View source for River Itchen, Hampshire

{{Short description|River in Hampshire, England}}
{{for|the river in Warwickshire|River Itchen, Warwickshire}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox river
| name               = Itchen
| name_other         = Alre (see tributary [[River Alre|so-named]])
| name_etymology     = Unknown
| image              = River Itchen Ovington.jpg
| image_size         = 
| image_caption      = The Itchen near [[Avington, Hampshire|Avington]]
| map                = River Itchen map.png
| map_size           = 240px
| map_caption        = Map of the River Itchen, in dark blue, and its principal tributary, the Alre, in grey. Canal sections of the Itchen Navigation in green.
| pushpin_map        = 
| pushpin_map_size   = 
| pushpin_map_caption= 
| subdivision_type1  = Country
| subdivision_name1  = England
| subdivision_type3  = County
| subdivision_name3  = [[Hampshire]]
| subdivision_type5  = City
| subdivision_name5  = [[Winchester]] [[Southampton]]
| length             = {{convert|26|mi}} or unconventionally: {{convert|88|km|mi|abbr=on}} (including all anabranches)
| width_min          = 
| width_avg          = 
| width_max          =
| depth_min          = 
| depth_avg          = 
| depth_max          = 
| discharge1_location= Riverside Park, [[Bitterne Park]]
| discharge1_min     = {{convert|1.75|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}14 August 1995
| discharge1_avg     = {{convert|5.3|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_max     = 
| discharge2_location= [[Highbridge, Hampshire]]
| discharge2_min     = 
| discharge2_avg     = {{convert|5.4|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge2_max     = 
| discharge3_location= [[Easton, Hampshire]]
| discharge3_min     = 
| discharge3_avg     = {{convert|4.3|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge3_max     = 
| source1            = 
| source1_location   = south of New Cheriton, [[Kilmeston]], [[Hampshire]], [[England]]
| source1_coordinates= {{coord|51.0426|-1.1603}}
| source1_elevation  = 
| mouth              = [[Southampton Water]]
| mouth_location     = [[Southampton]], [[Hampshire]]
| mouth_coordinates  = {{coord|50.9052|-1.38565|region:GB-HAM|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| mouth_elevation    = 0 metres
| basin_size         = {{convert|119.619|km2|abbr=on}}
| tributaries_left   = {{ubl|[[Candover Brook]]|[[River Alre]]|Nun's Walk Stream|[[Monks Brook]]}}
| tributaries_right  = Cheriton Stream
}}

The '''River Itchen''' in [[Hampshire]], England, rises to the south of [[New Alresford]] and flows {{convert|26|mi}} to meet [[Southampton Water]] below the [[Itchen Bridge]]. The [[Itchen Navigation]] was constructed in the late 17th and early 18th centuries to enable [[barge]]s to reach [[Winchester]] from [[Southampton Docks]], but ceased to operate in the mid-19th century and is largely abandoned today.

The river is one of the world's premier [[chalk stream]]s for [[fly fishing]],<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.upstreamdryfly.com/ | title = Upstream Dry Fly Fishing | access-date = 1 July 2012 | last = Taylor | first = Howard | publisher = Dry Fly Fishing Ltd | location = Ringwood BH24 4HS, United Kingdom | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110201113736/http://upstreamdryfly.com/ | archive-date = 1 February 2011 | quote = The pristine rivers of Southern England offer the world's premier trout fly fishing...the most beautiful and quintessentially English...fly fishing beats on the famous...Test...Dever...Itchen and the Hampshire Avon.}}</ref> amenable to [[Artificial fly|dry fly]] or nymphing. The local [[chalk]] aquifer has excellent storage and filtration and the river has long been used for drinking water. [[Watercress]] thrives in its upper reaches.<ref>{{cite news|last=Peters|first=Rick|date=30 March 2010|title=Seasonal food: watercress|newspaper=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/mar/30/seasonal-food-watercress|access-date=15 December 2012}}</ref>

