View source for River Wensum

{{Short description|River in Norfolk, England}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}
{{Infobox river
| name               = Wensum
| native_name        = 
| native_name_lang   = 
| name_other         = 
| name_etymology     = 
<!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP -->
| image              = 
| image_size         = 
| image_caption      = The River Wensum in [[Norwich]]
| map                = 
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<!---------------------- LOCATION -->
| subdivision_type1  = Country
| subdivision_name1  = [[England]]
| subdivision_type2  = 
| subdivision_name2  = 
| subdivision_type3  = Counties
| subdivision_name3  = [[Norfolk]]
| subdivision_type4  = Districts / Boroughs
| subdivision_name4  = 
| subdivision_type5  = Towns
| subdivision_name5  = 
<!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS -->
| length             =  
| width_min          = 
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| discharge1_location= Costessey Mill
| discharge1_min     = {{convert|0.36|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}} 6 August 1991
| discharge1_avg     = {{convert|4.05|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_max     = {{convert|34.0|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}} 29 January 1984
| discharge2_location= [[Swanton Morley]]
| discharge2_min     = 
| discharge2_avg     = {{convert|2.76|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge2_max     = 
| discharge3_location= [[Fakenham]]
| discharge3_min     =  
| discharge3_avg     = {{convert|0.87|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
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<!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES -->
| source1            = 
| source1_location   = [[Whissonsett]], [[Norfolk]]
| source1_coordinates= {{coord|52.7917|0.8464|display=inline}}
| source1_elevation  = 
| mouth              = [[River Yare]]
| mouth_location     = [[Whitlingham]], [[Norwich]]
| mouth_coordinates  = {{coord|52.6213|1.3230|display=inline,title}}
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}}

The '''River Wensum''' is a [[chalk river]]<ref name= Nat/> in [[Norfolk, England|Norfolk]], England and a [[tributary]] of the [[River Yare]],<ref name="BritannicaWensum">{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/River-Wensum |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117071722/https://www.britannica.com/place/River-Wensum |archive-date=17 November 2017 |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopaedia Britannica]] |title=River Wensum}}</ref> despite being the larger of the two rivers. The river is a biological [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]]<ref>{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1006328&SiteName=&countyCode=29&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea=  |title=Designated Sites View: River Wensum| series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date =13 June 2018}}</ref><ref name=map>{{cite web|url= http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271006328%27|title=Map of River Wensum|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date=  13 June 2018}}</ref> and [[Special Area of Conservation]].<ref>{{cite web|url=  https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteGeneralDetail.aspx?SiteCode=UK0012647&SiteName=&countyCode=29&responsiblePerson=&unitId=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: River Wensum | series=Special Areas of Conservation|publisher=Natural England|access-date = 1 June 2018}}</ref><ref>[https://www.jncc.gov.uk/ProtectedSites/SACselection/sac.asp?EUCode=UK0012647 River Wensum, Special area of conservation, Joint Nature Conservation Committee] Retrieved 13 October 2008</ref>

The Wensum is the principal river on which the city of [[Norwich]] was founded.<ref name="BritannicaNorwich">{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Norwich-England |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710050628/https://www.britannica.com/place/Norwich-England |archive-date=10 July 2018 |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopaedia Britannica]] |title=Norwich}}</ref> The river passes [[Carrow Road]], the home of [[Norwich City F.C.]]; one end of the ground was originally named ''The River End'' in its honour, a name that still persists among fans.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/sport/top_flight_talk_2_7535/boosting_norwich_city_crowd_potential_would_turn_back_the_clock_1_781356| work = Norwich Evening News | date = 22 January 2011 | first = David | last = Cuffley | access-date = 11 June 2015| title = Boosting Norwich City crowd potential would turn back the clock}}</ref>

==Etymology==
The river receives its name from the [[Old English]] adjective ''wandsum'' or ''wendsum'', meaning "winding".<ref>Ekwall, E., ''The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names'' (1974), p. 496. {{ISBN|0-19-869103-3}}</ref>

==Course==
[[Image:River Wensum1.JPG|thumb|left| The river viewed from [[Marriott's Way]], [[Costessey]]]]
[[Image:Carrow Road exterior.jpg|thumb|left| [[Carrow Road]], viewed from the river]]

