River Leen
Encyclopedia
The River Leen rises in the Robin Hood Hills
just outside Kirkby-in-Ashfield
. It then flows through the grounds of Newstead Abbey
, skirts Hucknall
, goes through Papplewick
and on through Bestwood Country Park, and following the route of the Leen Valley
into suburban and urban Nottingham
, passing through Bulwell
, Basford, Radford
, and Lenton
(which is named after the river) before joining the River Trent
opposite Wilford
.
, ton being the Saxon word for "village"; and Linby
, by being the Danish equivalent of ton.
From Lenton onwards the course of the Leen has been quite radically altered on a number of occasions, notably culvert
ed by the Borough Engineer, Marriott Ogle Tarbotton
, but the river's present course is believed to follow much the same route as it did originally. Originally it discharged into the Beeston Canal, flowed some distance along the canal and thence over a small weir into the Tinker’s Leen (where the modern Courts complex is now situated) and so into the Trent just downstream of Trent Bridge
.
planning guidance and best practice from the Environment Agency is now to remove culverts, which are expensive to maintain and can cause flooding when they are blocked or damaged. As a result a number of developments along the course of the Leen now open up previously culverted stetches of the waterway.
A new Tesco development in Bulwell town centre, which received planning permission in 2008, will remove the culvert under the former Kwik Save supermarket.
In Radford, a new student village at Chettle's Yard will open up a long stretch of the river parallel to the railway line.
And the eastern part of the University of Nottingham
's Jubilee Campus opens up a section of the river's urban route through Lenton
, a small lake having been created to the rear of the Sir Colin Campbell building, adjacent to the concrete channel (through which the Leen still flows) that was originally built to prevent the flooding of the now-demolished Raleigh
cycle factory. The river then passes through several industrial units and under Triumph Road, before re-appearing behind the Nottingham Emergency Medical Services centre (the old AA building) on Derby Road. The Leen is sometimes mistakenly believed to pass through the main part of the Jubilee Campus, but the lake and other water features in that area are artificial in nature.
Robin Hood Hills, Nottinghamshire
Robin Hood Hills are a steep sided range of sandstone hills forming a natural amphitheatre surrounding the villages of Annesley and Newstead in Nottinghamshire, UK. Robin Hoods Cave lies at the bottom of the hills. They rise to a height of 195 metres above sea level at Coxmoor, Kirkby-In-Ashfield...
just outside Kirkby-in-Ashfield
Kirkby-in-Ashfield
Kirkby-in-Ashfield is a market town in Nottinghamshire, England, with a population of 25,265 . It is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area. The Head Offices of Ashfield District Council are located there....
. It then flows through the grounds of Newstead Abbey
Newstead Abbey
Newstead Abbey, in Nottinghamshire, England, originally an Augustinian priory, is now best known as the ancestral home of Lord Byron.-Monastic foundation:The priory of St...
, skirts Hucknall
Hucknall
Hucknall, formerly known as Hucknall Torkard, is a town in Greater Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, in the district of Ashfield. The town was historically a centre for framework knitting and then for mining but is now a focus for other industries as well providing housing for workers in...
, goes through Papplewick
Papplewick
The parish of Papplewick is situated towards the west of central Nottinghamshire, to the north of the town of Hucknall. It has an area of 7.15 km². The village of Papplewick is located in the west of the parish. It is 7.5 miles north of Nottingham and 6 miles south of Mansfield...
and on through Bestwood Country Park, and following the route of the Leen Valley
Leen Valley
The Leen Valley is the wide valley formed by the River Leen within the county of Nottinghamshire.The Leen Valley was once an important centre for hosiery and coal mining industries. Today, although light manufacturing continues, the valley is increasingly becoming part of the commuter belt for...
into suburban and urban 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...
, passing through Bulwell
Bulwell
Bulwell is an English market town approximately northwest of Nottingham city centre, on the northern edge of the city. The United Kingdom Census 2001 showed there were almost 30,000 people living in the Bulwell area, accounting for over 10% of the population of the city of Nottingham.-Early...
, Basford, Radford
Radford, Nottingham
Radford is an inner-city area of Nottingham, located just outside the city centre itself.-History:Radford is bounded on the south by Lenton and Nottingham, and comprises around of land....
