883: 1879: 1874: 1858: 1856: 1852: 1849: 1844: 1841: 1839: 1837: 1836: 1818: 1816: 1812: 1809: 1804: 1801: 1799: 1797: 1796: 1791:Highgate Common 1778: 1776: 1772: 1769: 1764: 1761: 1759: 1757: 1756: 1738: 1736: 1732: 1729: 1724: 1721: 1719: 1717: 1716: 1701: 1699: 1695: 1692: 1687: 1684: 1682: 1680: 1679: 1664: 1662: 1658: 1655: 1650: 1647: 1645: 1643: 1642: 1624: 1622: 1618: 1615: 1610: 1607: 1605: 1603: 1602: 1598:Wightwick Manor 1585: 1583: 1579: 1576: 1571: 1568: 1566: 1564: 1563: 1548: 1546: 1542: 1539: 1534: 1531: 1529: 1527: 1526: 1511: 1509: 1505: 1502: 1497: 1494: 1492: 1490: 1489: 1472: 1470: 1466: 1463: 1458: 1455: 1453: 1451: 1450: 1435: 1433: 1429: 1426: 1421: 1418: 1416: 1414: 1413: 1404: 1389: 1383: 1380: 1364: 1358: 1357: 1356: 1355: 1354: 1315: 1240:Smestow village 1210: 1159:and flows past 1127: 1082: 1031:family and the 1009: 993: 975:Sherwood Forest 948: 790: 788:Natural history 778: 699:Wightwick Manor 626: 620: 611: 608: 599: 588: 579: 572: 563: 557: 548: 541: 532: 525: 516: 513: 504: 501: 492: 489: 480: 477: 468: 465: 456: 453: 444: 437: 428: 425: 416: 413: 404: 394: 385: 382: 373: 305: 283:, and parts of 256: 241:Graiseley Brook 235: 202: 200: 196: 193: 188: 185: 183: 181: 180: 177: 161: 133: 131: 127: 124: 119: 116: 114: 112: 111: 106: 94: 58:, Staffordshire 17: 12: 11: 5: 2094: 2092: 2084: 2083: 2078: 2073: 2068: 2058: 2057: 2054: 2053: 2048: 2043: 2036: 2035:External links 2033: 2030: 2029: 2008: 1997: 1986: 1975: 1964: 1953: 1941: 1930: 1919: 1906: 1886:River Smestall 1876: 1875: 1873: 1870: 1867: 1866: 1834: 1827: 1826: 1794: 1787: 1786: 1754: 1747: 1746: 1714: 1710: 1709: 1677: 1676:Trescott Ford 1673: 1672: 1640: 1633: 1632: 1600: 1594: 1593: 1561: 1557: 1556: 1524: 1520: 1519: 1487: 1481: 1480: 1448: 1444: 1443: 1411: 1407: 1406: 1399: 1391: 1390: 1370: 1368: 1353: 1352: 1347: 1342: 1337: 1331: 1325: 1318: 1317: 1316: 1314: 1311: 1310: 1309: 1308: 1307: 1302: 1297: 1292: 1287: 1282: 1277: 1262: 1261: 1260: 1259: 1256: 1251: 1246: 1241: 1238: 1233: 1228: 1209: 1206: 1205: 1204: 1193: 1190: 1179: 1164: 1161:Holbeche House 1153: 1142: 1126: 1123: 1081: 1078: 1061:James Brindley 1056:blast furnaces 1008: 1005: 992: 989: 947: 944: 932:clouded yellow 829:lesser redpoll 789: 786: 777: 774: 773: 772: 757: 754: 747: 740: 733: 722: 715: 712: 709: 702: 687: 680: 677:James Brindley 673: 660:It emerges by 658: 651: 648: 641: 628: 627: 621: 614: 612: 609: 602: 600: 589: 582: 580: 573: 566: 564: 558: 551: 549: 542: 535: 533: 526: 519: 517: 514: 507: 505: 502: 495: 493: 490: 483: 481: 478: 471: 469: 466: 459: 457: 454: 447: 445: 438: 431: 429: 426: 419: 417: 414: 407: 405: 395: 388: 386: 383: 376: 372: 369: 309:Middle English 304: 301: 263: 262: 259: 253: 252: 238: 232: 231: 228: 224: 223: 219: 218: 215: 211: 210: 178: 175: 172: 171: 162: 159: 156: 155: 152: 146: 145: 142: 141: 109: 103: 102: 97: 91: 90: 87: 83: 82: 79: 78: 74: 73: 64: 60: 59: 53: 49: 48: 43: 39: 38: 34: 33: 30: 26: 25: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 2093: 2082: 2079: 2077: 2074: 2072: 2069: 2067: 2066:Wolverhampton 2064: 2063: 2061: 2052: 2049: 2047: 2044: 2042: 2039: 2038: 2034: 2026: 2025:90-5410-837-1 2022: 2018: 2012: 2009: 2006: 2001: 1998: 1995: 1990: 1987: 1984: 1979: 1976: 1973: 1968: 1965: 1962: 