Modern Ordnance Survey Maps list the source of the Wensum as lying between the villages of [[Colkirk]] and [[Whissonsett]] in northwest Norfolk.<ref name="Landranger132">{{cite map |author=Ordnance Survey |author-link=Ordnance Survey |title=Sheet 132: North West Norfolk, King's Lynn & Fakenham |series=Landranger |year=2016 |isbn=9780319262306 |scale = 1:50,000}}</ref> The reasoning behind this claim is unknown given that other tributaries are further from the mouth; pre-modern maps and other written sources refer to the source to be in [[West Rudham]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Historical Maps of Norfolk|url=http://www.historic-maps.norfolk.gov.uk/mapexplorer/|access-date=2021-02-20|website=www.historic-maps.norfolk.gov.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Mee|first=Arthur|title=The King's England: Norfolk|publisher=[[Hodder & Stoughton]]|year=1946}}</ref> from springs arising on the aptly named Wensum Farm.   From the source the river flows close to the villages of [[South Raynham, Norfolk|South Raynham]], [[West Raynham, Norfolk|West Raynham]] and [[East Raynham, Norfolk|East Raynham]], passing [[Raynham Hall]], home of the [[Marquis Townshend]]. The Wensum then turns and flows north through a number of small villages until it reaches [[Sculthorpe, Norfolk|Sculthorpe]], where it turns east through the market town of [[Fakenham]].<ref name="Landranger132"/> The river then flows in a southeasterly direction through the [[Pensthorpe Nature Reserve]] and the village of [[Great Ryburgh]].

The Wensum continues through or close to the villages of [[Guist]], [[North Elmham]], [[Worthing, Norfolk|Worthing]], [[Swanton Morley]], [[Lyng, Norfolk|Lyng]], [[Lenwade]] and [[Taverham]] before entering the City of [[Norwich]] from the north-west via [[Drayton, Norfolk|Drayton]], [[Costessey]] and [[Hellesdon]]. At New Mills Yard, a former waterworks, the river becomes tidal and navigable by boat. Flowing through the city, the river forms a broad arc which would have influenced the site of the settlement for defensive reasons;{{Citation needed|date=October 2007}} remnants of boom towers can be seen near Wensum Park and Carrow Hill which formed part of the city wall and a large defensive tower can be seen on the bank near Barrack Street, called [[Cow Tower, Norwich|Cow Tower]]. This dates to the 12th century and was also used for collecting tolls.<ref>[http://www.georgeplunkett.co.uk/Website/citywallsandtowers.htm Cow Tower] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110126055158/http://georgeplunkett.co.uk/Website/citywallsandtowers.htm |date=26 January 2011 }} Retrieved 15 December 2010</ref> Evidence of the river's historical use as a means of transport for goods and trade from the continent is still visible: mills, quays and industrial remnants can be found near the station and along King Street, and a slipway at [[Pulls Ferry, Norwich|Pulls Ferry]] marks the start of a canal originally used to transport [[Caen Stone|stone from Caen]] in Normandy, in the 13th Century, to build [[Norwich Cathedral]]. This site was also a public house and used as a River Ferry until the 1950s.

The Wensum flows past [[Carrow Road]] football ground and then out of the city via [[Trowse]] to [[Whitlingham]] and its confluence with the River Yare. The Wensum is navigable from New Mills Yard in the centre of Norwich.

==Tributaries==
* [[River Tat]]. Rises on [[Syderstone]] Common and merges with the Wensum west of [[Fakenham]]
* [[River Tud]]. Rises a little south of [[East Dereham]] and merges with the Wensum just below [[Hellesdon]] mill.
* [[River Ainse (or Eyn)|River Ainse]]. Merges with the River Wensum at Lenwade.
* [[Norwich cockeys]]. A group of subterraneous streams flowing into the Wensum at Norwich, including the Muspole, Dalymond, Great Cockey, Dallingfleet, and Fresflete.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Ayers |first=Brian |title=Landscapes and Artefacts: Studies in East Anglian Archaeology Presented to Andrew Rogerson |date=2014 |publisher=[[Archaeopress]] |isbn=978-1-905739-75-2 |editor-last=Marsden |editor-first=Adrian |series=Archaeopress archaeology |location=Oxford |pages=129–137 |chapter=Norwich before Norwich: an exploration of the pre-urban landscape of the medieval city |editor-last2=Ashley |editor-first2=Steven}}</ref>

