River Devon, Nottinghamshire
Encyclopedia
The River Devon is a tributary
of the River Trent
, which rises in Leicestershire
and joins the Trent at Newark
in Nottinghamshire
, England. In its upper reaches, it supplies Knipton Reservoir, which was built to supply water to the Grantham Canal
, and Belvoir Lakes, designed by Capability Brown
. It passes under the Grantham Canal, and then through Bottesford, where it is spanned by five railway bridges, only one of which is still used for its original purpose. On the outskirts of Newark, it passes by two Civil War
structures, and just before it joins the Trent it becomes navigable, with a marina located on the west bank.
and Eaton
in north-east Leicestershire, close to the 490 feet (149.4 m) contour, and flows generally northwards. Passing close to Branston, it flows into Knipton
reservoir, built in the 1790s to supply the Grantham Canal
.
The surface area of the reservoir is 52 acres (21 ha), and it feeds the canal through a channel, called The Carrier, which has open sections and runs through a tunnel for about 1 miles (1.6 km).
In 2006, British Waterways
completed a refurbishment programme on the dam and spillway which cost £170,000.
The village of Knipton is a little further to the north, on the eastern bank of the river. An unnamed tributary flows through the village to join the river, after which it enters woodland, where it is joined by a stream flowing eastwards from a small lake called Frog Hollow. Belvoir upper lake and Belvoir lower lake come next, each covering 12 acres (4.9 ha) and created by the landscape architect Capability Brown in the grounds of the Belvoir Castle
estate. They are used for course fishing. Between them, an early 19th century bridge with five arches and long retaining walls, built from ironstone and limestone, acts as a weir. After the lakes, the river passes to the east of Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir
and the hamlet of Stenwith, to flow under the Grantham Canal in a conduit. By this time it is below the 160 feet (48.8 m) contour. The county border between Leicestershire and Lincolnshire follows the course of the river for a short distance near the bottom lake, and beyond Woolsthorpe, the river is in Lincolnshire.
Passing back into Leicestershire, it flows through Muston
and Bottesford
, where there are a number of bridges. At the end of Church Street, Fleming's bridge is a double-arched grade II listed medieval bridge, now just used by pedestrians, which was built for Samuel Fleming, who was rector in the village between 1581 and 1620. At Devon Lane, there is a ford, besides which stands a single-arched brick bridge, with two holes passing through the spandrels, and iron railings in the centre of the parapet. It was built in the early 19th century. Beyond the village, the river is crossed by four railway bridges, only one of which is still in use, carrying the line from Grantham
to Nottingham
. A fifth bridge, located in fields to the north of the village, consisting of three brick arches, carried the Newark to Leicester railway line over the river. It was opened in 1860, and ceased to be used for railway traffic in 1960. The centre arch collapsed after heavy rain in 2007
, and the whole structure has been replaced by a single steel span, resting on the remains of two of the piers.
The river again forms the county border, until it reaches Staunton in the Vale, which is in Nottinghamshire. The Winter Beck joins the west bank, as does the River Smite soon afterwards. The river passes Cotham
which lies to the east, and runs close to a Civil War
redoubt
at Hawton
, to arrive at the outskirts of Newark-on-Trent
. Here it passes another civil war defence, the Queen's Sconce, built in 1644 at a strategic point overlooking the Devon, the Trent and the Great North Road. The site was bought by Newark Urban Council in 1912, and formed part of Devon Park, which has since been extended by further acquisitions of land. Crossing under the B6166, which follows the course of the Fosse Way
Roman road at this point, the Devon joins the River Trent
. Below the bridge, the river is used for moorings, and there is a marina on the western bank. The mouth is below the 50 feet (15.2 m) contour.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the River Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
, which rises in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
and joins the Trent at Newark
Newark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands region of England. It stands on the River Trent, the A1 , and the East Coast Main Line railway. The origins of the town are possibly Roman as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way...
in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, England. In its upper reaches, it supplies Knipton Reservoir, which was built to supply water to the Grantham Canal
Grantham Canal
The Grantham Canal is a canal that runs for 33 miles from Grantham, falling through 18 locks to West Bridgford where it joins the River Trent. It was built primarily to allow for the transportation of coal to Grantham. It opened in 1797, and its profitability steadily increased until 1841...
, and Belvoir Lakes, designed by Capability Brown
Capability Brown
Lancelot Brown , more commonly known as Capability Brown, was an English landscape architect. He is remembered as "the last of the great English eighteenth-century artists to be accorded his due", and "England's greatest gardener". He designed over 170 parks, many of which still endure...
. It passes under the Grantham Canal, and then through Bottesford, where it is spanned by five railway bridges, only one of which is still used for its original purpose. On the outskirts of Newark, it passes by two Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
structures, and just before it joins the Trent it becomes navigable, with a marina located on the west bank.
