River Maun
River Maun | |
---|---|
Kirkby in Ashfield | |
Mouth | River Idle |
• location | Markham Moor |
Basin features | |
Tributaries | |
• left | River Meden |
• right | Cauldwell Water, Vicar Water, Rainworth Water |
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The River Maun is a river in Nottinghamshire, England. Its source lies in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, and from there it flows north east through Mansfield (which takes its name from the river), Edwinstowe and Ollerton, these being the heart of the Sherwood Forest area. It becomes known as Whitewater near the village of Walesby and connects to the River Meden temporarily where the Robin Hood Way crosses them. They diverge, and near Markham Moor it merges again with the River Meden this time becoming the River Idle. Its main tributaries are Rainworth Water, Vicar Water and Cauldwell Water.
The river has been an important source of power, from at least 1086, when there was a watermill in Mansfield. A big increase in the number of mills began in the 1780s, when the frame knitting industry was decimated by the advent of
Course
The river rises on the north side of
The diverted railway line forms part of the
After passing under the A6117 road, the river enters Maun Valley Park, a local nature reserve covering 42 acres (17 ha), which includes water meadows and other wetland habitats.[13] New Mill Lane lies at its northern edge, after which the river passes through more rural scenery. Approaching Clipstone, Cavendish Woods lie to the south east, while extensive fish ponds are located on the other bank. Vicar Water, which flows northwards from Vicar Park, joins on the east bank, before the river is crossed by a railway at Clipstone Junction. It flows eastwards to the south of Edwinstowe, to be joined on the western edge of Ollerton by Rainworth Water, flowing northwards from Rufford Abbey.[1] To the east of the A614 road is Ollerton Watermill, which is still operational, and is open to the public on Sundays in the summer.[14] Passing to the west of New Ollerton, the river flows northwards through open countryside to join the River Meden. After a short distance, two channels are created by a weir, the southern one still called the River Maun, and both proceed eastwards, before turning northwards near Markham Moor roundabout on the A1 road, and joining again to form the River Idle.[1][15] There are two disused water mills on this stretch, one at Haughton and one called Jacket Mill at Rockley. There were two water mills in Haughton in the reign of King Edward III, during the fourteenth century.[16] Jacket Mill is of red brick construction, and much of it dates from the late eighteenth century, although parts were altered in the nineteenth century.[17]
Mills
The river has provided an important source of power in the past. The
Mansfield had a cottage industry, which by 1800 consisted of around 700 knitting frames. It operated as a social service, as most of the workers were either orphaned children, or children from families who would otherwise be destitute. Following the invention of the "water-frame", a spinning frame that was powered by a water wheel, which had been invented by Richard Arkwright in 1771 and used in his mills at Cromford, the cottage industry could not compete, and there was widespread unemployment and poverty in Mansfield. In an attempt to remedy the situation, William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, who was the landowner, and who later became Home Secretary, organised a programme of building water-powered spinning mills along the river. Hermitage Mill was the first to be built, in 1782, and still stands on Hermitage lane. Little Matlock Mill was built three years later on Sheepbridge Lane, and again still stands.[2] Field Mill on Nottingham Road was converted to work with cotton in 1785. Immediately above it was Drury Mill, a corn mill run by Daniel Drury, but this had to be closed in 1791 when the water level in Field Mill Dam was raised, preventing Drury's wheel from working efficiently.[19] Field Mill was in use as a leather works by 1916[20] and was demolished in 1925.[2]
The next mill on the river was Town Mill, which had been built in 1744, and was used for grinding corn and malt. The miller, William Smith, negotiated with the Duke, and in 1785 he sold the corn milling equipment and refitted it for working with cotton. Having also refitted Field Mill in the autumn, he started a Sunday School in 1786, so that his young workers would be equipped with basic reading and mathematical skills, as well as moral instruction. The practice spread, and Mansfield became known for the good education of its young people.
To the south of Mansfield, the Maun is joined by Cauldwell Water at Bleakhills. Charles and George Stanton chose Bleakhills as a suitable site for a new mill in 1795, and negotiated with the Duke of Portland for permission to build both the mill and cottages for the workers. The cost was about £300.[23]
By 1887, most of the
There were other mills besides the
Water Quality
The Environment Agency measure water quality of the river systems in England. Each is given an overall ecological status, which may be one of five levels: high, good, moderate, poor and bad. There are several components that are used to determine this, including biological status, which looks at the quantity and varieties of
The water quality of the Maun and its tributaries was as follows in 2019.
