River Itchen, Hampshire

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The Itchen near Ovington.

'The Weirs' on the Itchen in Winchester.

The tidal river - the Itchen Bridge can be seen in the distance.

The River Itchen is a river in Hampshire, England. It flows from mid-Hampshire to join with Southampton Water in the city of Southampton. The river has a total length of 28 miles (45 km), and is noted as one of England's premier chalk streams for fly fishing, especially using dry fly or nymphing techniques. It is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is noted for its high quality habitats, supporting a range of protected species including the otter, brook lamprey^[1] and the white-clawed crayfish

The source of the Itchen is situated just south of the village of Cheriton. Initially the river flows north, through the villages of Cheriton and Tichborne, before joining up with its tributaries the River Alre and the Candover Brook, just below the town of New Alresford. The river then flows west down the upper Itchen Valley passing the villages of Ovington, Itchen Stoke, Itchen Abbas, Martyr Worthy, Easton, and Abbots Worthy to the historic city of Winchester.^[2]

The river flows in several different channels through the city of Winchester, some of which come close enough to Winchester Cathedral to have caused serious problems to the building's foundations in earlier years. The main channel flows through Winchester City Mill and to the east of the city's Roman walls, along a promenaded reach known as 'The Weirs'.

The river then flows south, through a series of water meadows, passing the St Cross Hospital, the villages of Twyford and Shawford, and between the town of Eastleigh and the village of Bishopstoke, before reaching the northern suburbs of Southampton at Swaythling. Between Winchester and Swaythling, sections of the river were once canalised as part of the long disused Itchen Navigation, and the former towpath forms part of the Itchen Way.^[3]

At Swaythling the Itchen passes under Woodmill Bridge and becomes tidal. Four further bridges cross the river before its confluence with the River Test estuary in Southampton Water:

Cobden Bridge, a 19th century road bridge connecting Bitterne Park and St Denys.
The bridge carrying the Southampton - Portsmouth railway line.
Northam Bridge, a road bridge carrying the A3024 road from Bitterne Manor to Northam, which was opened in 1974.
The Itchen Bridge , a high-level toll road bridge connecting the docks area with Woolston. This replaced the famous floating bridge (a chain ferry) which had previously crossed the river at this point.

Between the latter 2 bridges, the river passes St Mary's Stadium, the home of Southampton F.C.

The river is managed by the Environment Agency, whilst the Port of Southampton is the navigation authority for the tidal section below Swaythling.

During Roman Britain, the river may have been associated with the Celtic goddess Ancasta.

[edit] See also

Rivers of the United Kingdom

[edit] References

↑ Environment Agency (2006). Fact file on the River Itchen. Retrieved February 7, 2006.
↑ Ordnance Survey (2004). OS Explorer Map 132 - Winchester, New Alresford & East Meon. ISBN 0-319-23601-3.
↑ Ordnance Survey (2004). OS Explorer Map OL22 - New Forest. ISBN 0-319-23616-1.