View source for River Ravensbourne

{{Short description|Tributary of the Thames in south London}}
{{Distinguish|text=the [[River Rom#The Ravensbourne|Ravensbourne]], a river in east London}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2010}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox river
| name               = Ravensbourne
| native_name        = 
| native_name_lang   = 
| name_other         = Deptford Creek
| name_etymology     = 
| image              = Ravensbourne River BR2 - geograph.org.uk - 43852.jpg
| image_size         = 300px
| image_caption      = The river in [[Bromley]]
| map                = 
| map_size           = 
| map_caption        = 
| pushpin_map        = 
| pushpin_map_size   = 
| pushpin_map_caption= 
| subdivision_type1  = Country
| subdivision_name1  = [[England]]
| subdivision_type2  = 
| subdivision_name2  = 
| subdivision_type3  = Counties
| subdivision_name3  = 
| subdivision_type4  = [[London borough]]s
| subdivision_name4  = [[London Borough of Bromley]], [[London Borough of Lewisham]], [[Royal Borough of Greenwich]]
| subdivision_type5  = Towns
| subdivision_name5  = [[Bromley]], [[Lewisham]], [[Deptford]]
| length_km = 17.4
| width_min          = 
| width_avg          = 
| width_max          = 
| depth_min          = 
| depth_avg          = 
| depth_max          = 
| discharge1_location= Catford Hill
| discharge1_min     = {{convert|0.09|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}23&nbsp;May&nbsp;1992
| discharge1_avg     = {{convert|0.43|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_max     = {{convert|28.4|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}9&nbsp;June&nbsp;1992
| discharge2_location= [[Bromley South]]
| discharge2_min     = 
| discharge2_avg     = {{convert|0.05|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge2_max     = 
| source1            = [[Keston]]
| source1_location   = 
| source1_coordinates= 
| source1_elevation  = 
| mouth              = [[River Thames]]
| mouth_location     = [[Deptford]]
| mouth_coordinates  = 
| mouth_elevation    = 
| progression        = 
| river_system       = 
| basin_size_km2 = 180
| tributaries_left  = Ravensbourne South Branch, Ravensbourne East Branch, Spring Brook, [[River Pool (London)|River Pool]], [[River Quaggy]]
| tributaries_right  = 
| custom_label       = 
| custom_data        = 
| extra              = 
}}

The '''River Ravensbourne''' is a [[tributary]] of the [[River Thames]] in [[south London]], [[England]]. It flows north from near [[Bromley]] into the tidal River Thames at [[Deptford]], where its [[tidal reach]] is known as Deptford Creek.

== Geography ==
The Ravensbourne is 11 miles (17&nbsp;km) in length with a total [[drainage basin|catchment area]] of 180&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>. It flows through the [[London]] Boroughs of [[London Borough of Bromley|Bromley]], [[London Borough of Lewisham|Lewisham]] and [[Royal Borough of Greenwich|Greenwich]].

[[File:Caesar's Well in Keston.jpg|thumb|left|Caesar's Well on Keston Common, the source of the Ravensbourne]]

The Ravensbourne [[source (river)|rises]] at Caesar's Well, [[Keston]], four miles south of Bromley town centre, and flows initially in a northerly direction. For the initial third of its length, the river flows across common land (including [[Hayes Common]] and Bromley Common) until it reaches the southern outskirts of Bromley town. There it is joined by the Ravensbourne South Branch and the Ravensbourne East Branch, which substantially increase the flow.

The Ravensbourne then flows northwards alongside the [[A21 road (England)|A21]], passing below Bromley town centre through Church Gardens and Glassmill Reservoir, then on into [[Beckenham Place Park]], the last semi-natural reach of the river. Further north, it passes through Ladywell Fields, where considerable restoration work has been taking place since 2007/08, with the removal of a long stretch of 1980's concrete channeling, re-routing to more closely match its natural course, and the introduction of [[Fluvial terrace|terraces]] and submerged aquatic vegetation ([[Aquatic plant|SAV]]) to provide animal habitat and improve flood control.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=23 September 2008 |title=The River Restoration Centre Case Study Series: River Ravensbourne, Ladywell Fields (QUERCUS) |url=https://www.therrc.co.uk/case_studies/ladywell_fields.pdf |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=9 February 2021 |website=The River Restoration Centre}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=7 February 2017 |title=London Rivers Week: River Ravensbourne, Ladywell Fields, Lewis ham |url=http://www.thames21.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/River-Ravensbourne-Ladywell-Fields-Lewisham-1.pdf |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2021-02-09 |website=Thames 21}}</ref>

[[File:River Ravensbourne in Brookmill Park - geograph.org.uk - 2405251.jpg|thumb|left|The Ravensbourne in Brookmill Park]]

