River Biss
Encyclopedia
The River Biss is a small river in Wiltshire, England and is a tributary of the Avon
. The name is of uncertain origin; it is claimed that the word is from the Old Norse
bisa, meaning "to strive".
on the western side of Salisbury Plain
, at Biss Bottom as the Biss Brook, and flows northwards passing Westbury
towards Trowbridge
.
The Baptist church at North Bradley
lies close to the River Biss and in the 19th century river baptisms took place with over 2000 in attendance; the bridge here is still called 'The Baptising'.
The river enters the centre of Trowbridge from the southeast through the Biss Meadows Country Park, where local wildlife can be seen. It then flows through the Town Park, where a small constituent lake is haunt to wildfowl, before passing behind shops and industrial buildings in a Riverside Walk which was opened in 1993 by the Duke of Edinburgh
. The walk is now largely an overgrown tarmac
path for which improvements have been suggested. In November 2007, the District Council announced a study into implementing those improvements. Before leaving the centre of Trowbridge, the Biss flows under the Town Bridge in roughly the location of the original river crossing which gives the town its name; in this area the river is home to a species of yellow water lily
known as "Brandy Bottle" after the shape of its fruit and its characteristic scent.
Although Trowbridge is a former woollen cloth manufacturing town, for which a supply of water is required, the Biss was never substantial enough to satisfy the demands of that industry. However, there was an attempt to supply the town; the Trowbridge Water Company was formed and piped water was turned on in the town on 30 September 1874. Supplies were inadequate, however, and the venture failed. The company had premises in Waterworks Road, now a residential area.
On leaving the town centre, the Biss continues northwards through the Ladydown area towards Bradford on Avon
, where it is a popular venue for canoeists
. It is crossed by the Kennet and Avon Canal
at the Biss Aqueduct before flowing into the River Avon in Widbrook Wood
, south of Staverton
. Here, narrowboat
s are made available for hire.
River Avon, Bristol
The River Avon is an English river in the south west of the country. To distinguish it from a number of other River Avons in Britain, this river is often also known as the Lower Avon or Bristol Avon...
. The name is of uncertain origin; it is claimed that the word is from the Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
bisa, meaning "to strive".
Progress
The river rises near Upton ScudamoreUpton Scudamore
Upton Scudamore is a village in Wiltshire, England, located about a mile north of the town of Warminster.In earlier centuries, it was often spelt Upton Skidmore. It appears on John Sexton's map of Wiltshire as simply Upton....
on the western side of Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in central southern England covering . It is part of the Southern England Chalk Formation and largely lies within the county of Wiltshire, with a little in Hampshire. The plain is famous for its rich archaeology, including Stonehenge, one of England's best known...
, at Biss Bottom as the Biss Brook, and flows northwards passing Westbury
Westbury, Wiltshire
Westbury is a town and civil parish in the west of the English county of Wiltshire, most famous for the Westbury White Horse.-Name:The most likely origin of the West- in Westbury is simply that the town is near the western edge of the county of Wiltshire, the bounds of which have been much the same...
towards Trowbridge
Trowbridge
Trowbridge is the county town of Wiltshire, England, situated on the River Biss in the west of the county, approximately 12 miles southeast of Bath, Somerset....
.
The Baptist church at North Bradley
North Bradley
The village of North Bradley, Wiltshire, England, lies between the towns of Trowbridge and Westbury, and is now separated from the former by only a couple of fields.Most of the hamlet of Yarnbrook is part of North Bradley...
lies close to the River Biss and in the 19th century river baptisms took place with over 2000 in attendance; the bridge here is still called 'The Baptising'.
The river enters the centre of Trowbridge from the southeast through the Biss Meadows Country Park, where local wildlife can be seen. It then flows through the Town Park, where a small constituent lake is haunt to wildfowl, before passing behind shops and industrial buildings in a Riverside Walk which was opened in 1993 by the Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
. The walk is now largely an overgrown tarmac
Tarmac
Tarmac is a type of road surface. Tarmac refers to a material patented by Edgar Purnell Hooley in 1901...
path for which improvements have been suggested. In November 2007, the District Council announced a study into implementing those improvements. Before leaving the centre of Trowbridge, the Biss flows under the Town Bridge in roughly the location of the original river crossing which gives the town its name; in this area the river is home to a species of yellow water lily
Nymphaea
Nymphaea is a genus of aquatic plants in the family Nymphaeaceae. There are about 50 species in the genus, which has a cosmopolitan distribution.-Name:The common name, shared with some other genera in the same family, is Water Lily....
known as "Brandy Bottle" after the shape of its fruit and its characteristic scent.
On leaving the town centre, the Biss continues northwards through the Ladydown area towards Bradford on Avon
Bradford on Avon
Bradford on Avon is a town in west Wiltshire, England with a population of about 9,326. The town's canal, historic buildings, shops, pubs and restaurants make it popular with tourists....
, where it is a popular venue for canoeists
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
. It is crossed by the Kennet and Avon Canal
Kennet and Avon Canal
The Kennet and Avon Canal is a waterway in southern England with an overall length of , made up of two lengths of navigable river linked by a canal. The name is commonly used to refer to the entire length of the navigation rather than solely to the central canal section...
at the Biss Aqueduct before flowing into the River Avon in Widbrook Wood
Widbrook Wood
Widbrook Wood is a small forest to the north of Trowbridge and to the south-east of Bradford on Avon, in Wiltshire, growing in the valley of the Bristol Avon....
, south of Staverton
Staverton, Wiltshire
Staverton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Wiltshire.Staverton is near the confluence of the River Avon and the River Biss and is on the south bank of the former; to the south of the village is the Kennet and Avon Canal and a marina serves the canal communities. Staverton is...
. Here, narrowboat
Narrowboat
A narrowboat or narrow boat is a boat of a distinctive design, made to fit the narrow canals of Great Britain.In the context of British Inland Waterways, "narrow boat" refers to the original working boats built in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries for carrying goods on the narrow canals...
s are made available for hire.