River Irthing
Encyclopedia
The River Irthing is a river
in Cumbria
, England
and a major tributary
of the River Eden.
Rising in the hills around Paddaburn Moor in Border Forest Park, for the first 15 miles of its journey south it defines the border between Northumberland
and Cumbria
. After passing Butterburn Flow raised bog, the river flows over the ten-metre high Crammel Linn waterfall
in a sandstone
gorge. At Gilsland Spa
, a sulphurous
spring oozes out of the gorge walls. Chalybeate
and petrifying springs are also characteristic of the local geology
and are found on the Irthing's banks.
The River Irthing marked a significant transition in construction of Hadrian's Wall
, between the limestone to the east and sandstone to the west. Hadrian's Wall
crossed the river on a bridge at Willowford, east of Birdoswald Roman Fort. The fort is situated above a steep gorge carved by the river from the deep glacial till overlying the area. From that point its course as it turns west is lined with other Roman sites associated with the Roman Stanegate
road and Hadrian's Wall,
A 914 metre (2,999 feet) stretch of Wall, including two turrets and impressive bridge remains beside the River Irthing at Willowford. Linked by a bridge to Birdoswald Roman Fort.
Passing Brampton
it merges with the River Gelt
, and soon after meets the River Eden
near Warwick Bridge
, just north of Wetheral
.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and a major tributary
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 Eden.
Rising in the hills around Paddaburn Moor in Border Forest Park, for the first 15 miles of its journey south it defines the border between Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
and Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
. After passing Butterburn Flow raised bog, the river flows over the ten-metre high Crammel Linn waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
in a sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
gorge. At Gilsland Spa
Gilsland Spa
Gilsland Spa is the present-day name of an hotel at Gilsland, Cumbria, England. It is named from the sulphurous spring which issues from a cliff below the hotel....
, a sulphurous
Sulfur
Sulfur or sulphur is the chemical element with atomic number 16. In the periodic table it is represented by the symbol S. It is an abundant, multivalent non-metal. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with chemical formula S8. Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow...
spring oozes out of the gorge walls. Chalybeate
Chalybeate
Chalybeate waters, also known as ferruginous waters, are mineral spring waters containing salts of iron.-Name:The word "chalybeate" is derived from the Latin word for steel, "chalybs", which follows from the Greek word "khalups"...
and petrifying springs are also characteristic of the local geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
and are found on the Irthing's banks.
The River Irthing marked a significant transition in construction of Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...
, between the limestone to the east and sandstone to the west. Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...
crossed the river on a bridge at Willowford, east of Birdoswald Roman Fort. The fort is situated above a steep gorge carved by the river from the deep glacial till overlying the area. From that point its course as it turns west is lined with other Roman sites associated with the Roman Stanegate
Stanegate
The Stanegate, or "stone road" , was an important Roman road built in what is now northern England. It linked two forts that guarded important river crossings; Corstopitum in the east, situated on Dere Street, and Luguvalium in the west...
road and Hadrian's Wall,
A 914 metre (2,999 feet) stretch of Wall, including two turrets and impressive bridge remains beside the River Irthing at Willowford. Linked by a bridge to Birdoswald Roman Fort.
Passing Brampton
Brampton, Carlisle, Cumbria
Brampton is a small market town and civil parish within the City of Carlisle district of Cumbria, England about 9 miles east of Carlisle and 2 miles south of Hadrian's Wall. It is situated off the A69 road which bypasses it...
it merges with the River Gelt
River Gelt
The River Gelt is a river in Cumbria, England and a tributary of the River Irthing.The source of the Gelt is close to Cumbria's border with Northumberland, where it rises at Butt Hill...
, and soon after meets the River Eden
River Eden, Cumbria
The River Eden is a river that flows through Cumbria, England on its way to the Solway Firth.-Course of river:The Eden rises in Black Fell Moss, Mallerstang, on the high ground between High Seat, Yorkshire Dales and Hugh Seat. Here it forms the boundary between the counties of Cumbria and North...
near Warwick Bridge
Warwick Bridge
Warwick Bridge is a village in the City of Carlisle District of the county of Cumbria, England.- Location :It is located on the River Eden and also near the River Irthing and is on the A69 road, about seven miles away from the small city of Carlisle and about seven miles away from the small town of...
, just north of Wetheral
Wetheral
Wetheral is a village and civil parish in Cumbria, England. The village serves mostly as a dormitory town for nearby Carlisle. As of the 2001 census, the population of the Wetheral Ward is 4,039. The civil parish of Wetheral is slightly larger, with a population of 5,203...
.