River Drone
Encyclopedia
The River Drone is a river which flows south from its source on the Sheffield
, South Yorkshire
border. It flows through Dronfield
, Unstone
and Unstone Green in Derbyshire
before merging at Sheepbridge to the north of Chesterfield
with the Barlow Brook. It then flows south east till it merges with the River Rother
at Brimmington Road North (B6050) at Chesterfield. It is one of the three main tributaries of the Rother.
In the late 1990s the river burst its banks and flooded Dronfield 'bottom' shopping area, and as a result a flood storage reservoir was built at Bowshaw
to hold back (attenuate) the storm water runoff from the Batemoor and Jordanthorpe housing estates in the south of Sheffield, which form part of the catchment area. Some work was also done to build up the bank level with bunds or retaining walls in some sections of the valley.
The river used to feed several water wheel
s at early factories in the Dronfield valley in the 18th and 19th centuries. Part of the mill race is visible off Mill Lane in Dronfield, the remains of the mill being demolished in the 1970s.
This river was highly polluted at times in the past and devoid of any fish life along its full length from Sheffield to its confluence with the Barlow Brook due to mine workings discharging into the river. Also, as with other local rivers, it suffered from sewage discharges from storm overflows. It has been cleaned up in recent years, as the water boards have to meet tighter environmental regulations with brown trout making an appearance below Unstone.
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
border. It flows through Dronfield
Dronfield
Dronfield is a town in North East Derbyshire in the North Midlands region of England. It comprises the three communities of Dronfield, Dronfield Woodhouse and Coal Aston. It is sited in the valley of the small River Drone, and lies between the town of Chesterfield and the city of Sheffield. The...
, Unstone
Unstone
Unstone is a village in the English county of Derbyshire. It is in the North East Derbyshire district of the county. Unstone is situated approximately one mile south east of Dronfield, and is also close to the town of Chesterfield. The village has a population of over 1,000 residents...
and Unstone Green in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
before merging at Sheepbridge to the north of Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
with the Barlow Brook. It then flows south east till it merges with the River Rother
River Rother, South Yorkshire
The River Rother is a river in the northern midlands of England, after which the town of Rotherham and the Rother Valley parliamentary constituency are named. It rises near Clay Cross in Derbyshire, and flows through the centre of Chesterfield, where it feeds the Chesterfield Canal...
at Brimmington Road North (B6050) at Chesterfield. It is one of the three main tributaries of the Rother.
In the late 1990s the river burst its banks and flooded Dronfield 'bottom' shopping area, and as a result a flood storage reservoir was built at Bowshaw
Bowshaw
Bowshaw is an area in Derbyshire, England, that now forms part of the town of Dronfield. There is little for the casual visitor to see except a long row of 20th-century houses alongside the road from Dronfield to Sheffield, although some notable buildings include Bowshaw House, built in the 1730s...
to hold back (attenuate) the storm water runoff from the Batemoor and Jordanthorpe housing estates in the south of Sheffield, which form part of the catchment area. Some work was also done to build up the bank level with bunds or retaining walls in some sections of the valley.
The river used to feed several water wheel
Water wheel
A water wheel is a machine for converting the energy of free-flowing or falling water into useful forms of power. A water wheel consists of a large wooden or metal wheel, with a number of blades or buckets arranged on the outside rim forming the driving surface...
s at early factories in the Dronfield valley in the 18th and 19th centuries. Part of the mill race is visible off Mill Lane in Dronfield, the remains of the mill being demolished in the 1970s.
This river was highly polluted at times in the past and devoid of any fish life along its full length from Sheffield to its confluence with the Barlow Brook due to mine workings discharging into the river. Also, as with other local rivers, it suffered from sewage discharges from storm overflows. It has been cleaned up in recent years, as the water boards have to meet tighter environmental regulations with brown trout making an appearance below Unstone.