River Roch
Encyclopedia
The River Roch is a river
in Greater Manchester
in North West England
, a tributary of the River Irwell
that gives Rochdale
its name.
in the Pennines
), the river flows south through Littleborough towards Rochdale
where it is joined by the River Beal
at Belfield
, and the River Spodden
from Whitworth
. Turning west it runs past Heywood
and Bury
before meeting the River Irwell
just to the east of Radcliffe
.
records the name of Rochdale
as Recedham, formed from Old English reced "hall", and ham "homestead". The name of the river is a back-formation
from this Old English name. With time, the town's name changed to Rachedale and eventually Rochdale. The name of the river Roch is ˈ, with a long o. The name of the town, however, is pronounced /ˈrɒtʃdeɪl/, with a short o.
The river has been culvert
ed in Rochdale
town centre since the early 20th century. This was built by the joining together of seven bridges to form one large bridge, making it one of the widest bridges in the world. Maintenance work was carried out on the bridge in the 1990s and the river was uncovered temporarily.
, the tributaries include the following: -
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 Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
in North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
, a tributary of the River Irwell
River Irwell
The River Irwell is a long river which flows through the Irwell Valley in the counties of Lancashire and Greater Manchester in North West England. The river's source is at Irwell Springs on Deerplay Moor, approximately north of Bacup, in the parish of Cliviger, Lancashire...
that gives Rochdale
Rochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
its name.
Course
Rising on Chelburn Moor (south of TodmordenTodmorden
Todmorden is a market town and civil parish, located 17 miles from Manchester, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the Upper Calder Valley and has a total population of 14,941....
in the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
), the river flows south through Littleborough towards Rochdale
Rochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
where it is joined by the River Beal
River Beal
The Beal is a small river in Greater Manchester, England, and is a tributary of the River Roch. It rises in the Beal Valley in green space between Sholver and Royton, before continuing northwards through, Shaw and Crompton, Newhey, Milnrow and Belfield....
at Belfield
Belfield, Greater Manchester
Belfield is a locality within Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies at the confluence of the River Beal and River Roch, east-northeast of Rochdale's town centre...
, and the River Spodden
River Spodden
The River Spodden is a watercourse in North West England. It rises in the Lancashire Pennine hills above Whitworth and proceeds south through Healey Dell and on to Rochdale, Greater Manchester, where the river merges with the River Roch...
from Whitworth
Whitworth, Lancashire
Whitworth is a town and civil parish within the Borough of Rossendale in Lancashire, England. It is set amongst the foothills of the Pennines, between the towns of Bacup, to the north, and Rochdale, to the south. It has a population of 7,263....
. Turning west it runs past Heywood
Heywood, Greater Manchester
Heywood is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the south bank of the River Roch and is east of Bury, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north of the city of Manchester. The town of Middleton lies to the south, whilst to the north is the...
and Bury
Bury
Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
before meeting the River Irwell
River Irwell
The River Irwell is a long river which flows through the Irwell Valley in the counties of Lancashire and Greater Manchester in North West England. The river's source is at Irwell Springs on Deerplay Moor, approximately north of Bacup, in the parish of Cliviger, Lancashire...
just to the east of Radcliffe
Radcliffe, Greater Manchester
Radcliffe is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on undulating ground in the Irwell Valley, along the course of the River Irwell, south-west of Bury and north-northwest of Manchester. Radcliffe is contiguous with the town of Whitefield to the...
.
History
The Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
records the name of Rochdale
Rochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
as Recedham, formed from Old English reced "hall", and ham "homestead". The name of the river is a back-formation
Back-formation
In etymology, back-formation is the process of creating a new lexeme, usually by removing actual or supposed affixes. The resulting neologism is called a back-formation, a term coined by James Murray in 1889...
from this Old English name. With time, the town's name changed to Rachedale and eventually Rochdale. The name of the river Roch is ˈ, with a long o. The name of the town, however, is pronounced /ˈrɒtʃdeɪl/, with a short o.
The river has been culvert
Culvert
A culvert is a device used to channel water. It may be used to allow water to pass underneath a road, railway, or embankment. Culverts can be made of many different materials; steel, polyvinyl chloride and concrete are the most common...
ed in Rochdale
Rochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
town centre since the early 20th century. This was built by the joining together of seven bridges to form one large bridge, making it one of the widest bridges in the world. Maintenance work was carried out on the bridge in the 1990s and the river was uncovered temporarily.
