West Beck is the common name given to the upper section of the old River Hull

River Hull

The River Hull is a navigable river in the East Riding of Yorkshire in the north of England. It rises from a series of springs to the west of Driffield, and enters the Humber estuary at Kingston upon Hull. Following a period when the Archbishops of York charged tolls for its use, it became a free...

, as it rises in the foothills of the Yorkshire Wolds

Yorkshire Wolds

The Yorkshire Wolds are low hills in the counties of East Riding of Yorkshire and North Yorkshire in northeastern England. The name also applies to the district in which the hills lie....

. After reaching Frodingham Beck at Emmotland

Emmotland

Emmotland is a small hamlet on the North Frodingham Carrs in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It consists of a couple of farms at the end of a small access road. West Beck joins the Driffield Navigation here....

, it becomes called the River Hull.

Location

Starting at Elmswell

Elmswell, East Riding of Yorkshire

Elmswell is a hamlet in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately north west of the town of Driffield. It lies just to the south of the A166 road.It forms part of the civil parish of Garton on the Wolds.-References:...

 as a spring, it follows a course which takes it past Little Driffield

Little Driffield

Little Driffield is a small village in the East Riding of Yorkshire,England. It is situated on the western outskirts of Great Driffield, to the west of the A614 road and south of the A166 road. Little Driffield forms part of the civil parish of Driffield....

, around the southern edge of Driffield

Driffield

Driffield, also known as Great Driffield, is a market town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The civil parish is formed by the town of Driffield and the village of Little Driffield....

, through Wansford

Wansford, East Riding of Yorkshire

Wansford is a village in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, it forms part of the civil parish of Skerne and Wansford. It is situated on the B1249 road and just to the north of the River Hull and the Driffield Canal. It is approximately south east of Driffield and north west of North...

, past Corpslanding, and joins the Driffield Navigation

Driffield Navigation

The Driffield Navigation is an waterway, through the heart of the Holderness Plain to the market town of Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The northern section of it is a canal, and the southern section is part of the River Hull. Construction was authorised in 1767, and it was fully...

 at Emmotland

Emmotland

Emmotland is a small hamlet on the North Frodingham Carrs in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It consists of a couple of farms at the end of a small access road. West Beck joins the Driffield Navigation here....

.

History

Used, near Driffield

Driffield

Driffield, also known as Great Driffield, is a market town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The civil parish is formed by the town of Driffield and the village of Little Driffield....

, as a source of power for flour mills.

The lower sections of the west beck are navigable, and Yorkshire Keels used to reach Wansford. Due to the shallowness of the river, an Act of Parliament

Act of Parliament

An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...

 was passed to create the Driffield Navigation

Driffield Navigation

The Driffield Navigation is an waterway, through the heart of the Holderness Plain to the market town of Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The northern section of it is a canal, and the southern section is part of the River Hull. Construction was authorised in 1767, and it was fully...

. The main route was made further north using Frodingham Beck, and then a new canal

Canal

Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...

 from Fisholme

Fisholme

Fisholme is a small area in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England that is situated between Brigham and Emmotland. The canal section of the Driffield Navigation leaves Frodingham Beck at this point.-Location:...

 through Wansford

Wansford, East Riding of Yorkshire

Wansford is a village in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, it forms part of the civil parish of Skerne and Wansford. It is situated on the B1249 road and just to the north of the River Hull and the Driffield Canal. It is approximately south east of Driffield and north west of North...

 to Driffield

Driffield

Driffield, also known as Great Driffield, is a market town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The civil parish is formed by the town of Driffield and the village of Little Driffield....

, but the act included navigation to Corpslanding.

The village

Village

A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...

 of Hutton Cranswick

Hutton Cranswick

Hutton Cranswick is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, approximately south of Driffield town centre on the A164 road....

 created a wharf at Corpslanding, and this has now become the upper legal limit of navigation on the waterway.

Mileage table

Location	Miles from Emmotland
Emmotland Emmotland Emmotland is a small hamlet on the North Frodingham Carrs in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It consists of a couple of farms at the end of a small access road. West Beck joins the Driffield Navigation here....  (Junction)	0
Corpslanding (navigable limit)	1.8
Wansford, East Riding of Yorkshire Wansford, East Riding of Yorkshire Wansford is a village in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, it forms part of the civil parish of Skerne and Wansford. It is situated on the B1249 road and just to the north of the River Hull and the Driffield Canal. It is approximately south east of Driffield and north west of North...	4.4
Driffield Driffield Driffield, also known as Great Driffield, is a market town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The civil parish is formed by the town of Driffield and the village of Little Driffield....	8.4
Little Driffield Little Driffield Little Driffield is a small village in the East Riding of Yorkshire,England. It is situated on the western outskirts of Great Driffield, to the west of the A614 road and south of the A166 road. Little Driffield forms part of the civil parish of Driffield....	9.5
Elmswell Elmswell, East Riding of Yorkshire Elmswell is a hamlet in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately north west of the town of Driffield. It lies just to the south of the A166 road.It forms part of the civil parish of Garton on the Wolds.-References:...	10.6