North of Ladywell Fields, passing to the east of [[Ladywell station]], it continues under [[Lewisham]], passing west of the [[Lewisham Shopping Centre]] and forming the boundary of the Cornmill Gardens playground. It flows to the east of [[Lewisham station]], and then flows north into [[Deptford]], forming the northeastern border of [[Brookmill Park]]. The [[Docklands Light Railway]] closely follows this stretch from [[Lewisham station|Lewisham]] to [[Greenwich station|Greenwich]], as the river is crossed by the [[A2 road (England)|A2]] and then widens north of [[Deptford Bridge DLR station|Deptford Bridge station]] into its tidal reach, where it is named Deptford Creek.<ref>{{cite web |title=Thames Discovery Programme - Discover Deptford Creek |url=http://www.thamesdiscovery.org/events/discover-deptford-creek |website=www.thamesdiscovery.org|access-date=2023-06-22}}</ref><ref name="Londonist">{{cite web |title=Weekend Walks: The River Ravensbourne From Catford To The Thames |url=https://londonist.com/london/great-outdoors/weekend-walks-the-river-ravensbourne-from-catford-to-the-thames |website=Londonist |language=en |date=2017-08-18 |access-date=2023-06-22}}</ref>

Its [[Confluence (geography)|confluence]] with the Thames is in Greenwich Reach, north-east of [[Deptford]] town centre and west of [[Greenwich, London|Greenwich]].

{{image frame|width=|align=center|border=no|content=
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Ladywell Fields - geograph.org.uk - 227032.jpg|Before. Note chimney in this picture and next.
File:Ladywell Fields after development - geograph.org.uk - 691859.jpg|Immediately after re-meandering.
File:Lewisham, Ladywell Fields - geograph.org.uk - 1331455.jpg|A year later, when the banks have renaturalized somewhat.
File:Ravensbourne diversion channel in Ladywell Fields - geograph.org.uk - 2712275.jpg|Three years after re-meandering.
</gallery>|caption=The River Ravensbourne at [[Ladywell Fields]] was removed from the concrete and re-meandered. Park use more than doubled and most people went from feeling unsafe there to feeling safe.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=23 September 2008 |title=The River Restoration Centre Case Study Series: River Ravensbourne, Ladywell Fields (QUERCUS) |url=https://www.therrc.co.uk/case_studies/ladywell_fields.pdf |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=9 February 2021 |website=The River Restoration Centre}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=7 February 2017 |title=London Rivers Week: River Ravensbourne, Ladywell Fields, Lewis ham |url=http://www.thames21.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/River-Ravensbourne-Ladywell-Fields-Lewisham-1.pdf |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2021-02-09 |website=Thames 21}}</ref>}}

{{maplink|type=line|frame=yes|frame-align=right|stroke-colour=#5E74F3|frame-height=300|frame-width=300|zoom=10|text=Course of the River Ravensbourne}}

=== Tributaries ===
South of [[Bellingham, London|Bellingham]], the small Spring Brook joins the Ravensbourne after flowing only about one mile (1.6&nbsp;km) from the east through [[Plaistow, Bromley|Plaistow]] and [[Downham, London|Downham]]; it crosses the borough boundary from Bromley to Lewisham and follows a narrow strip of parkland named Shaftesbury Park Recreation Ground and Downham Playing Fields along its short course.

Just above [[Catford]] the Ravensbourne is joined by the [[River Pool (London)|River Pool]]. The Ravensbourne is also joined by the [[River Quaggy]] (known upstream of [[Sundridge Park]] as [[Kyd Brook]], and 3.5 miles (5.6&nbsp;km) in length). This rises near [[Princess Royal University Hospital]] at Locksbottom then flows north through [[Petts Wood]] to Sundridge Park in Bromley where its name changes to the River Quaggy. It then flows northwards through the [[Mottingham]] area to [[Kidbrooke]] where it then turns westwards through Manor Park in [[Lee, London|Lee]], before joining the Ravensbourne at Loampit Vale in [[Lewisham]].

Numerous other small streams and surface water outfalls join the main river between its source and confluence. Until the 19th century one such stream flowed from [[Brockley|Brockley Cross]] crossing Tanners Hill before joining at Deptford Creek.