Tributaries
Moving upstream from the Irwell confluenceConfluence
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...
, the tributaries include the following: -
- Parr BrookParr BrookParr Brook is a watercourse in Greater Manchester and a tributary of the River Roch....
- Hollins BrookHollins BrookHollins Brook is a watercourse in Greater Manchester and a tributary of the River Roch.-Tributaries:*Brightley Brook*Whittle Brook**Black/Castle Brook**Langley Brook...
- Gipsy Brook
- Tack Lee BrookTack Lee BrookTack Lee Brook is a watercourse in Greater Manchester and a tributary of the River Roch.-Tributaries:Birtle Brook...
- Wrigley BrookWrigley BrookWrigley Brook is a culverted watercourse in Greater Manchester which flows through Heywood and is a tributary of the River Roch. Originating in the Hareshill area to the South of Heywood, it flows northwards and joins the River Roch at Bottom O' th' Brow....
- Naden BrookNaden BrookNaden Brook is a watercourse in north west England. It rises in the hills above Norden, near the boundary of Lancashire and Greater Manchester...
- Plumpton Wood Brook
- Millers BrookMillers BrookMillers Brook is a wartercourse in Greater Manchester and tributary of the River Roch which flows through Queens Park in Heywood.-Tributaries:* Roeacre Brook...
- Primrose Hill Brook
- Sudden BrookSudden BrookSudden Brook is a watercourse in Greater Manchester and a tributary of the River Roch. It originates in to the north of Royton, Oldham and flows Northwards through Kirkholt and Sandbrook Park to join the River Roch at Sudden.-References:...
- River SpoddenRiver SpoddenThe River Spodden is a watercourse in North West England. It rises in the Lancashire Pennine hills above Whitworth and proceeds south through Healey Dell and on to Rochdale, Greater Manchester, where the river merges with the River Roch...
- Moss BrookMoss BrookMoss Brook is a watercourse in Rochdale, Greater Manchester and a tributary of the River Roch. It originates in Newbold, and flows Northwards to join the River Roch. The majority of the brook is now culverted....
- Hey BrookHey BrookHey Brook is a watercourse in Rochdale, Greater Manchester and a tributary of the River Roch. It originates at the confluence of Buckley Brook and Syke Brook, and flows through Wardleworth to the River Roch.-Tributaries:*Syke Brook*Buckley Brook...
- Stanney BrookStanney BrookStanney Brook is a watercourse in Greater Manchester, England. It originates in the Burnage area of Shaw and Crompton, and flows through Milnrow into Rochdale before joining the River Roch at Newbold Brow....
- River BealRiver BealThe Beal is a small river in Greater Manchester, England, and is a tributary of the River Roch. It rises in the Beal Valley in green space between Sholver and Royton, before continuing northwards through, Shaw and Crompton, Newhey, Milnrow and Belfield....
- Ash BrookAsh BrookAsh Brook is a watercourse in Greater Manchester and a tributary of the River Roch.-Tributaries:*Wardle Brook...
- Clegg Hall Brook
- Wuerdle Brook
- Stubley Brook
- Featherstall BrookFeatherstall BrookFeatherstall Brook is a watercourse in Greater Manchester and a tributary of the River Roch.-Tributaries:*Middle Wood Brook**Hills Brook...
- Ealees BrookEalees BrookEalees Brook is a water course in Greater Manchester named after the Ealees area of Littleborough. It flows northwards from the Ealees Valley to the River Roch in Littleborough.-Tributaries:*Shore Lane Brook*Hollingworth Brook**Brearley Brook...
- Town House BrookTown House BrookTown House Brook is a watercourse in Greater Manchester and a tributary of the River Roch.-Tributaries:*Long Clough Brook**Turn Slack Brook**Blue Pot Brook*Stony Brook...
- Greenvale BrookGreenvale BrookGreenvale Brook is a watercourse in Greater Manchester and a tributary of the River Roch.-Tributaries:*Lydgate Brook*Castle Brook*Red Brook*Lead Mine Brook...
- Chelburn Brook(Assumed name of watercourse from Chelburn Reservoirs)