River Ash
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the River Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), see Green Ash.
| River Ash | |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Region | England |
| Major city | Shepperton, Ashford, Staines |
| Length | 10.6 km (7 mi) |
| Source | River Colne |
| - location | Staines, Spelthorne, England, United Kingdom |
| Mouth | River Thames |
| - location | Lower Sunbury, Spelthorne, England, United Kingdom |
The River Ash is a river in England and lies just outsite of Greater London. More specifically, it flows from the River Colne.through the borough of Spelthorne, running through the towns of Ashford and Shepperton before finally ending at its mouth River Thames in Sunbury.
It goes through many back-gardens in Old Charlton Road, Shepperton, consequently raising house prices in the local area. It also makes it a very popular for elderly people, hence the placement of nearby Greeno Day Centre in the village's park.
It flows underground for 270 metres beneath the Crooked Billet in Staines.
Contents |
[edit] History
Not a lot is known about the history of the River Ash but experts have managed to discover some things and make estimations.
[edit] Water Course
It is believed that this was a natural water course but it could have been an early course of the River Colne. The current direction could have been because of man's influence; however, the true answer is not yet known.
[edit] Man's Influence
Many alterations have been made due to man. There are maps dating back to medieval times to depict this. The earliest one shows the history of the Shepperton Studios site, more particularly Shepperton Manor. This dates to the Westiminster's monks, whom, it is suggested, may have done some widening still visible today.
Much later on, in 1910, the Metropolitan Water Board made the reservoir's aqueduct, with the purpose of supplying water from the River Thames at Hythe End to its works in the Thames Valley. This meant that the river was now in a siphon at three locations: Birch Green, Shortwood Allotments as well as adjacent to where the Queen Mary Reservoir is in Laleham.
Shortly after this, the River Ash was diverted to make way for the Queen Mary Reservoir in Laleham. Parts of the original course can still be seen near the Laleham Intake and Pumping Station.
More recently, the source of the river was moved quite a few metres south and some hundred metres of its length ws diverted to make way for the Staines Bypass (the A30) in the early 1960s.
[edit] Names
The River Ash has had many names in the past. Some are for the entire course of the river but others are for parts of its length. They are:
- Ecles Broc
- Echoal
- Echel
- Exe
- Charlton Brook
- Littleton Brook
[edit] Flooding
[edit] Recent Flooding
The most recent and most serious flood involving the River Ash was in 1947, when homes and roads were harshly affected by flood waters This was not due to the flood prevention methods on the River Ash but on the River Colne, which is where water from the River Ash comes. It also occurred due to high water levels on the River Thames
[edit] Flood Prevention
Much of recent flood prevention is done by River Ash Flood Alleviation Scheme.
A major upgrade of the water treatment works at Ashford Common was started by Thames Water Utilities during 1994 and 1995. There was an expected increases in flow and flood risk to properties along Old Charlton Road, Shepperton and Heriden Way because the works discharges to the lower River Ash near the M3. Consequently, a flood relief channel was suggested. This was built during the first five months in 1995 and cost a total of £450,000.
