Everything about The River Ribble totally explained
The
River Ribble is a river that runs through
North Yorkshire and
Lancashire, in the North of
England. The river's
watershed also includes parts of
Greater Manchester around
Wigan.
Geography
The Ribble begins at the confluence of the
Gayle Beck and
Cam Beck near the famous
viaduct at
Ribblehead, in the shadow of the
Yorkshire three peaks.
It flows through
Settle,
Clitheroe and
Preston, before emptying into the
Irish Sea between
Lytham St. Annes and
Southport, a length of 75 miles.
The main tributaries of the Ribble are the
Hodder and
Calder which join the river near Great Mitton, the
River Darwen which joins at
Walton-le-Dale and the
River Douglas which joins near
Hesketh Bank.
The
Ribble Way is a long-distance footpath which follows the river for much of its course. The Ribble marked the northernmost extent of the ancient kingdom of
Mercia. At the time of the
Domesday Book, the river formed the northern boundary of an area of land (known as
Inter Ripam et Mersham) that was included in the Domesday information for
Cheshire, though it was probably not formally part of the county of Cheshire.
The river is connected to both the
Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the
Lancaster Canal (via the
Ribble Link). The river downstream of Preston was actively dredged when Preston was an active port; this is no longer done and silt from the river is now spreading more widely over the (sand) beaches around
Fairhaven and
St. Annes.
Its estuary forms part of the
Ribble and Alt Estuaries Special Protection Area for wildlife.
Public works
The River Ribble catchment is covered by the
Mersey Basin Campaign, a partnership which was established in
1985 to improve water quality and encourage waterside regeneration.
Preston City Council have published controversial plans to build a barrage across the River Ribble, in their 'Riverworks' proposals. The aim of these proposals is to build a water sports park on a section of the Ribble, coupled with over 4000 units of high quality housing and businesses in the river's flood plain. Some local residents are opposing these plans, arguing that they endanger wildlife, increase flood risk to local housing and damage greenbelt areas. These residents have set up the 'Save The Ribble' campaign. Parts of the river are a County Biological Heritage Site.
The Ribble would appear to have been known in
Roman times as the
Belisama, possibly giving its name to
Samlesbury.
Ptolemy's "
Belisama aest." seems to represent the estuary of the Ribble.
History
The banks of the Ribble have been posited as a possible location for
King Arthur's tenth battle, on the banks of a river "Tribruit", as alluded to in his
Historia Brittonum by
Nennius.
Settlements
Tributaries
Estuary to Preston
Estuary to Douglas
Crossens Pool
- The Sluice
- Middle Drain
- Back Drain
- Ring Ditch
- Boundary Drain
- Tarleton Runner
- Mere Brow Watercourse
- Midge Hall Drain
- Boat House Sluice
- Rufford Boundary Sluice
- Three Pools Waterway
- Fine Jane's Brook
- Holly Brook
- Sandy Brook
- Old Canal
- Boundary Brook
- Sandy Brook
- The Old Pool
- Black Brook
- Drummersdale Drain