== Etymology ==
The earliest documented name is ''Randesbourne'' in 1360, then ''Rendesburne'' in 1372, ''Randysborne'' in 1516 and ''Ravensburn'' in 1575. The later spelling of ''Ravensbourne'' is thus due to folk etymology, and the likely meaning is 'boundary stream', from Old English ''rand''&nbsp;and ''burna''. In its ten-mile course, the Ravensbourne forms the boundary between several sets of parishes.<ref>{{Cite web|title=River Ravensbourne|url=https://www.ravensbournevalley.org/river-ravensbourne.php|website=Ravensbourne Valley Residents}}</ref>

== History ==
The [[Domesday Book]] recorded eleven corn [[watermill|mills]] on the Ravensbourne in the 11th century.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.qwag.org.uk/news/arch_717.php| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081121002306/http://www.qwag.org.uk/news/arch_717.php| archive-date = 2008-11-21| title = Quaggy Waterways Action Group - News Page}}</ref> The 17th century London [[diary|diarist]] [[John Evelyn]] bought one of these mills &ndash; Brookmills &ndash; in 1668 for "grinding colour" from the Beecher family. It was later used by the Kent Waterworks company. It was finally demolished in the 1850s.<ref name="waterworks">{{cite web|first=Jennifer |last=Lowe|url=http://www.tvas.co.uk/reports/pdf/DPS99-77ds.pdf |title=Former Water Works, Deals Gateway, Deptford:An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment for St James Homes Ltd|date=Nov 1999|publisher=Thames Valley Archaeological Services|accessdate=25 March 2014}}</ref>

[[File:River Ravensbourne in Lewisham.jpg|thumb|left|The River Ravensbourne as it passes through Lewisham, under railway arches]]

The bridge over Deptford Creek was the site of the [[Battle of Deptford Bridge]], 17 June 1497, the last battle of the [[Cornish Rebellion of 1497]].

From the 16th century onwards until its closure in the 19th century, the proximity of [[Deptford Dockyard]], a [[Royal Navy Dockyard|Royal Dockyard]] created by [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]], gave employment to many small shipbuilders on the [[Creek (tidal)|creek]]. [[Queen Elizabeth I]] knighted [[Francis Drake]] on board the ''[[Golden Hind]]'' in Deptford Creek on Drake's return from his circumnavigation of the globe in 1580. The ''Golden Hind'' remained moored in the creek until it broke up.

[[File:The Thames Path by Deptford Creek - geograph.org.uk - 3480155.jpg|thumb|right|Deptford Creek]]
Deptford Creek was also host to a large [[Deptford Power Station|power station]], now dismantled,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/server.php?show=ConGallery.17 |title=Deptford Creek - About maritime London - Port Cities |accessdate=2009-12-19 |url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303172200/http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/server.php?show=ConGallery.17 |archivedate=3 March 2009 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> as well as other heavy industries. Now regeneration of the area is under way. For much of the lower reach between [[Lewisham]] and the [[Thames]], the Ravensbourne (and Deptford Creek) is joined by the [[Docklands Light Railway]]. Indeed, the channel was diverted in Brookmill Park so that the DLR could run along the route of the river. A new bend in the river was constructed that gave more natural banks and created a better habitat for flora and fauna.

Just south of the DLR's final northern crossing of the river, on the eastern bank, is [[Deptford pumping station]], constructed in the 1860s as part of the [[London sewerage system]]. There are also a number of new developments, including the [[Laban Dance Centre]] and apartment blocks at the mouth of the creek alongside the Thames, approximately 0.5&nbsp;km west of Greenwich town centre.

Between 1974 and 1997, the name of the river was used for the [[Ravensbourne (UK Parliament constituency)|Ravensbourne parliamentary constituency]] within the London Borough of Bromley. It also gives its name to a [[Ravensbourne railway station|railway station]].

Every year on 1 May at 5.32am, the Ravensbourne [[Morris Men]] dance up the [[Beltaine]] Sunrise at Caesars Well, the source of the Ravensbourne River.<ref>{{cite web|first=Rachel |last=Connor |title=Morris men dance at dawn to bring in the summer |url=http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/weird/9687216.Morris_men_dance_at_dawn_to_bring_in_the_summer/?action=complain&cid=10346750 |publisher=www.newsshopper.co.uk |date=3 May 2012 |accessdate=8 March 2013}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Tributaries of the River Thames]]
* [[List of rivers in England]]
* [[River Quaggy|The River Quaggy]]
* [[Creekside Discovery Centre]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.londonslostrivers.com/river-ravensbourne.html London's Lost Rivers site]

{{River item box
|type=confluence
|river=[[River Thames]]
|upstream=[[Regent's Canal]] (north)<br />([[Limehouse Basin]])  
|downstream=[[River Lea]] (north)}}

{{Coord|51.482|N|0.01706|W|type:river_region:GB|display=title|format=dms}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ravensbourne}}
[[Category:Rivers of London]]
[[Category:Geography of the London Borough of Bromley]]
[[Category:Geography of the Royal Borough of Greenwich]]
[[Category:Geography of the London Borough of Lewisham]]
[[Category:Nature reserves in the London Borough of Lewisham]]
[[Category:Downham, London]]
[[Category:Thames drainage basin|1Ravensbourne]]