The River Witham, from source to sea

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Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   Text © Copyright April 2020, Tim Heaton; licensed for re-use under a Creative Commons Licence.
Images also under a similar Creative Commons Licence.
Great Britain 1:50 000 Scale Colour Raster Mapping Extracts © Crown copyright Ordnance Survey. All Rights Reserved. Educational licence 100045616.

A pictorial description of the River Witham's indirect route from its source:

[map SK8818]

to the sea:

[map TF3939]

The River Witham

The River Witham is about 86 miles long. After a first mile in Leicestershire, it runs entirely through Lincolnshire (not counting where it forms the Lincolnshire-Nottinghamshire border). According to LinkExternal link the origin of its name is uncertain; though an Anglo-Saxon origin from ‘Wye’ (= river) and ‘Ham’ (= farm/settlement) has been proposed. The river has a "famously erratic course", which is partly imposed by the region's bedrock geology, but especially influenced by the drainage patterns established by the glaciers and later copious meltwaters during Pleistocene times


The first few miles, flowing east to the sea


Starting at its source:

[map SK 8842 1836]

SK8818 : Source of the River Witham? by Tim Heaton
SK8818 : Source of the River Witham? by Tim Heaton
This boggy ground on the low elevation watershed between Wymondham and South Witham is marked, on large scale OS maps, as 'Issues'; which I presume refers to springs. I regard this as the source of the Witham



The first mile is in Leicestershire

SK8818 : First bridge over the River Witham by Tim Heaton SK8818 : First footbridge across the River Witham by Tim Heaton SK8918 : River Witham leading to Cribb's Lodge by Tim Heaton



The river then crosses the Leicestershire-Lincolnshire border beneath Fosse Lane (aka 'The Drift', also see 'Sewstern Lane')

[map SK 9003 1893]
SK9018 : The Drift/Fosse Lane; north-east of Thistleton by Tim Heaton
SK9018 : The Drift/Fosse Lane; north-east of Thistleton by Tim Heaton
The Leicestershire-Lincolnshire border on Fosse Lane. The River Witham passes under the road where the concrete posts are



emerging in Lincolnshire (where it will remain), and continuing its easterly course through South Witham

SK9018 : Nascent River Witham by Tim Heaton SK9019 : Ford on the River Witham at South Witham by John Walton SK9219 : River Witham entering South Witham by Tim Heaton SK9219 : The River Witham leaving South Witham by Tim Heaton


The bend north, and up to Grantham and the Vale of Belvoir


On the east side of South Witham the river encounters a low, north-south ridge carrying 'Ermine Street' (aka the A1, Great North Road), and the river alters course by bending to the north

[map SK 9293 1967]

SK9219 : Start of the Witham detour by Tim Heaton
SK9219 : Start of the Witham detour by Tim Heaton



The river now runs through the villages of North Witham, Colsterworth, and Great and Little Ponton. Its course is due north, being confined by low ridges of Jurassic rocks; especially, to the east, by the ridge of Lincolnshire Limestone carrying the Roman road Ermine Street.


SK9219 : The Witham Valley at South Witham by Tim Heaton

SK9221 : Ford off Bull Lane on the River Witham, North Witham by John Walton
SK9221 : Ford off Bull Lane on the River Witham, North Witham by John Walton
The first water level gauging station, contributing to flood management decisions far downstream. Water level records and the current status may be found at LinkExternal link



SK9221 : The River Witham and Water Lane entering North Witham by Tim Heaton SK9222 : Ford and footbridge across the Witham at North Witham by Tim Heaton SK9322 : Meander on the River Witham near Motherford's Spring by Tim Heaton SK9223 : The Witham Meanders by Bob Harvey SK9223 : Valley of the River Witham south of Colsterworth by Tim Heaton SK9224 : The River Witham through Colsterworth by Tim Heaton SK9226 : River Witham, Easton Walled Gardens (5) by Kate Jewell SK9226 : Springtime snowdrop display, Easton Walled Gardens by Brian Green SK9226 : The River Witham at Easton, Lincolnshire by Tim Heaton SK9227 : Bridge over River Witham by Tim Heaton SK9228 : Farm Ford on the River Witham, Stoke Rochford by John Walton SK9328 : Washdike Lane Ford at Stoke Rochford by John Walton SK9328 : Valley of the River Witham off Washdike Lane by Tim HeatonSK9230 : Lane to Dunkirk Farm, Great Ponton by Tim Heaton SK9230 : The poplar lined River Witham - Great Ponton by Mick Lobb SK9230 : The River Witham in flood at Great Ponton by Jonathan Thacker SK9232 : Bridge across the River Witham by Tim Heaton SK9232 : River Witham, Little Ponton by Alexander P Kapp

and enters its first town, Grantham

SK9234 : Weir on the River Witham at Bridge End, Grantham by Jonathan Thacker SK9234 : The River Witham from Bridge End Road, Grantham by Tim Heaton SK9235 : Fishing in the River Witham, Grantham by Jonathan Thacker SK9135 : The River Witham, Grantham by Tim Heaton SK9135 : The River Witham by Graham Hogg SK9136 : River Witham through Wyndham Park, Grantham by Tim Heaton SK9137 : River Witham, Grantham by JThomas SK9137 : Cycle Route 15 alongside the River Witham, Grantham by Tim Heaton SK9237 : River Witham by Richard Croft

then continues north past Belton Park on the way to Barkston and the Vale of Belvoir

SK9238 : The River Witham near Manthorpe Mill by Tim Heaton SK9238 : River Witham by Richard Croft SK9239 : The River Witham at Belton by Tim Heaton SK9240 : Hambleton Bridge carrying River Lane, Syston, over the River Witham by Tim Heaton SK9240 : River Witham from Hambleton Bridge by J.Hannan-Briggs SK9241 : Towards Barkston by Glyn Baker SK9242 : River Witham by Donnylad SK9242 : The River Witham by Kate Jewell SK9242 : The Viking Way crossing the River Witham near Mickling Plantation by Tim Heaton
KML
Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   Images used on this page, © Copyright Tim Heaton, John Walton, Jonathan Thacker, Kate Jewell, Richard Croft, Bob Harvey, Brian Green, Mick Lobb, Alexander P Kapp, Graham Hogg, JThomas, J.Hannan-Briggs, Glyn Baker and Donnylad; licensed for re-use under a Creative Commons Licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Great Britain 1:50 000 Scale Colour Raster Mapping Extracts © Crown copyright Ordnance Survey. All Rights Reserved. Educational licence 100045616.
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