The Millhead Stream is a minor tributary of the River Lea. The stream flows north to south across the Waltham Abbey flood plain and through the site of the former Royal Gunpowder Mills

Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills

The Royal Gunpowder Mills, Waltham Abbey, an Anchor Point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage, , set in of parkland and containing 21 buildings of major historical importance, mixes history, science, and attractive surroundings...

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History

The stream is an engineered watercourse which is part of an intricate five mile canal system within the Gunpowder Mills establishment and is fed by water from the River Lea. It provided the main power source for water driven mills

Watermill

A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...

 in the area before the first gunpowder

Gunpowder

Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...

 mills were recorded in 1662. The stream was also used for the smooth and safe delivery of raw materials and collection of gunpowder.

Due to its location the stream remained largely unseen for over 300 hundred years until the site was opened to the general public in 2001.

Course

The stream leaves the Cornmill Stream

Cornmill Stream

The Cornmill Stream is a minor tributary of the River Lea in the English county of Essex.- History :The stream is an artificial watercourse which may have been built by 1086 to serve the mills mentioned in the Domesday Book at Waltham Abbey...

 to flow through the Waltham Abbey Site of Special Scientific Interest

Waltham Abbey SSSI

The Waltham Abbey SSSI is a Site of Special Scientific Interest which is located within the Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills at Waltham Abbey Essex. - History :...

 within the Royal Gunpowder Mills site, before flowing through late 20th century housing developments. After passing under the B194 road at Highbridge Street the stream merges with the River Lea to flow under the A121 road to join the River Lee Flood Relief Channel

River Lee Flood Relief Channel

The River Lee Flood Relief Channel is located in the Lea Valley and flows between Ware, Hertfordshire and Stratford, east London. Work started on the channel in 1947 following major flooding and was fully operational by 1976...

 below the town of Waltham Abbey.

Public access

The stream can be seen at Beaulieu Drive close to the entrance of the Gunpowder Mills site. Within the site, where the stream passes through the SSSI access is restricted and can be visited by land train only.