- Brook Cut and Mill Stream
- Bullen's Brook
- Eas Brook
- Main Drain
- Hundred End Gutter
- Pool Stream
River Douglas watershed
River Douglas or River Asland
- Longton Brook
- Centre Drain
- Carr Heys Watercourse
- Tarra Carr Gutter
- Dunkirk Dib
- Rakes Brook
- Carr Brook
- Strine Brook
- River Yarrow
- River Lostock
- Wymott Brook
- Clayton Brook
- Slack Brook
- Whave's Brook
- Spent Brook
- Syd Brook
- Culbeck Brook
- Chapel Brook
- Ransnap Brook
- German Brook
- Hodge Brook
- River Chor
- Clancutt Brook
- Tanyard Brook
- Whittle Brook
- Eller Brook
- Black Brook
- Tan House Brook
- Warth Brook
- Brinscall Brook
- Fill Brook
- Roaring Lum
- Dean Brook
- Limestone Brook
- Green Withins Brook
- The Sluice
- Main Ditch
- Eller Brook
- Wham Ditch
- Black Brook
- Abbey Brook
- New Park Brook
- Castle Brook
- Sefton Brook
- Dungeon Brook
- Dicket's Brook
- Mill Ditch
- New Reed Brook
- Bentley Brook
- River Tawd
- Slate Brook
- Grimshaw Brook
- Middlehurst Brook
- Dock Brook
- Alder Lane Brook
- Sprodley Brook
- Calico Brook
- Lees Brook
- Dean Brook
- Ackhurst Brook
- Mill Brook
- Bradshaw Brook
- Close Brook
- Barley Brook
- Smithy Brook
- Poolstock Brook
- Ince Brook
- Hawkley Brook
- Reed Brook
- Clarington Brook
- Bradley Brook
- Bucklow Brook
- Moss Ditch
- Buckow Brook
- Hic-bibi Brook
- Stars Brook
- Almond Brook
- Tunley Brook
- Pearl Brook
- Arley Brook
Douglas to Preston
- Freckleton Pool
- Dow Brook
- Spen Brook
- Carr Brook
- Middle Pool
- Savick Brook
- Deepdale Brook
- Lady Head Runnel
- Sharoe Brook
- Eaves Brook
- Mill Brook
- The Mains Brook
River Darwen watershed
- River Darwen
- Hennel Brook
- Many Brooks
- Black Brook
- Fowler Brook
- Drum Head Brook
- Bank Head Brook
- Old Darwen
- Beeston Brook
- Hole Brook
- Huntley Brook (North)
- Huntley Brook (South)
- Alum House Brook
- Trout Brook
- River Roddlesworth
- Finnington Brook
- Stockclough Brook
- Whitehalgh Brook
- Shaw Brook
- Chapels Brook
- Sheep Bridge Brook
- Rake Brook
- Calf Hey Brook
- Ferny Bed Springs
- River Blakewater
- Snig Brook
- Audley Brook
- Little Harwood Brook
- Royshaw Clough
- Seven Acre Brook
- Knuzden Brook
- Scotshaw Brook
- Higher Croft Brook
- Davy Field Brook
- Flash Brook
- Grimshaw Brook
- Waterside Brook
- Mean Brook
- Hoddlesden Moss Brook
- Pickup Bank Brook
- Moss Brook
- Twitchells Brook
- Sunnyhurst Brook
- Bold Venture Brook
- High Lumb Brook
- Kebbs Brook
- Bury Fold Brook
- Old Briggs Brook
- Grain Brook
- Bent Hall Brook
- Deadman's Clough
Preston to Whalley
- Swill Brook
- Bezza Brook
- Wilcock Brook
- Tun Brook
- Stydd Brook
- Boyce's Brook
- Duddel Brook
- Starling Brook
- Dean Brook
- Bailey Brook
- Brownslow Brook
- Dinckley Brook
- Park Brook
- Blockers Brook
- Showley Brook
- Tottering Brook
- Zechariah Brook
River Calder watershed
- River Calder
- Bushburn Brook
- Dean Brook
- Egg Syke Brook
- Rodger Hey Brook
- Sabden Brook
- Badger Well Water
- Wood House Brook
- Cock Clough
- Clough Syke Brook
- Hyndburn Brook
- Harwood Brook
- Norden Brook
- Spaw Brook
- Shaw Brook
- Bottom Syke
- River Hyndburn
- Church Brook
- Accrington Brook
- Woodnook Water
- Warmden Brook
- Tom Dale Clough