1957: 1954: 1950: 1945: 1942: 1939: 1934: 1931: 1928: 1923: 1920: 1916: 1910: 1907: 1901: 1897: 1891: 1887: 1881: 1878: 1871: 1863: 1835: 1833: 1829: 1828: 1823: 1795: 1793:Country Park 1792: 1789: 1788: 1783: 1755: 1753: 1749: 1748: 1743: 1715: 1712: 1711: 1706: 1678: 1675: 1674: 1669: 1641: 1638: 1635: 1634: 1629: 1601: 1599: 1596: 1595: 1590: 1562: 1559: 1558: 1553: 1525: 1522: 1521: 1516: 1488: 1486: 1483: 1482: 1477: 1449: 1446: 1445: 1440: 1412: 1409: 1408: 1403: 1400: 1397: 1396: 1387: 1384:February 2011 1378: 1374: 1371:This list is 1369: 1362: 1361: 1351: 1348: 1346: 1343: 1341: 1338: 1336: 1333: 1332: 1330: 1329: 1324: 1323:OpenStreetMap 1321: 1312: 1306: 1303: 1301: 1300:Dunstall Hill 1298: 1296: 1293: 1291: 1288: 1286: 1283: 1281: 1278: 1276: 1273: 1272: 1271: 1270: 1269: 1267: 1266:Wolverhampton 1257: 1255: 1252: 1250: 1247: 1245: 1242: 1239: 1237: 1234: 1232: 1229: 1227: 1224: 1223: 1222: 1221: 1220: 1218: 1213: 1207: 1202: 1198: 1194: 1191: 1188: 1184: 1180: 1177: 1173: 1169: 1165: 1162: 1158: 1154: 1151: 1147: 1143: 1140: 1136: 1132: 1131: 1130: 1124: 1122: 1118: 1116: 1112: 1106: 1104: 1103:Kidderminster 1100: 1094: 1092: 1088: 1079: 1077: 1073: 1071: 1065: 1062: 1057: 1052: 1050: 1049:blast furnace 1046: 1042: 1038: 1034: 1030: 1026: 1022: 1018: 1014: 1006: 1004: 1002: 998: 990: 988: 985: 980: 979:Cannock Chase 976: 972: 968: 963: 961: 957: 953: 945: 943: 941: 937: 933: 929: 926:and, rarely, 925: 921: 917: 913: 909: 908:large skipper 905: 904:small skipper 901: 897: 893: 889: 885: 881: 877: 873: 869: 864: 862: 858: 854: 850: 849:golden plover 846: 842: 838: 834: 830: 826: 822: 818: 814: 809: 802: 798: 794: 787: 785: 783: 775: 770: 766: 762: 758: 755: 752: 748: 745: 741: 738: 734: 731: 727: 723: 720: 716: 713: 710: 707: 703: 700: 696: 692: 688: 685: 681: 678: 674: 671: 667: 663: 659: 656: 655:BCN Main Line 652: 649: 646: 642: 638: 637: 632: 625: 618: 613: 606: 601: 597: 593: 586: 581: 577: 570: 565: 562: 555: 550: 546: 539: 534: 530: 523: 518: 511: 506: 499: 494: 487: 482: 475: 470: 463: 458: 451: 446: 442: 435: 430: 423: 418: 411: 406: 403: 402:Wolverhampton 399: 392: 387: 380: 375: 370: 368: 366: 362: 356: 354: 350: 346: 342: 338: 334: 330: 326: 325:Kinver Forest 322: 318: 314: 310: 302: 300: 298: 294: 290: 289:Black Country 286: 282: 278: 277:Wolverhampton 274: 273:River Smestow 270: 269:Smestow Brook 260: 254: 250: 246: 242: 239: 233: 229: 225: 220: 216: 212: 207: 179: 173: 170: 169:Staffordshire 166: 163: 157: 153: 151: 147: 143: 138: 110: 104: 101: 100:Wolverhampton 98: 92: 88: 84: 80: 75: 72: 68: 67:Wolverhampton 65: 61: 57: 56:West Midlands 54: 50: 47: 44: 40: 35: 31: 27: 22: 19: 2016: 2011: 2000: 1989: 1978: 1967: 1956: 1951:, XX, 212-4. 1948: 1944: 1933: 1922: 1914: 1909: 1895: 1885: 1880: 1381: 1327: 1326: 1319: 1305:Park Village 1263: 1214: 1211: 1146:Kingswinford 1128: 1119: 1107: 1095: 1083: 1080:Water supply 1074: 1066: 1053: 1010: 994: 964: 960:River Severn 952:last Ice Age 949: 924:small copper 912:meadow brown 888:painted lady 865: 863:also hover. 