River Arrow (Worcestershire)
Encyclopedia
The River Arrow rises on Beacon Hill in the Lickey Hills Country Park
in the Lickey Hills
in the north of Worcestershire
, England, and heads generally south eastwards to become a major tributary of the River Avon
. The river flows through Cofton Hackett
, Bittell (where it feeds Lower Bittell Reservoir
) and Alvechurch
before becoming the core of the Arrow Valley Country Park
in Redditch
. At the eastern boundary of Redditch
the river enters Warwickshire
and flows through the river meadows at Studley
, and then on through Spernall
to the back of Coughton Court
, a National Trust
property, where it crosses a minor road as a ford.
The Arrow then flows through the small market town of Alcester
and is joined by the River Alne
. The river continues south through the village of Arrow
with the stately home of Ragley Hall
, the seat of the Marquess of Hertford
and then through the small villages of Wixford
and Broom. The river has its confluence
with the River Avon
at Marriage Hill, near Salford Priors, close to the boundary of Warwickshire
and Worcestershire.
In 1998 the river flooded for the first time since 1956 spilling over its defences and flooding a large part of Alcester.
The river burst its banks again during the night of 20/21 July 2007 flooding about 112 homes in Alcester. It breached the defences by Gunnings Bridge in Alcester and a large torrent of water flowed through the town and made a lake at the bottom of the High Street and Stratford Road.
Lickey Hills Country Park
Lickey Hills Country Park is a country park in England. It is 10.3 miles south west of Birmingham and 24 miles north east of Worcester. The 524 acre park is situated just south of Rednal and close to Barnt Green. It is half a mile east of Cofton Hackett...
in the Lickey Hills
Lickey Hills
The Lickey Hills are a range of hills in Worcestershire, England, eleven miles to the south-west of the centre of Birmingham near the villages of Lickey and Barnt Green...
in the north of Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, England, and heads generally south eastwards to become a major tributary of the River Avon
River Avon, Warwickshire
The River Avon or Avon is a river in or adjoining the counties of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire in the Midlands of England...
. The river flows through Cofton Hackett
Cofton Hackett
Cofton Hackett is a village and civil parish in the Bromsgrove District of north east Worcestershire, England. It is situated 10.3 miles south west of the city centre of Birmingham and 24 miles north east of Worcester...
, Bittell (where it feeds Lower Bittell Reservoir
Bittell Reservoirs
The Bittell Reservoirs are located in Worcestershire between Barnt Green to the south and the Birmingham district of Longbridge to the north. They consist of the Upper and Lower reservoir. They were built to feed the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, which was finished in the 1790s, however, the...
) and Alvechurch
Alvechurch
Alvechurch is a large village and civil parish of Bromsgrove district, in the northeast of the county of Worcestershire, England. Lying in the valley of the River Arrow, the nearest city is Birmingham, 17 km / 11 miles to the north, with the closest towns being Redditch, 8 km / 5 miles...
before becoming the core of the Arrow Valley Country Park
Arrow Valley Country Park
Arrow Valley Country Park is a country park on the River Arrow, at Redditch, Worcestershire, England....
in Redditch
Redditch
Redditch is a town and local government district in north-east Worcestershire, England, approximately south of Birmingham. The district had a population of 79,216 in 2005. In the 19th century it became the international centre for the needle and fishing tackle industry...
. At the eastern boundary of Redditch
Redditch
Redditch is a town and local government district in north-east Worcestershire, England, approximately south of Birmingham. The district had a population of 79,216 in 2005. In the 19th century it became the international centre for the needle and fishing tackle industry...
the river enters Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
and flows through the river meadows at Studley
Studley
Studley is a large village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. Situated on the western edge of Warwickshire near the border with Worcestershire it is southeast of Redditch and northwest of Stratford. The Roman road of Ryknild Street, now the A435, passes...
, and then on through Spernall
Spernall
Spernall is a remote village north of Alcester in the Parish of Oldberrow, Morton Bagot, and Spernall, in the Stratford on Avon District of Warwickshire, England. In 2001 it had a population of 153. It is situated on the banks of the small River Arrow, the name meaning Spera's border . Early forms...
to the back of Coughton Court
Coughton Court
Coughton Court is an English Tudor country house, situated on the main road between Studley and Alcester in Warwickshire. It is a Grade I listed building....
, a National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
property, where it crosses a minor road as a ford.
The Arrow then flows through the small market town of Alcester
Alcester
Alcester is an old market town of Roman origin at the junction of the River Alne and River Arrow in Warwickshire, England. It is situated approximately west of Stratford-upon-Avon, and 8 miles south of Redditch, close to the Worcestershire border...
and is joined by the River Alne
River Alne
The River Alne is a tributary of the Warwickshire Avon and has its headwaters to the north of Wootton Wawen. The River Alne flows generally southwards before joining with the River Arrow at Alcester, which itself joins the River Avon near Salford Priors....
. The river continues south through the village of Arrow
Arrow, Warwickshire
Arrow is a village in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. Together with the entirely rural parish of Weethley, it forms the combined civil parish of Arrow with Weethley...
with the stately home of Ragley Hall
Ragley Hall
Ragley Hall is located south of Alcester, Warwickshire, eight miles west of Stratford-upon-Avon. It is the ancestral seat of the Marquess of Hertford and is one of the stately homes of England.-The present day:...
, the seat of the Marquess of Hertford
Marquess of Hertford
The titles of Earl of Hertford and Marquess of Hertford have been created several times in the peerages of England and Great Britain.The third Earldom of Hertford was created in 1559 for Edward Seymour, who was simultaneously created Baron Beauchamp of Hache...
and then through the small villages of Wixford
Wixford
Wixford is a hamlet and civil parish in the Stratford district of Warwickshire, England, situated south of Alcester. The name derives from a compound of the Old English personal name Whitlac with the noun for a river crossing "ford"...
and Broom. The river has its confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
with the River Avon
River Avon, Warwickshire
The River Avon or Avon is a river in or adjoining the counties of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire in the Midlands of England...
at Marriage Hill, near Salford Priors, close to the boundary of Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
and Worcestershire.
In 1998 the river flooded for the first time since 1956 spilling over its defences and flooding a large part of Alcester.
The river burst its banks again during the night of 20/21 July 2007 flooding about 112 homes in Alcester. It breached the defences by Gunnings Bridge in Alcester and a large torrent of water flowed through the town and made a lake at the bottom of the High Street and Stratford Road.
See also
- River Arrow, Wales
- River Arrow Nature ReserveRiver Arrow Nature ReserveRiver Arrow Local Nature Reserve is located alongside the River Arrow in Alcester, Warwickshire, England. The reserve was set up by Stratford District Council and English Nature to benefit the Alcester community...
- Rivers of the United Kingdom