==Watermills==
[[File:Bintree Mill by Mark Boyer.jpg|right|thumb|Bintree Mill, 2005 (photo by Mark Boyer)]] [[Image:Lenwade5.JPG|thumb|Lenwade mill]] [[Image:River Wensum.JPG|thumb|right| The river below [[Hellesdon]] mill]]
[[File:John Crome - The River Wensum, Norwich - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|''[[The River Wensum, Norwich]]'' by [[John Crome]], 1814]]
There were a succession of [[water mill]]s on the Wensum, some of which are still standing and working. From the source these are
* [[Sculthorpe, Norfolk|Sculthorpe]] Mill. The 18th century water mill which bridges the river was converted into a hotel and restaurant in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - Sculthorpe watermill |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/sculthorpe.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Hempton]] Mill. The mill became derelict and was demolished in 1954 by the Drainage Board to improve control of the river levels.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - Hempton watermill |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/hempton.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Fakenham]] Mill. The 18th Century water mill bridging the river was in use until 1979. It was converted into homes in 1982.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - Fakenham watermill |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/fakenham.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Great Ryburgh]] Mill<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - Gt Ryburgh watermill |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/gt-ryburgh.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Guist]] Mill<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - Guist |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/guist.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Bintry Watermill|Bintry Mill]] ceased operation in 1980, but the building is still extant. It was used as the location for a film of [[George Eliot]]'s ''[[The Mill on the Floss]]'' in 1996.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - Bintry watermill |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/bintry.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[North Elmham]] Mill, known locally as Grint Mill, had two breastshot waterwheels until the early twentieth century when they were replaced by two turbines. By the 1970s the milling machinery was driven by mains electricity while the turbines were used to drive a sack hoist and two mixing machines. The mill continued to produce animal feed into the late twentieth century.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - North Elmham watermill |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/north-elmham.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Swanton Morley]] Mill was demolished in the 1840s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - Swanton Morley watermill |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/swanton-morley.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Elsing]] Mill ceased operation in 1970. The building is still extant.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - Elsing watermill |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/elsing.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Lyng, Norfolk|Lyng]] Mill was demolished in 1868.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - Lyng watermill |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/lyng.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Lenwade]] Mill. The [[Listed building|Grade II listed building]] was at risk in the 1990s, but was sympathetically converted into apartments in 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - Lenwade watermill |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/lenwade.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Taverham]] Mill. In the 19th century Taverham was a major producer of paper. Some of the paper which was produced at Taverham Mill was used in producing ''[[The Times]]'' and the ''Oxford English Dictionary''. It also served the University Press at Cambridge. The paper mill closed in 1899.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - Taverham watermill |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/taverham.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Costessey]] Mill was destroyed by a fire in 1924.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - Costessey watermill |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/costessey.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Hellesdon]] Mill was demolished for building materials in 1920.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - Hellesdon watermill |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/hellesdon.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Norwich]] New Mills. A corn mill was built in 1430 by public subscription. In 1710, it was rebuilt to grind corn and supply water to the city. In 1897, it became an air compressor station, with three electric and two water powered compressors. The compressed air was used to pump sewage out of the city. Operation ceased in 1972, when the only other [[Shone Ejector]] pumps in the country were those under the [[Palace of Westminster|Houses of Parliament]]. Plans for it to become a working museum failed, but all the machinery is still intact. The sluice is now computer operated to control water levels.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - New Mills |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/new-mills.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>

Other mills close on tributaries are
* [[Great Witchingham]] Mill<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - Great Witchingham Mill |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/gt-witchingham.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Gressenhall]] Mill<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - Gressenhall Mill |url=http://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/gressenhall.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Worthing, Norfolk|Worthing]] Mill<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - Worthing Mill |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/worthing.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Felthorpe]] Mill<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Mills - Felthorpe Mill |url=https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/felthorpe.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.norfolkmills.co.uk}}</ref>

==Bridges at Norwich==
{{River Wensum map}}
'''[[Bishops Bridge, Norwich|Bishops Bridge]]''' is positioned on the site of a [[Roman Britain|Roman]] ford.  Built in 1345, it is one of five [[medieval]] bridges which span the River Wensum, and was designed to form part of the defensive structure of [[Norwich]]. The bridge's [[gatehouse]] was demolished in 1791.

'''Jarrold Bridge''' is a footbridge linking the St James Place business park to Bishopgate.

'''[[Fye Bridge]]''' is arguably the oldest river crossing in Norwich and is the gate to the North of the City known as "[[Norwich Over the Water]]" this bridge was also the site of a [[cucking stool]] for ducking lawbreakers and undesirables.

'''[[Whitefriars Bridge]]''' Named after a former [[Carmelite]] (White Friars) monastery. The remains of which can still be seen in a small section of medieval wall and archway.

'''[[Foundry Bridge, Norwich|Foundry Bridge]]''' Near the railway station and the Yacht station on Riverside named after a foundry nearby, purported to have been built to take a railway line.

'''Lady Julian Bridge''' is a footbridge named after [[Julian of Norwich]] that links Riverside to King Street.

'''[[Carrow Bridge]]''' near [[Carrow Road]] football ground is a more recent cantilevered [[swing bridge]], which can still be opened to allow large or high vessels through. It is positioned in close proximity to the Boom towers which originally had a chain suspended between them and would have been used as part of the city's defences and as a method of collecting tolls on goods travelling up river from Great Yarmouth.

'''Novi Sad Friendship Bridge''' is a cable stayed swing [[footbridge]] which spans the River Wensum in [[Norwich]].  The structure is named in recognition of the [[Town twinning|twinning]] ties between Norwich and [[Novi Sad]] in Serbia. The bridge was designed by [[Buro Happold]] and commissioned by [[Norfolk]] County Council.<ref>[https://www.lusas.com/case/bridge/novi_sad.html Design of the Novi Sad Friendship Bridge – A Case Study], accessed 14 March 2010</ref>

There are further bridges at [[St Crispin's Bridge|St Crispin's Road]], Duke Street and [[Blackfriars Bridge, Norwich|St George's Street]].