841:common snipe 837:little grebe 810: 806: 779: 776:Navigability 765:River Severn 645:Park Village 439:5. Over the 398:Park Village 365:last Ice Age 357: 320: 317:Smethestalle 316: 312: 306: 297:River Severn 272: 268: 266: 18: 1857: / 1832:River Stour 1817: / 1777: / 1737: / 1700: / 1663: / 1623: / 1584: / 1547: / 1510: / 1471: / 1434: / 1402:Coordinates 1231:Greensforge 1208:Settlements 1168:Penn Common 1125:Tributaries 1087:Springfield 1070:water wheel 1045:Himley Hall 1021:Greensforge 1001:Anglo-Saxon 997:Greensforge 984:Anglo-Saxon 956:River Trent 940:dragonflies 936:damselflies 920:small heath 884:red admiral 872:common blue 861:sparrowhawk 744:Greensforge 592:canal basin 576:Greensforge 329:Wyre Forest 313:Smetheslall 299:catchment. 227:Tributaries 201: / 132: / 2060:Categories 1872:References 1842:52°28′03″N 1802:52°30′29″N 1762:52°31′32″N 1722:52°33′39″N 1685:52°34′22″N 1648:52°34′26″N 1608:52°35′01″N 1569:52°35′48″N 1532:52°36′12″N 1495:52°36′10″N 1456:52°35′50″N 1419:52°35′32″N 1373:incomplete 1285:Tettenhall 1280:Finchfield 1197:Finchfield 1187:Pattingham 1157:Gornalwood 1033:Dud Dudley 900:gatekeeper 876:holly blue 706:Bridgnorth 695:Tettenhall 361:glaciation 349:bloomeries 186:52°28′03″N 117:52°35′31″N 1845:2°12′10″W 1805:2°14′00″W 1765:2°12′50″W 1752:Wom Brook 1725:2°14′17″W 1688:2°13′11″W 1651:2°11′18″W 1611:2°11′39″W 1572:2°09′43″W 1535:2°09′05″W 1498:2°08′53″W 1459:2°07′06″W 1422:2°07′11″W 1295:Aldersley 1275:Wightwick 1244:Wombourne 1201:Graiseley 1176:Wombourne 1025:Wom Brook 928:brimstone 855:like the 825:fieldfare 813:blackbird 730:Wombourne 331:supplied 249:Wom Brook 189:2°12′10″W 165:Prestwood 120:2°07′14″W 29:Etymology 1313:Features 1258:Trescott 1017:Trescott 1007:Industry 971:Triassic 670:aqueduct 337:smelting 333:charcoal 321:Smestall 63:District 52:Counties 37:Location 1290:Compton 1254:Seisdon 1249:Trysull 1236:Swindon 1226:Ashwood 1172:Sedgley 1150:Ashwood 1135:Enville 1115:Bilston 1099:aquifer 1041:Swindon 946:Geology 880:peacock 868:ringlet 857:buzzard 853:Raptors 845:lapwing 821:redwing 801:willows 751:Ashwood 737:Swindon 726:Trysull 719:Seisdon 691:Compton 561:Swindon 559:14. At 545:Trysull 543:13. At 529:Seisdon 363:in the 46:England 42:Country 2023:  1398:Point 1183:Perton 1139:Severn 1111:Bratch 1013:forges 967:Bunter 833:siskin 668:by an 657:canal. 371:Course 353:forges 311:forms 285:Dudley 230:  214:Length 154:  89:  86:Source 1029:Foley 896:comma 761:Stour 624:Stour 345:Stour 150:Mouth 2021:ISBN 1199:and 1195:The 1185:and 1170:and 958:and 938:and 930:and 922:and 859:and 847:and 815:and 693:and 578:Mill 574:15. 351:and 335:for 327:and 315:and 267:The 1900:710 1892:" ( 1379:. 1335:KML 1264:In 1215:In 767:at 594:at 2062:: 1904:). 1268:: 1093:. 1051:. 942:. 918:, 914:, 910:, 906:, 902:, 898:, 894:, 890:, 886:, 882:, 878:, 874:, 870:, 851:. 843:, 839:, 835:, 831:, 827:, 823:, 400:, 367:. 279:, 247:, 243:, 167:, 69:, 2027:. 1902:. 1386:) 1382:( 701:.

Index

England
West Midlands
Wolverhampton
South Staffordshire
Wolverhampton
52°35′31″N 2°07′14″W / 52.59191°N 2.1206188°W / 52.59191; -2.1206188
Mouth
Prestwood
Staffordshire
52°28′03″N 2°12′10″W / 52.4675047°N 2.2027346°W / 52.4675047; -2.2027346
Graiseley Brook
Finchfield Brook
Wom Brook
Wolverhampton
South Staffordshire
Dudley
Black Country
River Stour, Worcestershire
River Severn
Middle English
Kinver Forest
Wyre Forest
charcoal
smelting
Industrial Revolution
Stour
bloomeries
forges
glaciation
last Ice Age

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