Mutton Brook
Encyclopedia
Mutton Brook is a stream which runs between East Finchley
and Hendon
in the London Borough of Barnet
. It is a tributary of the River Brent
, which is itself a tributary of the River Thames
.
The Brook rises in Cherry Tree Wood
and flows underground to emerge at the back of Belvedere Court, Lyttleton Road. It then passes under Lyttleton Road and flows along the south side of the road and Falloden Way through Lyttleton Playing Fields, Fletchers Gardens and Northway Gardens. Near Brookland Rise, it crosses briefly to the north side of Falloden Way before crossing back to Brookside Walk. It passes under Finchley Road at Henlys Corner and then under the North Circular Road to meet Dollis Brook
close to Bridge Lane. The two brooks then become the River Brent.
The brook is confined in a concrete or wood channel along the whole of its length, and the water quality is often poor. However, from Lyttleton Playing Fields to the junction with Dollis Brook its route is almost all through local parks. The downstream section is lined by oak, ash and willow
trees, providing a good habitat for birds, and it is a Local Nature Reserve
.
Until 1965, Mutton Brook was the southern boundary of the Municipal Borough of Finchley
.
The Capital Ring
and Dollis Valley Greenwalk
follow Mutton Brook.
East Finchley
East Finchley is a suburb in the London Borough of Barnet, in north London, and situated north-west of Charing Cross. Geographically it is somewhat separate from the rest of Finchley, with North Finchley and West Finchley to the north, and Finchley Central to the west.- History :The land on which...
and Hendon
Hendon
Hendon is a London suburb situated northwest of Charing Cross.-History:Hendon was historically a civil parish in the county of Middlesex. The manor is described in Domesday , but the name, 'Hendun' meaning 'at the highest hill', is earlier...
in the London Borough of Barnet
London Borough of Barnet
The London Borough of Barnet is a London borough in North London and forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 331,500 and covers . It borders Hertfordshire to the north and five other London boroughs: Harrow and Brent to the west, Camden and Haringey to the south-east and Enfield to the...
. It is a tributary of the River Brent
River Brent
The Brent is a river within Greater London which is a tributary of the River Thames. It is 17.9 miles long, running north-east to south-west, and it joins the Thames on the Tideway at Brentford, Hounslow.- Hydronymy and etymology :...
, which is itself a tributary of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
.
The Brook rises in Cherry Tree Wood
Cherry Tree Wood
Cherry Tree Wood is a park and a remnant of ancient woodland in East Finchley, in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a Local Nature Reserve....
and flows underground to emerge at the back of Belvedere Court, Lyttleton Road. It then passes under Lyttleton Road and flows along the south side of the road and Falloden Way through Lyttleton Playing Fields, Fletchers Gardens and Northway Gardens. Near Brookland Rise, it crosses briefly to the north side of Falloden Way before crossing back to Brookside Walk. It passes under Finchley Road at Henlys Corner and then under the North Circular Road to meet Dollis Brook
Dollis Brook
Dollis Brook runs through the London Borough of Barnet in North London. It is a tributary of the River Brent, which is itself a tributary of the River Thames. The Dollis Valley Greenwalk follows almost all of Dollis Brook, apart from a short section at the beginning which passes through private...
close to Bridge Lane. The two brooks then become the River Brent.
The brook is confined in a concrete or wood channel along the whole of its length, and the water quality is often poor. However, from Lyttleton Playing Fields to the junction with Dollis Brook its route is almost all through local parks. The downstream section is lined by oak, ash and willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
trees, providing a good habitat for birds, and it is a Local Nature Reserve
Local Nature Reserve
Local nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
.
Until 1965, Mutton Brook was the southern boundary of the Municipal Borough of Finchley
Municipal Borough of Finchley
Finchley was a local government district in Middlesex, England, from 1878 to 1965. It formed part of the northern suburbs of London and was within the Metropolitan Police District and London Passenger Transport Area. Its former area now forms part of the London Borough of Barnet.-Formation:The...
.
The Capital Ring
Capital Ring
The Capital Ring is a strategic walking route that is being promoted by London's 33 local councils, led by the City of London Corporation in partnership with the Greater London Authority and its functional body for regional transport, Transport for London, through which much of the funding is...
and Dollis Valley Greenwalk
Dollis Valley Greenwalk
The Dollis Valley Greenwalk is a long distance footpath in the London Borough of Barnet between Moat Mount Nature Reserve in Mill Hill and Hampstead Heath. The route is designed to act as a link between the Capital Ring and the London Loop,and between the many green spaces and wildlife corridors...
follow Mutton Brook.