Much of the river from its source to Swaythling is classified as a {{convert| 748.5 |ha|acre|abbr=off|adj=on}} biological [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] (SSSI),<ref name=dsv>{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S2000227&SiteName=&countyCode=19&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: River Itchen | series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date = 18 May 2020}}</ref><ref name=map>{{cite web|url= https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%272000227%27|title=Map of River Itchen|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 18 May 2020}}</ref> and a [[Special Area of Conservation]],<ref>{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteGeneralDetail.aspx?SiteCode=UK0012599&SiteName=&countyCode=19&responsiblePerson=&unitId=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: River Itchen | series= Special Areas of Conservation|publisher=Natural England|access-date = 24 April 2020}}</ref> of which the {{convert| 9 |ha|acre|abbr=off|adj=on}} [[Hockley Meadows]] nature reserve is a part.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.hiwwt.org.uk/nature-reserves/hockley-meadows-nature-reserve |title= Hockley Meadows |publisher= Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust |access-date= 30 April 2020}}</ref> The Itchen estuary is part of the separate [[Lee-on-The Solent to Itchen Estuary]] SSSI.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1005846&SiteName=&countyCode=19&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= | title=Designated Sites View: Lee-on-The Solent to Itchen Estuary |series=Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 17 April 2020}}</ref>

==Etymology and other name==
The name is likely from a [[Brittonic languages|Brittonic language]] and in meaning unknown. The settlement of [[Itchen Abbas]], before its abbot's ownership, is transcribed by early [[Middle English orthography]] which used the letter ''c'' followed by ''e'' or ''i'' to denote the {{IPAc-en|tʃ}} sound and an ''e invariably after an n'' to avoid those down strokes being ambiguous thus, as ''Icene'' in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086.<ref>Mills, David (2011), [https://books.google.com/books?id=tXucAQAAQBAJ&dq=%22Itchen%22+meaning+of+name&pg=PA259 A Dictionary of British Place-Names], Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|978-0-19-960908-6}} (p. 259)</ref> The name, in upper parts was once seen as interchangeable with the tributary [[River Alre|Alre]].<ref name=Knight>{{cite book|last=Knight|first=Charles|title=Geography: The English Cyclopaedia, Volume IV|year=1867|publisher=Bradbury, Evans|location=London|pages=631|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UAVCAAAAYAAJ&q=Alre}}</ref><ref name=Camden>{{cite book|last=Camden|first=William|title=Britannia|publisher=J. B.|year=1586|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_fHBbAAAAQAAJ|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_fHBbAAAAQAAJ/page/n238 181]|quote=William Camden alre.}}</ref>

==Course==
The source is north of [[Kilmeston]], in that [[civil parishes in England|civil]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://kilmeston.org.uk/PPdocs/PPoverview.pdf |title= A Brief Overview of Kilmeston Parish|access-date=5 September 2020 |archive-date=31 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831061212/http://kilmeston.org.uk/PPdocs/PPoverview.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> and ecclesiastical parish.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.achurchnearyou.com/search/?lat=51.0421&lon=-1.1604|title = A Church Near You}}</ref> The river flows north, through [[Cheriton, Hampshire|Cheriton]] village and east of overwhelmingly agricultural [[Tichborne]] village, before joining with tributaries the [[River Alre]] and [[Candover Brook]] immediately north-west of the town of [[New Alresford]]. The river then carves its way west passing the villages of [[Avington, Hampshire|Avington]], [[Itchen Stoke]], Itchen Abbas, [[Martyr Worthy]], [[Easton, Hampshire|Easton]], and [[Abbots Worthy]]; to enter the cathedral city of [[Winchester]] it crosses [[Winnall Moors]] to turn south for its remainder.<ref>Ordnance Survey (2004). ''OS Explorer Map 132 – Winchester, New Alresford & East Meon''. {{ISBN|0-319-23601-3}}.</ref>

[[File:The Weirs, River Itchen, Winchester.jpg|thumb|"The Weirs" in [[Winchester]].]]
It flows in [[anabranch]]es through the city, some close enough to [[Winchester Cathedral]] to cause problems to the foundations in the past. The main channel flows through [[Winchester City Mill]] and to the east of the [[Winchester city walls|city's Roman walls]], along a promenaded reach known as "The Weirs".

Its waters can overflow into [[water-meadow]]s, passing: the [[Hospital of St Cross]]; the villages of [[Twyford, Hampshire|Twyford]]; [[Compton and Shawford|Shawford]]; between the town of [[Eastleigh]] and the village of [[Bishopstoke]]; and through [[Itchen Valley Country Park]] before reaching the northern suburbs of [[Southampton]] at [[Mansbridge]]. Between Winchester and Mansbridge, sections were deepened or widened for the long-disused [[Itchen Navigation]], and the former towpath forms part of the [[Itchen Way]].<ref>Ordnance Survey (2004). ''OS Explorer Map OL22 – New Forest''. {{ISBN|0-319-23616-1}}.</ref>

