River Leadon
Encyclopedia
The River Leadon is a river in Herefordshire
and Gloucestershire
, England, a tributary of the River Severn
. It rises just south of the village of Acton Beauchamp
, and flows south past Bosbury
to the town of Ledbury
, which takes its name from the river. It then flows south and east past Dymock
, Upleadon
and Highleadon to join the Severn at Over
, just west of Gloucester
.
The name is of Celtic
origin, and means "broad stream".
In the middle ages the Leadon flowed in two branches for the last two miles. The main stream, known as the New Leadon, flowed south of Over to join the river south of Over Bridge
. The river was prone to flooding, and to alleviate the problem the river was diverted in 1867 to flow along the branch previously known as the Old Leadon, and now the only course of the river, flowing into the Severn north of Over.
The Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal
was built through the valley of the Leadon in 1795, converted into the Ledbury and Gloucester Railway
in the 1880s.
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county 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 Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
and Gloucestershire
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....
, England, a tributary of 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...
. It rises just south of the village of Acton Beauchamp
Acton Beauchamp
Acton Beauchamp is a village in the English county of Herefordshire.- History and amenities :The village church is dedicated to St. Giles and is built in Norman style, partly rebuilt in 1819 but also having an extremely rare Anglo Saxon carved stone door lintel reused in the wall of the Norman...
, and flows south past Bosbury
Bosbury
Bosbury is a village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England. It is about north of Ledbury. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 780....
to the town of Ledbury
Ledbury
Ledbury is a town in Herefordshire, England, lying east of Hereford, and south of the Malvern Hills.Today, Ledbury is a thriving market town in rural England. The town has a large number of timber framed buildings, in particular along Church Lane and High Street. One of Ledbury's most outstanding...
, which takes its name from the river. It then flows south and east past Dymock
Dymock
Dymock is a small village in the Forest of Dean district of Gloucestershire, England about four miles south of Ledbury, with a population of approx. 300 people....
, Upleadon
Upleadon
Upleadon is a village in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England. It is near the villages of Corse, Gloucestershire and Hartpury. There is a church, dedicated to St Mary the Virgin....
and Highleadon to join the Severn at Over
Over, Gloucestershire
Over is a village in the civil parish of Almondsbury in South Gloucestershire, England, situated about 20 km north-west of Bristol. It lies on the B4055, a road that parallels the M5 from Junction 17 to 16. The road, known locally as Over Lane, follows the foot of the escarpment which...
, just west of Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
.
The name is of Celtic
Celtic languages
The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family...
origin, and means "broad stream".
In the middle ages the Leadon flowed in two branches for the last two miles. The main stream, known as the New Leadon, flowed south of Over to join the river south of Over Bridge
Over Bridge
Over Bridge is a single span stone arch bridge spanning the canalised West Channel of the River Severn near Gloucester. It links Over to Alney Island....
. The river was prone to flooding, and to alleviate the problem the river was diverted in 1867 to flow along the branch previously known as the Old Leadon, and now the only course of the river, flowing into the Severn north of Over.
The Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal
Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal
The Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal is a canal in the west of England, which ran from Hereford, the county town of Herefordshire to Gloucester the county town of Gloucestershire, where it linked to the River Severn...
was built through the valley of the Leadon in 1795, converted into the Ledbury and Gloucester Railway
Ledbury and Gloucester Railway
The Ledbury and Gloucester Railway , was a railway line in Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, England, running between Ledbury and Gloucester. It opened in 1885 and closed in 1964.-History:...
in the 1880s.