Hydrology
The river has a catchment of 109.8 square miles (284.4 km²) and had an average flow of 29.8 million gallons (135.6 Megalitres) per day, measured at the gauging station in Cotham, near the mouth. However, the gauging station was closed in 1978, due to doubts about the reliability of its measurements, and there is currently no gauging station on the river. The catchment receives 23.28 inches (591.3 mm) of rainfall in an average year.Course
The river rises as a series of springs and streams near the villages of EastwellEastwell, Leicestershire
Eastwell is a village and ecclesiastical parish in Leicestershire, England.For the purposes of administration Eastwell is part of the civil parish of Eaton that, in turn, forms part of the borough of Melton. Eastwell lost its own civil parish status in 1936...
and Eaton
Eaton, Leicestershire
Eaton is a village and civil parish in Leicestershire, England. It is situated in the Vale of Belvoir and its current population is about 900 people. Eaton has a church, a village hall, a public house called "The Castle", a children's park and a new village shop...
in north-east Leicestershire, close to the 490 feet (149.4 m) contour, and flows generally northwards. Passing close to Branston, it flows into Knipton
Knipton
Knipton, is a small village in the English county of Leicestershire. It is located around six miles from the town of Grantham just off the A607, and ten miles from Melton Mowbray...
reservoir, built in the 1790s to supply the Grantham Canal
Grantham Canal
The Grantham Canal is a canal that runs for 33 miles from Grantham, falling through 18 locks to West Bridgford where it joins the River Trent. It was built primarily to allow for the transportation of coal to Grantham. It opened in 1797, and its profitability steadily increased until 1841...
.
The surface area of the reservoir is 52 acres (21 ha), and it feeds the canal through a channel, called The Carrier, which has open sections and runs through a tunnel for about 1 miles (1.6 km).
In 2006, 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...
completed a refurbishment programme on the dam and spillway which cost £170,000.
The village of Knipton is a little further to the north, on the eastern bank of the river. An unnamed tributary flows through the village to join the river, after which it enters woodland, where it is joined by a stream flowing eastwards from a small lake called Frog Hollow. Belvoir upper lake and Belvoir lower lake come next, each covering 12 acres (4.9 ha) and created by the landscape architect Capability Brown in the grounds of the Belvoir Castle
Belvoir Castle
Belvoir Castle is a stately home in the English county of Leicestershire, overlooking the Vale of Belvoir . It is a Grade I listed building....
estate. They are used for course fishing. Between them, an early 19th century bridge with five arches and long retaining walls, built from ironstone and limestone, acts as a weir. After the lakes, the river passes to the east of Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir
Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir
Woolsthorpe, also known as Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir, is a small village in the English county of Lincolnshire, about 5 miles from the town of Grantham...
and the hamlet of Stenwith, to flow under the Grantham Canal in a conduit. By this time it is below the 160 feet (48.8 m) contour. The county border between Leicestershire and Lincolnshire follows the course of the river for a short distance near the bottom lake, and beyond Woolsthorpe, the river is in Lincolnshire.
Passing back into Leicestershire, it flows through Muston
Muston, Leicestershire
Muston is a village in north Leicestershire, fifteen miles east of Nottingham, 12.5 miles north of Melton Mowbray and five miles west of Grantham on the A52....
and Bottesford
Bottesford, Leicestershire
This page is about the English village of Bottesford near Grantham. For the Bottesford near Scunthorpe, see Bottesford, LincolnshireBottesford is a village and civil parish within the Melton district of Leicestershire, England....
, where there are a number of bridges. At the end of Church Street, Fleming's bridge is a double-arched grade II listed medieval bridge, now just used by pedestrians, which was built for Samuel Fleming, who was rector in the village between 1581 and 1620. At Devon Lane, there is a ford, besides which stands a single-arched brick bridge, with two holes passing through the spandrels, and iron railings in the centre of the parapet. It was built in the early 19th century. Beyond the village, the river is crossed by four railway bridges, only one of which is still in use, carrying the line from Grantham
Grantham
Grantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...
to Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
. A fifth bridge, located in fields to the north of the village, consisting of three brick arches, carried the Newark to Leicester railway line over the river. It was opened in 1860, and ceased to be used for railway traffic in 1960. The centre arch collapsed after heavy rain in 2007
2007 United Kingdom floods
The 2007 United Kingdom floods were a series of destructive floods that occurred in various areas across the country during the summer of 2007. The most severe floods occurred across Northern Ireland on 12 June; East Yorkshire and The Midlands on 15 June; Yorkshire, The Midlands, Gloucestershire,...
, and the whole structure has been replaced by a single steel span, resting on the remains of two of the piers.
The river again forms the county border, until it reaches Staunton in the Vale, which is in Nottinghamshire. The Winter Beck joins the west bank, as does the River Smite soon afterwards. The river passes Cotham
Cotham, Nottinghamshire
Cotham is a small village on the east bank of the River Devon, south of Newark. It contains 98 inhabitants, and of land valued at £1,700, all belonging to the Duke of Portland, who is the impropriator and patron of St. Michael's Church, Cotham. The church was partly rebuilt, a porch being added,...
which lies to the east, and runs close to a Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
redoubt
Redoubt
A redoubt is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, though others are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldiers outside the main defensive line and can be a permanent structure or a...
at Hawton
Hawton
Hawton is an English civil parish of some 70 inhabitants. It is situated to the south of Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire, near the River Devon....
, to arrive at the outskirts of Newark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands region of England. It stands on the River Trent, the A1 , and the East Coast Main Line railway. The origins of the town are possibly Roman as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way...
. Here it passes another civil war defence, the Queen's Sconce, built in 1644 at a strategic point overlooking the Devon, the Trent and the Great North Road. The site was bought by Newark Urban Council in 1912, and formed part of Devon Park, which has since been extended by further acquisitions of land. Crossing under the B6166, which follows the course of the Fosse Way
Fosse Way
The Fosse Way was a Roman road in England that linked Exeter in South West England to Lincoln in Lincolnshire, via Ilchester , Bath , Cirencester and Leicester .It joined Akeman Street and Ermin Way at Cirencester, crossed Watling Street at Venonis south...
Roman road at this point, the Devon joins the River Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
. Below the bridge, the river is used for moorings, and there is a marina on the western bank. The mouth is below the 50 feet (15.2 m) contour.