View source for River Leach

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox river
| name               = River Leach
| name_native        = 
| name_native_lang   = 
| name_other         = 
| name_etymology     = 
<!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP -->
| image              = File:The upper River Leach - close up - geograph.org.uk - 296606.jpg
| image_size         = 270
| image_caption      = Upper Leach near Eastleach Turville
| map                = 
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<!---------------------- LOCATION -->
| subdivision_type1  = Country
| subdivision_name1  = [[England]]
| subdivision_type2  = 
| subdivision_name2  = 
| subdivision_type3  = Counties
| subdivision_name3  = [[Gloucestershire]], [[Oxfordshire]]
| subdivision_type4  = Districts / Boroughs
| subdivision_name4  = 
| subdivision_type5  = Towns
| subdivision_name5  = [[Northleach]], [[Lechlade]]
<!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS -->
| length_km = 29
| width_min          = 
| width_avg          = 
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| depth_min          = 
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| discharge1_location= Priory Mill Lechlade
| discharge1_min     = {{convert|0.01|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}25&nbsp;September&nbsp;1990
| discharge1_avg     = {{convert|0.75|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_max     = 
<!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES -->
| source1            = [[Hampnett]]
| source1_location   = [[Gloucestershire]], [[Cotswolds]]
| source1_coordinates= {{coord|51|41|N|1|38|W|display=inline}}
| source1_elevation  = 
| mouth              = [[River Thames]]
| mouth_location     = [[Lechlade]]
| mouth_coordinates  = {{coord|51.689053|-1.677285|region:GB_type:river|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| mouth_elevation    = 
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}}

The '''River Leach''' is a [[river]] and upper [[tributary]] to the [[River Thames|Thames]], in England which runs almost entirely in [[Gloucestershire]]. It is approximately 18 miles (29&nbsp;km) long, springing from the limestone uplands of the [[Cotswolds]]. In parts it becomes a seasonal bourn, an old concept, meaning only running above ground when there is sufficient rainfall. Despite its small size it gives its name to two towns and a pair of villages.

==Sources==
The source of the Leach is in the village of [[Hampnett]], about ten miles east of [[Cheltenham]] just south of the [[A40 road]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Parishes: Hampnett Pages 81-91  A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 9, Bradley Hundred. The Northleach Area of the Cotswolds. |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/glos/vol9/pp81-91 |website=British History Online |publisher=Victoria County History |access-date=19 August 2020}}</ref>  The source spring is enclosed by stonework and pours from a pipe.  It seems likely that this spring in a sheltered valley on the Cotswold uplands was the original reason for the existence of the village of Hampnett.  According to residents, this section runs all year round.{{cn|date=October 2020}}

==Early stream==
After running a mile down its limestone valley, the Leach reaches [[Northleach]], the first settlement to which it gives its name. The river enters Northleach to the south west, where it gushes out of a Victorian conduit just below the Fosse Way. At this point it is also known as the Seven Springs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Parishes: Northleach with Eastington Pages 106-145  A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 9, Bradley Hundred. The Northleach Area of the Cotswolds. |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/glos/vol9/pp106-145 |website=British History Online |publisher=Victoria County History |access-date=19 August 2020}}</ref> The site of the first [[watermill]] on the river is in a part of Northleach called Mill End. A section of the river is confined into mill race type stonework, close to the churchyard and runs behind houses marking the town boundary. The river can next be seen at a road bridge at the end of the town. It is still little more than ditch-sized, and as such continues down the valley to the hamlet of [[Eastington, Cotswold|Eastington]] running alongside a lane before passing through a culvert and away through grazing land.

==Seasonal bourn==
The river runs behind [[Lodge Park and Sherborne Estate|Lodge Park]], a [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]] property, and through Larkethill Wood, where it flows under another lane, before passing Kilkenny Farm.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lodge Park, Aldsworth |url=https://www.parksandgardens.org/places/lodge-park-aldsworth-1 |website=Parks and Gardens UK |publisher=Parks and Gardens |access-date=19 August 2020}}</ref> The Leach valley shows as a substantial dip in the [[B4425 road|B4425]] [[Cirencester]]-[[Burford]] road.  The river has an embankment at the bottom of the valley, but has not increased in size.  Through all this section the river is often nearly invisible under summer vegetation.  It then passes Swyre Farm with another road crossing, then Dean Farm, before reaching a very picturesque winding valley, crossed by the Westwell-Hatherop road.<ref>{{cite web |title=The River Leach |url=https://www.eastleach.org/the-river-leach/ |publisher=Eastleach Village |access-date=19 August 2020}}</ref> This section is notably a bourn in an unremarkable depression, that is, it normally runs in the winter, but often below the surface or dry in part of the summer. The bourn section is usually running continuously long enough to have the appearance of a river, with a scoured bed and water plants.)

==River==
Between this road crossing and the paired villages of [[Eastleach Martin]] and [[Eastleach Turville]] is the point at which the bourn becomes an all-year river.  Here it is crossed by a stone slab [[clapper bridge]] on a footpath close to a wide marshy area.  A small spring rises close to the bridge. By the time the river passes between the Eastleach villages, each with their parish churches just a few hundred yards apart, the Leach has become a "proper" river, several yards (metres) wide.  Between the villages a road bridge and another "clapper" footbridge cross the river. It passes another old mill between the Eastleaches and [[Southrop]] (pronounced "Suth-er-op") then skirts the hamlet of Fyfield. At the bridge at Southrop it divides into several channels, making a very attractive effect. From Southrop, the Leach forms the border between Gloucestershire and [[Oxfordshire]].

==Final section and confluence==
There are three large watermills (none working) on the river in fairly quick succession, firstly at [[Little Faringdon]] close to [[Lechlade]] the second town named after the river, then at Lechlade Mill,<ref>{{cite web |title=River Leach – Cotswold Fly Fishers |url=https://www.wildtrout.org/assets/reports/Leach%20PP.pdf |publisher=The Wild Trout Trust |access-date=19 August 2020}}</ref> and finally Priory Mill which is situated on the [[Kelmscott]] road. A few hundred yards (metres) later the Leach discharges from the northern bank into the Thames on the reach above [[Buscot Lock]]. It joins at the corner of the camping field behind [[Trout Inn, Lechlade|The Trout Inn]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Lechlade |url=https://www.thecotswoldsguide.com/Lechlade |publisher=Cotswold Guide |access-date=19 August 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. Chemical status, which compares the concentrations of various chemicals against known safe concentrations, is rated good or fail.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/help/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 Leach in 2019:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Section !! Ecological<br />Status !! Chemical<br />Status !! Overall<br />Status !! Length !! Catchment !! Channel
|-
| {{waterqual_title |desc= Leach (Source to Thames) |asset= GB106039030040}} 
| {{waterqual_poor}} 
| {{waterqual_fail}} 
| {{waterqual_poor}} 
| {{convert| 30.734 |km|mi|abbr=on}}
| {{convert| 77.748 |km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}
| 
|}

==See also==
*[[Tributaries of the River Thames]]
*[[List of rivers in England]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{S-start}}
{{River confluence start|River=[[River Thames]]}}
{{River item line|upstream=[[River Coln]] (north) with<br>[[Thames and Severn Canal]]
|downstream=[[River Cole, Wiltshire|River Cole]] (south)}}
{{S-end}}

{{Transport in Gloucestershire}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Rivers of Gloucestershire|Leach]]
[[Category:Cotswolds]]
[[Category:Thames drainage basin|1Leach]]