, and Lenton
Lenton, Nottingham
Lenton is an area of the City of Nottingham in the county of Nottinghamshire, England. Politically, it falls within the Nottingham South constituency. Most of the area lies within the electoral ward of "Dunkirk and Lenton", however the "Lenton Triangle" area, considered by most residents to be part...
(which is named after the river) before joining 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...
opposite Wilford
Wilford
Wilford is a village close to the centre the city of Nottingham, UK, on the banks of the River Trent. It has been described as a semi-rural village in a city. The village is bounded to the north and west by the River Trent and to the east by the embankment of the now closed Great Central Railway...
.
History
Leen is a corruption through various renderings of the Celtic word llyn, "lake" or "pool", and Anglo‐Saxon hlynna, meaning "streamlet". Some of the surrounding villages derived their name from the River Leen. LentonLenton, Nottingham
Lenton is an area of the City of Nottingham in the county of Nottinghamshire, England. Politically, it falls within the Nottingham South constituency. Most of the area lies within the electoral ward of "Dunkirk and Lenton", however the "Lenton Triangle" area, considered by most residents to be part...
, ton being the Saxon word for "village"; and Linby
Linby
Linby is a small village in Nottinghamshire, the nearest town is Hucknall.The village grew up around the mills on the River Leen, from which Linby's name is derived. Small streams known as Linby Docks run on both sides of the main street....
, by being the Danish equivalent of ton.
From Lenton onwards the course of the Leen has been quite radically altered on a number of occasions, notably culvert
Culvert
A culvert is a device used to channel water. It may be used to allow water to pass underneath a road, railway, or embankment. Culverts can be made of many different materials; steel, polyvinyl chloride and concrete are the most common...
ed by the Borough Engineer, Marriott Ogle Tarbotton
Marriott Ogle Tarbotton
Marriott Ogle Tarbotton was born in Leeds on 6 December 1834 and died in Nottingham on 6 March 1887. He was Borough Engineer for Nottingham from 1859.-Career:...
, but the river's present course is believed to follow much the same route as it did originally. Originally it discharged into the Beeston Canal, flowed some distance along the canal and thence over a small weir into the Tinker’s Leen (where the modern Courts complex is now situated) and so into the Trent just downstream of Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge (bridge)
Trent Bridge is an iron and stone road bridge across the River Trent in Nottingham, England. It is the principal river crossing for entrance to the city from the south, although the upstream Clifton Bridge is both larger and busier.-Medieval bridge:...
.
Recent developments
Nottingham City CouncilNottingham City Council
Nottingham City Council is the non-metropolitan district council for the unitary authority of Nottingham in Nottinghamshire. It consists of 55 councillors, representing a total of 20 wards, elected every four years. It is led by Jon Collins, of the majority Labour Party. The deputy leader of the...
planning guidance and best practice from the Environment Agency is now to remove culverts, which are expensive to maintain and can cause flooding when they are blocked or damaged. As a result a number of developments along the course of the Leen now open up previously culverted stetches of the waterway.
A new Tesco development in Bulwell town centre, which received planning permission in 2008, will remove the culvert under the former Kwik Save supermarket.
In Radford, a new student village at Chettle's Yard will open up a long stretch of the river parallel to the railway line.
And the eastern part of the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
's Jubilee Campus opens up a section of the river's urban route through Lenton
Lenton, Nottingham
Lenton is an area of the City of Nottingham in the county of Nottinghamshire, England. Politically, it falls within the Nottingham South constituency. Most of the area lies within the electoral ward of "Dunkirk and Lenton", however the "Lenton Triangle" area, considered by most residents to be part...
, a small lake having been created to the rear of the Sir Colin Campbell building, adjacent to the concrete channel (through which the Leen still flows) that was originally built to prevent the flooding of the now-demolished Raleigh
Raleigh Bicycle Company
The Raleigh Bicycle Company is a bicycle manufacturer originally based in Nottingham, UK. It is one of the oldest bicycle companies in the world. From 1921 to 1935 Raleigh also produced motorcycles and three-wheel cars, leading to the formation of the Reliant Company.-Early years:Raleigh's history...
cycle factory. The river then passes through several industrial units and under Triumph Road, before re-appearing behind the Nottingham Emergency Medical Services centre (the old AA building) on Derby Road. The Leen is sometimes mistakenly believed to pass through the main part of the Jubilee Campus, but the lake and other water features in that area are artificial in nature.