[[Monks Brook]] flows into the Itchen at [[Swaythling]], and the river then passes under Woodmill Bridge and becomes tidal. Four further bridges cross it before the [[River Test|Test]] estuary in [[Southampton Water]]:
* [[Cobden Bridge]], a road bridge connecting [[Bitterne Park]] and [[St Denys]].
* Cobden railway bridge carrying the Southampton – [[Portsmouth]] [[West Coastway Line|railway line]]. Opened in 1866, the bridge is supported by two sets of cast iron cylinders resulting in three 115-foot openings.<ref name=Moody94 /> The bridge's girders are made from wrought iron.<ref name=Moody94>{{cite book |last=Moody |first=Bert |date=1992 |title=Southampton's Railways |publisher=Waterfront Publications |page=93 |isbn=0946184631}}</ref> In order to try to prevent the Northam Bridge Company from trying to block the bill authorising the railway, it was agreed that pedestrians would not be allowed to use the bridge.<ref name=marshbob145>{{cite book |last=Marsh |first=Keith |author-link= |date=2007 |title=The Book of Bittern From Roman Town to City Suburb  |publisher=Halsgrove |page=145 |isbn=9781841146355}}</ref> Even so the opening of the viaduct diverted traffic from other crossings with the [[Woolston Floating Bridge]] seeing a significant fall in income.<ref name=jones>{{cite book |last=Jones |first=B.C |date=1977 |title=Crossing the Itchen |publisher=City of Southampton |pages=14–15}}</ref>
* [[Northam Bridge]], a road bridge carrying the [[A3024 road]] from [[Bitterne Manor]] to [[Northam, Hampshire|Northam]], which was originally opened in 1799.<ref name='bend'>{{cite book | last = Holt | first = John |author2=Anne Cole | title = A bend in the River | publisher = Bitterne Local History Society | date = February 1992 | location = Southampton }}</ref>
* The [[Itchen Bridge]], a high-level toll road bridge connecting the docks area with [[Woolston, Southampton|Woolston]]. This replaced the [[Woolston Floating Bridge]] (a [[chain ferry]]) which had previously crossed the river at this point.

Between the latter two, the river passes [[St Mary's Stadium]], the home of [[Southampton F.C.]] As the river meets Southampton Water it passes several rowing clubs, sailing clubs and the major mixed-development on the [[bank (geography)|left bank]] in Woolston, called [[Centenary Quay]].

==Watermills==
[[File:Woodmill, Southampton.jpg|thumb|Woodmill, Southampton]]
Surviving mills on the Itchen include [[Winchester City Mill]] (restored to working order by the [[National Trust]]), Abbey Mill, Winchester; converted to a restaurant, Wharf Mill, Winchester; converted to apartments, St Cross Mill, Winchester; converted to private dwellings, College Mill, Winchester; converted to a private dwelling, Hockley Mill, Winchester; converted to private dwellings,<ref>{{cite web |title=Hockley Mill |url=https://www.hampshiremills.org/Mills%20Hockley.htm |website=Hampshire Mills Group |access-date=4 October 2023}}</ref> [[Gaters Mill]], Southampton; converted to offices, and Woodmill, Southampton; now a recreational water activities centre and the limit of navigation.  Sites of demolished mills include those at Durngate, Winchester; at the southern entrance to [[Winnall Moors]] Nature Reserve, St Catherine's lock, Winchester and Shears Mill in Bishopstoke.<ref>{{cite web |title=Shears Mill |url=https://www.bishopstokepc.org/shears-mill |website=Bishopstoke Parish Council |access-date=4 October 2023}}</ref>

==Marinas and boatyards==
[[File:Itchen wharves.jpg|thumb|Itchen wharves with St Mary's Stadium]]
The lower part of the river is an important yachting centre and contains several marinas, sailing centres and boatyards. From seaward they are:<ref>Admiralty Charts: Small Craft Folio SC5600 Chart 10A</ref>

* Ocean Village Marina (MDL), on the western shore just below the Itchen Bridge and close to the city centre
* Southampton Water Activities Centre, almost underneath the bridge on the western shore
* Itchen Marine, just above the bridge, principally a towage business but with some berths for yachts and the only fuel berth in the river
* Merlin Boatyard, opposite Itchen Marine, on the eastern shore
* Lauren Marine Services, a small marina on the eastern side
* Ocean Quay and Solent Breeze Yacht Charter on the west side
* Shamrock Quay (MDL), the biggest marina in the river, also on the west
* Saxon Wharf (MDL) is almost adjacent to Shamrock Quay, containing the biggest boat lift in Britain (200t){{cn|date=October 2023}}
* Kemps Quay Marina on the eastern (now northern) shore, a drying marina and boatyard
* Quayside Marina, a single long pontoon next to Kemps
* Drivers Wharf, another single long pontoon, parallel to the shore, with a crane and boatyard

Above Northam Bridge, the limit of navigation for masted craft, are the Vespasian Road boatyard and numerous small establishments.

