River Medina
Encyclopedia
The River Medina is the main river
of the Isle of Wight
, rising at St Catherine's Down
in the south of the Island and through the capital Newport
, towards the Solent
at Cowes
. The river is a navigable tidal estuary
from Newport northwards where it takes the form of a ria
(a drowned valley). The Medina is 17km long with a catchment area of 17 km2. The river flows northwards collecting the Merston Stream at Blackwater
before intersecting the ridge at Shide
. The Lukely Brook is a tributary to the main river rising in Bowcombe Valley and joining the river at the head of the estuary in Newport.
Its current state has occurred because the Medina used to be a tributary of the river Solent and have a much larger catchment area, as the Solent valley flooded and the island eroded the river received less water flow and more sediment, causing it to become more tidal.
The river is bridged at Newport. Cowes is connected to East Cowes
by a chain ferry
known as the Cowes Floating Bridge
.
The name Medina came from the Old English Meðune meaning "the middle one", and the current pronunciation was first recorded as 'Medine' in 1196.
The river is used by yachtsmen as a very safe harbour. Along the banks of the Medina there are many old warehouses and wharves where in the past flying boats, hovercraft and steam ships were built and developed. The Classic Boat Museum
displays much of the river's history alongside the history of yachting. The Island Harbour Marina
, an old tidal mill, is also located on the river, about 1 mile from Newport.
As well as the chain ferry, the River Medina is served by several small ferries which cater mainly for sailors.
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...
of the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, rising at St Catherine's Down
St Catherine's Down
St. Catherine's Down is a chalk down on the Isle of Wight. It is located close to St Catherine's Point, the southernmost point on the island, and rises to 240 metres at its highest point, between the towns of Niton and Chale....
in the south of the Island and through the capital Newport
Newport, Isle of Wight
Newport is a civil parish and a county town of the Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England. Newport has a population of 23,957 according to the 2001 census...
, towards the Solent
Solent
The Solent is a strait separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England.The Solent is a major shipping route for passengers, freight and military vessels. It is an important recreational area for water sports, particularly yachting, hosting the Cowes Week sailing event annually...
at Cowes
Cowes
Cowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east Bank...
. The river is a navigable tidal estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
from Newport northwards where it takes the form of a ria
Ria
A ria is a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley. It is a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea. Typically, rias have a dendritic, treelike outline although they can be straight and without significant branches. This pattern is inherited from the...
(a drowned valley). The Medina is 17km long with a catchment area of 17 km2. The river flows northwards collecting the Merston Stream at Blackwater
Blackwater, Isle of Wight
Blackwater is a village on the Isle of Wight. It is located three kilometres south of Newport, close to the geographic centre of the island.British pop artist Robbie Williams once visited Blackwater for three nights to get away from the media...
before intersecting the ridge at Shide
Shide, Isle of Wight
Shide is a small settlement on the Isle of Wight, some of which is considered to be in the Newport conurbation. Shide Hill House which is the white house near the top of St. George's Lane was the retirement home of Professor John Milne , inventor of the horizontal pendulum seismograph after he...
. The Lukely Brook is a tributary to the main river rising in Bowcombe Valley and joining the river at the head of the estuary in Newport.
Its current state has occurred because the Medina used to be a tributary of the river Solent and have a much larger catchment area, as the Solent valley flooded and the island eroded the river received less water flow and more sediment, causing it to become more tidal.
The river is bridged at Newport. Cowes is connected to East Cowes
East Cowes
East Cowes is a town and civil parish to the north of the Isle of Wight, on the east bank of the River Medina next to its neighbour on the west bank, Cowes....
by a chain ferry
Cable ferry
A cable ferry is guided and in many cases propelled across a river or other larger body of water by cables connected to both shores. They are also called chain ferries, floating bridges, or punts....
known as the Cowes Floating Bridge
Cowes Floating Bridge
The Cowes Floating Bridge is a vehicular chain ferry which crosses the River Medina on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England. The ferry crosses the tidal river from East Cowes to Cowes. The first floating bridge between East Cowes and Cowes was established in 1859 and is one of the few...
.
The name Medina came from the Old English Meðune meaning "the middle one", and the current pronunciation was first recorded as 'Medine' in 1196.
The river is used by yachtsmen as a very safe harbour. Along the banks of the Medina there are many old warehouses and wharves where in the past flying boats, hovercraft and steam ships were built and developed. The Classic Boat Museum
Classic Boat Museum
The Classic Boat Museum is a museum for boats located in Newport Quay alongside the River Medina on the Isle of Wight. It is a working museum featuring a restoration shed where work takes place all year round...
displays much of the river's history alongside the history of yachting. The Island Harbour Marina
Island Harbour Marina
Island Harbour Marina is a marina located on the River Medina at the hamlet of Binfield near Newport and about 1 mile upstream of Cowes on the Isle of Wight, UK. It was created from the former Medina Yacht Harbour in 1987 by Don Lang Design and Bellwinch PLC...
, an old tidal mill, is also located on the river, about 1 mile from Newport.
As well as the chain ferry, the River Medina is served by several small ferries which cater mainly for sailors.