- White Ash Brook
- Wolfenden Syke
- Lottice Brook
- Tinker Brook
- Whams Brook
- Jackhouse Brook
- Syke Side Brook
- Simonstone Brook
- Shorten Brook
- Dean Brook
- Castle Clough Brook
- Green Brook
- Shaw Brook
- Sweet Clough
- Hapton Clough
- Thorny Bank Clough
- Tower Brook
- Habergham Clough
- New Barn Clough
- Micklehurst Clough
- Whitaker Clough
- Fir Trees Brook
- West Close Clough
- Acres Brook
- Moor Isles Clough
- Spurn Clough
- Pendle Water
- Old Laund Clough
- Edge End Brook
- Walverden Water
- Bradley Syke
- Head Beck
- Catlow Brook
- Pighole Clough
- Pathole Beck
- New Laithe Clough
- Float Bridge Beck
- Swains Plat Clough
- Colne Water
- Swinden Clough
- Wanless Water
- Slipper Hill Clough
- Houses Beck Moss
- Guy Syke
- Church Clough Brook
- Trawden Brook
- Beardshaw Beck
- Round Hole Beck
- Will Moor Clough
- River Laneshaw
- High Laith Beck
- Monkroyd Beck
- Hullown Beck
- Swamp Syke
- Laneshaw Brook
- Round Holes Beck
- Cat Stone Clough
- Wycoller Beck
- Ratten Clough
- Smithy Clough
- Deep Clough Beck
- Nan Hole Clough
- Turnhole Clough
- Butter Leach Clough
- Saucer Hill Clough
- Blacko Water
- Castor Gill
- Claude's Clough
- Admergill Water
- Wicken Clough
- Greystone Clough
- Sandyford Clough
- White Hough Water
- Dimpenley Clough
- Bird Holme Clough
- Barley Water
- Deep Clough
- Black Moss Water
- Ogden Clough
- Boar Clough
- White Slacks
- Dry Clough
- Barden Clough
- River Brun
- River Don
- Walshaw Clough
- Thursden Brook
- Ell Clough
- Black Clough
- Hey Stacks Clough
- Tom Groove
- Swinden Water
- Hurstwood Brook
- Rock Water
- Everage Clough
- Hole House Clough
- Dick Clough
- Easden Clough
- Black Clough
- Green Clough
River Hodder watershed
- River Hodder
- Cow Ark Brook
- River Loud
- Leagram Brook
- Hill Clough
- Burnslack Brook
- Chipping Brook
- Greystoneley Brook
- Hell Clough
- Dinkling Green Brook
- Withins Clough
- Red Syke
- Fielding Clough
- Langden Brook
- Hareden Brook
- Lane Foot Brook
- Fog Hill Clough
- Cherry Gutter
- Crackling Syke
- Dimples Clough
- Losterdale Brook
- Mere Clough Wham
- Bleadale Water
- Stransdale Brook
- Robin Clough
- River Dunsop
- Brennand River
- Round Hill Water
- Whitendale River
- Black Brook
- Rough Syke
- Grey Gill
- Heaning Brook
- Birkett Brook
- Foulscales Brook
- Easington Brook
- Sough Clough
- Rye Clough
- Skelshaw Brook
- Langcliff Cross Brook
- Tinklers Brook
- Harrop Brook
- Dean Slack Brook
- King Syke
- Dunnow Syke
- Croasdale Brook
- Eller Beck
- Lanshaw Brook
- Davison's Syke
- Clough Beck
- Dunsop Brook
- Hill Wood Syke
- Moor Syke
- Black Brook
- Barn Gill
- Phynis Beck
- Bottoms Beck
- Hesbert Hall Syke
- Hindley Head Clough
- Thorp Syke
- Dob Dale Beck
- Nursery Beck
- Brown Hills Beck
- Hasgill Beck
- Cowgill Syke
- Rigg Gill Syke
- Copter Syke
- Hare Clough Beck
- White Syke
- Kearsden Holes
- Red Syke
Whalley to Paythorne
- Barrow Brook
- Pig Hill Brook
- Barrow Clough
- Pendleton Brook
- Mearley Brook
- Shaw Brook
- Worston Brook
- Howcroft Brook
- Bashall Brook
- Hollins Clough
- Cow Hey Brook
- Braddup Clough
- Elm Clough
- Waddington Brook
- Greg Sike
- West Bradford Brook
- Brocklehurst Brook
- Drakehouse Brook