==Ecology==
{{Infobox SSSI
|image=  River Itchen - geograph.org.uk - 71945.jpg
|image_caption = The river near [[Bishopstoke]]
|name=  River Itchen
|aos=  Hampshire
|interest=Biological
|gridref={{gbmappingsmall|SU 496 261}}<ref name=dsv/>
|area=                    {{convert|748.5|ha|acre|abbr=off}}<ref name=dsv/>
|notifydate=                           2000<ref name=dsv/>
|map=[https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%272000227%27 ''Magic Map''] 
}}

The SSSI covers the river and its banks, with fen, flood meadows, wet woodland and swamp. It has populations of the nationally rare [[southern damselfly]] and [[white-clawed crayfish]]. Other fauna include [[Lutra lutra|otters]], [[Arvicola terrestris|water voles]], [[Atlantic salmon]], [[Northern shoveler|shovelers]] and [[Cetti's warbler]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/Citation/2000227.pdf |title=River Itchen citation|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 18 May 2020}}</ref>

===Water quality===
The Environment Agency measure water quality of the river systems in England. Each is given an overall ecological status, which may be one of five levels: high, good, moderate, poor and bad. There are several components that are used to determine this, including biological status, which looks at the quantity and varieties of [[invertebrate]]s, [[angiosperm]]s and fish, and chemical status, which compares the concentrations of various chemicals against known safe concentrations. Chemical status is rated good or fail.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/glossary |website=Catchment Data Explorer |title=Glossary (see Biological quality element; Chemical status; and Ecological status) |publisher=Environment Agency |date=17 February 2016}} [[File:Open Government Licence logo.svg|30px]] Text was copied from this source, which is available under an [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/ Open Government Licence v3.0]. © Crown copyright.</ref>

Water quality of the River Itchen in 2022:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Section !! Ecological<br />Status !! Chemical<br />Status !! Overall<br />Status !! Length !! Catchment !! Channel
|-
| {{waterqual_title |desc=Itchen |asset= GB107042022580}} 
| {{waterqual_good}} 
| {{waterqual_fail}} 
| {{waterqual_mod}} 
| {{convert| 87.94 |km|mi|abbr=on}} including all anabranches (unconventional)
| {{convert| 119.619 |km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}
| multi
|-
| {{waterqual_title |desc=Itchen (Cheriton Stream)|asset= GB107042016670}} 
| {{waterqual_good}} 
| {{waterqual_fail}} 
| {{waterqual_mod}} 
| {{convert| 11.045 |km|mi|abbr=on}}
| {{convert| 76.892 |km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}
| multi
|- 
| {{waterqual_title |desc=Candover Brook|asset= GB107042022620}} 
| {{waterqual_mod}} 
| {{waterqual_fail}} 
| {{waterqual_mod}} 
| {{convert| 9.599 |km|mi|abbr=on}}
| {{convert| 71.761 |km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}
| multi
|- 
| {{waterqual_title |desc= Nun's Walk Stream|asset= GB107042022730}} 
| {{waterqual_good}} 
| {{waterqual_fail}} 
| {{waterqual_mod}} 
| {{convert| 3.336 |km|mi|abbr=on}}
| {{convert| 43.95 |km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}
| single
|- 
|}

==In popular culture==
[[Death and the Maiden (novel)|''Death and the Maiden'']], a 1947 novel by [[Gladys Mitchell]] features the river.

==See also==
{{Portal|Hampshire}}

*[[List of rivers of the United Kingdom]]
*[[List of watermills in the United Kingdom]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|River Itchen, Hampshire}}
* Map source for the {{OS coord|SU589273_region:GB_scale:100000|source}} and {{OS coord|SU431095_region:GB_scale:100000|mouth}}
*{{cite web|url= http://www.geog.port.ac.uk/webmap/itchen/frameset.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060302204525/http://www.geog.port.ac.uk/webmap/itchen/frameset.html|title=River Itchen Archaeology Project Home Page|archivedate=2 March 2006}}
{{Hydrology of Hampshire}}
{{SSSIs Hampshire biological}}
<!--{{coord|50.9052|N|1.38565|W|type:river_region:GB|display=title|format=dms}}-->

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Itchen, River}}
[[Category:Rivers of Hampshire]]
[[Category:Geography of Southampton]]
[[Category:Eastleigh]]
[[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Hampshire]]
[[Category:Itchen catchment| ]]