Rhyne
Encyclopedia
A rhyne rhine/rhyne (Gloucestershire
), or reen (South Wales
) (all pronounced ˈ "reen"; from Welsh
rhewyn or rhewin "ditch") is a drainage
ditch, or canal, used to turn areas of wetland
at around sea level
into useful pasture
.
Water levels (and hence the level of the water table
) will usually be controlled by a system of sluice
gates and pumps, allowing the land to become wetter at times of the year when this will improve grass growth. Rhynes represent an early method of swamp or marsh drainage. Large sections of swampland were completely surrounded by trenches deep enough to drain the water from the encircled mound and leave the land relatively dry. Regular clearing and dredging is necessary to keep the rhynes clear of debris so that they flow freely.
Rhynes have been used extensively in the United Kingdom
, especially on marshy coastal areas such as the Somerset Levels
, and the North Somerset Levels
. Other examples in England still exist in the Framilode
and Saul
area of Gloucestershire, where they drain into either the River Severn
or Sharpness Canal, and around Easter Compton
, South Gloucestershire
. In South East Wales, they can be found on the Caldicot and Wentloog Levels
. Many of them are still in use today. A large number of rhynes in England and Wales are maintained as part of the water level management operations of internal drainage board
s. The rhynes near Wembdon
village have some early references, including Fichet's rhyne in 1579 and the Great or Wildmarsh rhyne in 1705.
Some sources claim that rhyne is derived from the Irish word rathin, a diminutive of rath —a circular mound or entrenchment.
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
), or reen (South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
) (all pronounced ˈ "reen"; from Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
rhewyn or rhewin "ditch") is a drainage
Drainage
Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of surface and sub-surface water from an area. Many agricultural soils need drainage to improve production or to manage water supplies.-Early history:...
ditch, or canal, used to turn areas of wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
at around sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
into useful pasture
Pasture
Pasture is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep or swine. The vegetation of tended pasture, forage, consists mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs...
.
Water levels (and hence the level of the water table
Water table
The water table is the level at which the submarine pressure is far from atmospheric pressure. It may be conveniently visualized as the 'surface' of the subsurface materials that are saturated with groundwater in a given vicinity. However, saturated conditions may extend above the water table as...
) will usually be controlled by a system of sluice
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
gates and pumps, allowing the land to become wetter at times of the year when this will improve grass growth. Rhynes represent an early method of swamp or marsh drainage. Large sections of swampland were completely surrounded by trenches deep enough to drain the water from the encircled mound and leave the land relatively dry. Regular clearing and dredging is necessary to keep the rhynes clear of debris so that they flow freely.
Rhynes have been used extensively in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, especially on marshy coastal areas such as the Somerset Levels
Somerset Levels
The Somerset Levels, or the Somerset Levels and Moors as they are less commonly but more correctly known, is a sparsely populated coastal plain and wetland area of central Somerset, South West England, between the Quantock and Mendip Hills...
, and the North Somerset Levels
North Somerset Levels
The North Somerset Levels is a coastal plain, an expanse of low-lying flat ground, which occupies an area between Weston-super-Mare and Bristol in North Somerset, England...
. Other examples in England still exist in the Framilode
Framilode
Framilode is a village on the banks of the River Severn in Gloucestershire, England. It consists of two settlements, Lower Framilode and Upper Framilode...
and Saul
Saul, Gloucestershire
Saul is a village in Gloucestershire, England at the site of the junction of the Stroudwater Navigation and the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. It is in the parish of Fretherne with Saul in the district of Stroud....
area of Gloucestershire, where they drain into either the River Severn
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
or Sharpness Canal, and around Easter Compton
Easter Compton
Easter Compton is a village in the civil parish of Almondsbury, South Gloucestershire, England. It is situated at the bottom of a hill near Junction 17 of the M5 Motorway on the B4055....
, South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire is a unitary district in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, in South West England.-History:The district was created in 1996, when the county of Avon was abolished, by the merger of former area of the districts of Kingswood and Northavon...
. In South East Wales, they can be found on the Caldicot and Wentloog Levels
Caldicot and Wentloog Levels
The Caldicot and Wentloog Levels are two areas of low-lying estuarine alluvial wetland and intertidal mudflats adjoining the north bank of the Severn estuary, either side of the River Usk estuary near Newport in south east Wales...
. Many of them are still in use today. A large number of rhynes in England and Wales are maintained as part of the water level management operations of internal drainage board
Internal Drainage Board
An internal drainage board is a type of operating authority which is established in areas of special drainage need in England and Wales with permissive powers to undertake work to secure clean water drainage and water level management within drainage districts...
s. The rhynes near Wembdon
Wembdon
Wembdon is a rural village near Bridgwater, in Somerset, England.Wembdon is now home to an Anglican church, a small shop , a pub, a small garage and a fruit juice processing and packaging plant.-History:...
village have some early references, including Fichet's rhyne in 1579 and the Great or Wildmarsh rhyne in 1705.
Some sources claim that rhyne is derived from the Irish word rathin, a diminutive of rath —a circular mound or entrenchment.