Whitelake River
Encyclopedia
The Whitelake River is a small river on the Somerset Levels
, England.
The river rises between two low limestone
ridges, part of the southern edge of the Mendip Hills
. The confluence
of the two small streams that make the Whitelake River is on Worthy Farm which is the site of the Glastonbury Festival
between the small villages of Pilton
and Pylle
. It flows west for approximately 10 knots (5.4 m) until it joins the River Brue
at Westhay
.
In the 1st millennium BC the land close to the confluence of the Whitelake River River Brue was the site of the Meare Pool
which was located on low-lying levels just north of Meare
. Its precise boundaries varied according to season, and, over the longer term, as efforts were made to drain the area. In early times the Meare Pool collected the waters of the rivers Brue
and Sheppey
, and discharged in a northerly direction into the Lower River Axe. In the later years of the 12th century the Abbey diverted the Brue to flow westwards, perhaps largely through natural channels, from Meare Pool to join the river Parrett. Further reclamation was carried out in stages between about 1620 and 1740, with the "new Cutts" (or Decoy Rhyne) being built about 1660. The rivers Sheppey
and Hartlake were canalised into the River James Wear and Division Rhyne sometime in the late 1730s.
During 2010 Michael Eavis
received a donation from British Waterways
of timber from the old gates at Caen Hill Locks
in Wiltshire
. This was used to construct a new bridge over the Whitelake River which was dedicated to the memory of Arabella Churchill
.
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...
, England.
The river rises between two low limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
ridges, part of the southern edge of the Mendip Hills
Mendip Hills
The Mendip Hills is a range of limestone hills to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset, England. Running east to west between Weston-super-Mare and Frome, the hills overlook the Somerset Levels to the south and the Avon Valley to the north...
. The confluence
Confluence (geography)
In geography, a confluence is the meeting of two or more bodies of water. It usually refers to the point where two streams flow together, merging into a single stream...
of the two small streams that make the Whitelake River is on Worthy Farm which is the site of the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
between the small villages of Pilton
Pilton, Somerset
Pilton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the A361 road in the Mendip district, 3 miles south-west of Shepton Mallet and 6 miles east of Glastonbury. The village has a population of 935...
and Pylle
Pylle
Pylle is a village and civil parish south west of Shepton Mallet, and from Wells, in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. It has a population of 176...
. It flows west for approximately 10 knots (5.4 m) until it joins the River Brue
River Brue
The River Brue originates in the parish of Brewham in Somerset, England, and reaches the sea some 50 km west at Burnham-on-Sea. It originally took a different route from Glastonbury to the sea, but this was changed by the monastery in the twelfth century....
at Westhay
Westhay
Westhay is a village in Somerset, England. It is situated in the parish of Meare, north west of Glastonbury on the Somerset Levels, in the Mendip district.The name means 'The west field that is enclosed by hedges' from the Old English west and haga...
.
In the 1st millennium BC the land close to the confluence of the Whitelake River River Brue was the site of the Meare Pool
Meare Pool
Meare Pool was a lake in the Somerset Levels in South West England....
which was located on low-lying levels just north of Meare
Meare
Meare is a village and civil parish north west of Glastonbury on the Somerset Levels, in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the village of Westhay.-History:...
. Its precise boundaries varied according to season, and, over the longer term, as efforts were made to drain the area. In early times the Meare Pool collected the waters of the rivers Brue
River Brue
The River Brue originates in the parish of Brewham in Somerset, England, and reaches the sea some 50 km west at Burnham-on-Sea. It originally took a different route from Glastonbury to the sea, but this was changed by the monastery in the twelfth century....
and Sheppey
River Sheppey
The River Sheppey has its source in a group of springs west of the village of Doulting, near Shepton Mallet in Somerset, England. It flows through the wetlands to the north of the Polden Hills and ultimately joins the River Brue.- Route :...
, and discharged in a northerly direction into the Lower River Axe. In the later years of the 12th century the Abbey diverted the Brue to flow westwards, perhaps largely through natural channels, from Meare Pool to join the river Parrett. Further reclamation was carried out in stages between about 1620 and 1740, with the "new Cutts" (or Decoy Rhyne) being built about 1660. The rivers Sheppey
River Sheppey
The River Sheppey has its source in a group of springs west of the village of Doulting, near Shepton Mallet in Somerset, England. It flows through the wetlands to the north of the Polden Hills and ultimately joins the River Brue.- Route :...
and Hartlake were canalised into the River James Wear and Division Rhyne sometime in the late 1730s.
During 2010 Michael Eavis
Michael Eavis
Athelstan Joseph Michael Eavis, CBE , is an English dairy farmer and the founder of the Glastonbury Festival, which takes place on his farm.-Personal life:...
received a donation from British Waterways
British Waterways
British Waterways is a statutory corporation wholly owned by the government of the United Kingdom, serving as the navigation authority in England, Scotland and Wales for the vast majority of the canals as well as a number of rivers and docks...
of timber from the old gates at Caen Hill Locks
Caen Hill Locks
Caen Hill Locks are a flight of locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal, between Rowde and Devizes in Wiltshire England.The 29 locks have a rise of 237 feet in 2 miles or a 1 in 44 gradient. The locks come in three groups. The lower seven locks, Foxhangers Wharf Lock to Foxhangers Bridge Lock, are...
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. This was used to construct a new bridge over the Whitelake River which was dedicated to the memory of Arabella Churchill
Arabella Churchill (charity founder)
Arabella Spencer-Churchill was an English charity founder, festival co-founder, and fundraiser.In 1971, Churchill played a major role in the development of the Glastonbury Festival. In 1979, she set up the Children's Area of the Festival and also the Theatre Area. Until her death, she ran the...
.