==Conservation==
{{See also|River Wensum SSSI}}

After many years of decline a survey was commissioned by [[Natural England]] in 2002. It showed that the ecological condition of the river had declined. The principal reasons for this were [[water quality]] and [[siltation]]. Water quality has been addressed and was improving, but the physical character of the river needs to be restored.  In 2008, a partnership known as the '''River Wensum Restoration Strategy''' (RWRS) was formed between; [[Environment Agency]]; Water Management Alliance and Natural England<ref name=Env>[http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/wildlife/114676.aspx/ Environment Agency- River Wensum Restoration Strategy] Retrieved 30 March 2011</ref> to restore the physical functioning of the Wensum. The 2002 report found that fourteen redundant [[water mill]]s along the Wensum as having the most significant factor affecting [[River morphology|morphology]] of the river channel, with 67% of the river backed up behind these structures. As a priority, the strategy recommended the lowering, removal or bypassing of these structures to allow more of the river to function naturally.<ref name= Nat/> Since 2008, the (RWRS) has made several improvements to the river. The [[holistic]] ''whole river'' approach with co-operation from land owners, fisheries managers and other organisations has seen ongoing projects ranging from restoring gravel glides to removing silt.<ref name=Env/>

The Norfolk Anglers Conservation Association (NACA) carried out a successful river habitat restoration at their Sayers Meadow fishery at [[Lyng, Norfolk|Lyng]] in the early 1980s.<ref name=Say/> After dredging and a major [[abstraction]] pipeline had a detrimental effect on the [[Costessey]] Point
fishery, the association has taken action to restore this well known water. The ongoing work will be used as a blueprint for future river conservation projects.<ref>[http://norfolkanglers.co.uk/about-naca/naca-projects/costessey-point.html Costessey Point] Retrieved 15 April 2011</ref>

The Demonstration Test Catchment (DTC) project is a joint initiative between the Environment Agency, [[Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs|(Defra)]], and the [[Welsh Assembly Government]] working in three UK [[Drainage basin|catchments]]; [[Hampshire Avon]]; [[River Eden, Cumbria]]; Wensum, Norfolk to evaluate the extent to which on-farm mitigation measures can cost-effectively reduce the impacts of diffuse water pollution on river ecology while still maintaining food production capacity (Wensum Alliance, 2014).<ref>[http://www.wensumalliance.org.uk/index.html River Wensum DTC] Retrieved 28 February 2014</ref>

==Angling==
Between 1940 and the 1970s the river had a national reputation as a [[Common roach|roach]] fishery with specimens exceeding {{convert|3|lb|kg|}} being reported.<ref name=Wil/> As the river declined through the effects of [[abstraction]], [[dredging]] and modern farming methods these fish largely died out.<ref name= Nat>[https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Library/Nat-England-Wensum-1.pdf River Wensum restoration strategy, Natural England] Retrieved 21 March 2011</ref> After an earlier introduction of a small amount of [[barbus barbus|barbel]] – a fish not thought to be indigenous to the Wensum – the local river authority stocked the Wensum with over 150 fish in 1971 below Costessey Mill.<ref name=Wil>[[John Wilson (angler)|Wilson, J]] ''Where to Fish in Norfolk and Suffolk'' (1989) {{ISBN|0-7117-0183-0}} p23, 132. Jarrolds Retrieved 22 March 2011</ref> and subsequently stocked more fish at suitable sections of the Upper Wensum.<ref name=Say>[http://norfolkanglers.co.uk/fisheries/sayers-meadow/sayers-restoration.html Norfolk Anglers Conservation Association, Sayers Meadow, NACA] Retrieved 23 March 2011</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of rivers in England]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*''Where to Fish in Norfolk and Suffolk'' by [[John Wilson (angler)|John Wilson]] {{ISBN|0-7117-0183-0}}

==External links==
{{GeoGroup}}
{{Commons category|River Wensum}}
* [https://www.literarynorfolk.co.uk/wensum,_river.htm River Wensum Literary Links]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/norfolk/content/articles/2008/06/12/places_wensum_valley_20080612_feature.shtml BBC Norfolk: Watch a film about the River Wensum at Pensthorpe]
* [http://norfolkanglers.co.uk/publications/death-on-the-wensum.html Otter predation]

{{Rivers of Norfolk}}
{{SSSIs Norfolk }}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Rivers of Norfolk|Wensum]]
[[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Norfolk]]
[[Category:Norwich]]
[[Category:Yare catchment|1Wensum]]
[[Category:Special Areas of Conservation in England]]