River Browney
Encyclopedia
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and the largest tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the River Wear
River Wear
The River Wear is located in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards, mostly through County Durham, to the North Sea at Sunderland.-Geology and history:...
.
According to Durham County Council Internet GIS, the River Browney rises from a spring in Park Head Plantation, on the eastern slope of Skaylock Hill, roughly a mile south east of Waskerley
Waskerley
Waskerley is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated a few miles to the southwest of Consett.-External links:...
. The spring rises no more than 500 metres from a tributary stream to the River Wear
River Wear
The River Wear is located in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards, mostly through County Durham, to the North Sea at Sunderland.-Geology and history:...
, in an area of moorland, forestry and springs, and of disused coal mines, quarries and mineral railway lines, remnants of an industrial past. Running eastwards towards Lanchester
Lanchester
Lanchester may refer to:Places*Lanchester, County Durham, village in England*Lanchester Polytechnic, former name of Coventry UniversityPeople*Elsa Lanchester , Oscar-nominated English character actress*Frederick W...
, the river skirts to the south of the village. Continuing eastwards past Langley Park
Langley Park, County Durham
Langley Park is a village in County Durham, England. The historic city of Durham lies to the east whilst the larger city of Newcastle upon Tyne is to the north....
and Witton Gilbert
Witton Gilbert
Witton Gilbert is a village and civil parish in County Durham, England. It is situated to the north-west of Durham.The village once had a railway station on the...
, the river then turns south and skirts the western edge of Durham. The Browney is joined by the River Deerness north of Langley Moor
Langley Moor
Langley Moor is a former mining village in County Durham, in England. It is between Brandon, Meadowfield and the Neville's Cross area of Durham....
and finally joins the Wear to the south of Durham, close to Sunderland Bridge. Until the last Ice Age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
, the Browney entered the River Wear
River Wear
The River Wear is located in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards, mostly through County Durham, to the North Sea at Sunderland.-Geology and history:...
just north of Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
City, in Pelaw Woods.
The Browney became contaminated by local industry, particularly lead and coal mining, but has recovered in recent years. The river was stocked with around 3000 grayling
Grayling (species)
The grayling is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It is the type species of its genus. Native to the Palearctic ecozone, the grayling is widespread throughout northern Europe, from the United Kingdom and France to the Ural Mountains in Russia...
in September 2006.
Legend has it that following his defeat at Neville's Cross
Battle of Neville's Cross
The Battle of Neville's Cross took place to the west of Durham, England on 17 October 1346.-Background:In 1346, England was embroiled in the Hundred Years' War with France. In order to divert his enemy Philip VI of France appealed to David II of Scotland to attack the English from the north in...
in 1346, King David II of Scotland
David II of Scotland
David II was King of Scots from 7 June 1329 until his death.-Early life:...
was captured having sought shelter under a bridge over the Browney at Bearpark
Bearpark
Bearpark is a village and civil parish in County Durham in England. It is situated two and a half miles west of Durham, and a short distance to the north of Ushaw Moor....
, close by where his Scottish soldiers had camped overnight beneath Beaurepaire Priory
Bearpark
Bearpark is a village and civil parish in County Durham in England. It is situated two and a half miles west of Durham, and a short distance to the north of Ushaw Moor....
.