| Rom | |
| Beam | |
| River | |
|
River Beam at Dagenham
|
|
| Country | England |
|---|---|
| Counties | Greater London |
| London boroughs | Havering, Barking and Dagenham |
| Tributaries | |
| - left | Ravensbourne |
| Towns | Romford |
| Source | |
| - location | Romford |
| Mouth | |
| - location | River Thames, Dagenham |
| - coordinates | |
| Discharge | for Bretons Farm |
| - average | 0.34 m3/s (12 cu ft/s) |
| - max | 17.8 m3/s (629 cu ft/s) 2 October 1993 |
| - min | 0.03 m3/s (1 cu ft/s) 22 August 1976 |
The River Rom, also in places known as the River Beam, is a tributary of the River Thames in England that flows through the north east London suburbs, forming the boundary between the London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham and Havering in the south and flowing through channels underneath Romford in the north.
Contents |
The river rises to the north of Romford and flows through it underground in a man-made channel. To the south of the town centre it flows under Roneo Corner. At Eastbrookend Country Park it is joined by a tributary, The Ravensbourne, which rises in Ardleigh Green and flows through Emerson Park and Harrow Lodge Park.[1] The Rom then continues under the name of the River Beam and forms the boundary between the London Borough of Havering and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham before reaching the River Thames near the Ford Motor Company Works. The Beam Valley comprises 182 acres (0.74 km2) of land running north along the River Beam from the near the Ford Motor Works. The valley also includes various historical features including tank traps, pillboxes and a section of the old Romford Canal.[2]
The name 'River Rom' is a back-formation from the name of the town of Romford, which is located on a crossing of the river.[3] The name 'Romford' is first recorded in 1177 as Romfort, which is formed from 'rūm' and 'ford' and means "the wide or spacious ford".[3] The name of the river is first recorded in the 13th century as le Markediche, meaning 'boundary ditch' and referring to the ancient boundary between the parishes of Dagenham and Hornchurch. The more recent name of River Beam originated from an early bridge over the river, consisting of a beam of wood.[3]
The Rom rises in the north western part of Havering and here it has been designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation[4] The river contains unbranched bur-reeds (Sparganium erectum and Sparganium emersum) and fool's watercress (Apium nodiflorum), and supports water voles, Kingfishers and Reed buntings; the surrounding farmland also has Lapwing and Golden Plover in winter. Apart from the actual river environs, the Site of Importance for Nature Conservation also includes Foreberry wood through which the river Rom runs. This contains both Pedunculate Oak and Hornbeam coppice.
Also in the upper parts of the river is another Site of Importance for Nature Conservation where the river flows through King George Playing Field in Romford.[5]
Further downstream, the Beam Valley is a mixture of woodlands, acid grassland, ponds and marsh areas and is a haven for many types of wildlife. There are plans to develop the area to improve the conservation interest and to create new opportunities for recreation and education. The River Beam is home to the rare water vole, while the grassland in the valley contains some uncommon plants.[6]
| Next confluence upstream | River Thames | Next confluence downstream |
| River Roding (north) | River Rom | River Ingrebourne (north) |