Section | Ecological Status | Chemical Status | Length | Catchment | Channel |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maun from Source to Vicar Water[29] | Moderate | Fail | 11.3 miles (18.2 km) | 14.61 square miles (37.8 km2) | heavily modified |
Vicar Water from Source to Maun[30] | Poor | Fail | 2.8 miles (4.5 km) | 14.61 square miles (37.8 km2) | |
Maun from Vicar Water to Rainworth Water[31] | Moderate | Fail | 3.5 miles (5.6 km) | 6.10 square miles (15.8 km2) | heavily modified |
Rainworth Water from Gallow Hole Dyke to Maun[32] | Poor | Fail | 1.9 miles (3.1 km) | 2.41 square miles (6.2 km2) | |
Maun from Rainworth Water to Poulter[33] | Moderate | Fail | 10.0 miles (16.1 km) | 10.84 square miles (28.1 km2) | heavily modified |
Bevercotes Beck Catchment (trib of Maun)[34] | Moderate | Fail | 6.7 miles (10.8 km) | 7.43 square miles (19.2 km2) |
Like many rivers in the UK, the chemical status changed from good to fail in 2019, due to the presence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) and mercury compounds, none of which had previously been included in the assessment.
Points of interest
Point | Coordinates (Links to map resources) |
OS Grid Ref | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Maun and Meden form Idle | 53°16′07″N 0°56′52″W / 53.2685°N 0.9478°W | SK702751 | mouth |
A1 road bridge | 53°15′30″N 0°55′57″W / 53.2582°N 0.9326°W | SK713739 | |
Maun and Meden join and split | 53°14′28″N 1°00′51″W / 53.2410°N 1.0143°W | SK658720 | |
Jn with Rainworth Water | 53°11′53″N 1°01′39″W / 53.1981°N 1.0274°W | SK650672 | Ollerton bridge |
Edwinstowe bridge | 53°11′30″N 1°03′48″W / 53.1917°N 1.0633°W | SK626664 | |
Jn with Vicar Water | 53°10′48″N 1°05′51″W / 53.1799°N 1.0974°W | SK604651 | Kings Clipstone |
Cavendish Woods fish ponds | 53°10′19″N 1°08′05″W / 53.1720°N 1.1347°W | SK579642 | |
B6033 Bath Lane Bridge | 53°08′56″N 1°11′04″W / 53.1488°N 1.1844°W | SK546616 | Mansfield |
Kings Mill Reservoir | 53°07′52″N 1°13′49″W / 53.1310°N 1.2303°W | SK515595 | |
source near Sutton Parkway | 53°06′39″N 1°14′46″W / 53.1107°N 1.2461°W | SK505573 |
Bibliography
- Brown, Cornelius (1896). "A History of Nottinghamshire". Notts History. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
- CAMS (2006). The Idle and Torne Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy (PDF). Environment Agency. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 January 2018.
- Morley, Don; Bradbury, David J (1996). From Mills to Mines. Old Mansfield Society. ISBN 978-0-9517948-1-4.
- Skempton, Sir Alec; et al. (2002). A Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland: Vol 1: 1500 to 1830. Thomas Telford. ISBN 978-0-7277-2939-2.
References
- ^ a b c d e Ordnance Survey, 1:25000 map
- ^ a b c d "The History of Kingsmill Reservoir". Kings Mill. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
- ^ "King's Mill Reservoir". Ashfield District Council. Archived from the original on 10 April 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
- ^ Skempton 2002, p. 363
- ^ "King's Mill Viaduct (centre arch)". Geograph.
- ^ Historic England. "Railway Viaduct, Kings Mill Lane (1288554)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Hermitage Mill, Mansfield (1288578)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Matlock Mill, Mansfield (1279862)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Drury Dam Railway Viaduct, Mansfield (1207187)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
- ^ "Quirky sculpture unveiled in Quarry Lane Nature Reserve, Mansfield". Nottinghamshire County Council. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Town Mill public house, Mansfield, now a restaurant (1279885)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Bath Mill, Mansfield (1207153)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
- ^ "Maun Valley Park Local Nature Reserve". Chad. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
- ^ "Heritage Museums". Nottinghamshire County Council. Archived from the original on 6 September 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
- ^ CAMS 2006, p. 31.
- ^ Brown 1896
- ^ Historic England. "Jacket Watermill, West Drayton (1266858)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
- ^ Morley & Bradbury 1996, p. 3
- ^ a b Morley & Bradbury 1996, p. 16
- ^ Ordnance Survey, 1:2500 map, 1916
- ^ a b Morley & Bradbury 1996, p. 18
- ^ Morley & Bradbury 1996, p. 12
- ^ a b Morley & Bradbury 1996, p. 17
- ^ Ordnance Survey, 1:2500 map, 1887
- ^ a b Ordnance Survey, 1:2500 map, 1899
- ^ Morley & Bradbury 1996, pp. 21–22
- ^ Morley & Bradbury 1996, pp. 30–31
- ^ "Glossary (see Biological quality element; Chemical status; and Ecological status)". Catchment Data Explorer. Environment Agency. 17 February 2016.
- ^ "Maun from Source to Vicar Water". Catchment Data Explorer. Environment Agency.
- ^ "Vicar Water from Source to Maun". Catchment Data Explorer. Environment Agency.
- ^ "Maun from Vicar Water to Rainworth Water". Catchment Data Explorer. Environment Agency.
- ^ "Rainworth Water from Gallow Hole Dyke to Maun". Catchment Data Explorer. Environment Agency.
- ^ "Maun from Rainworth Water to Poulter". Catchment Data Explorer. Environment Agency.
- ^ "Bevercotes Beck Catchment (trib of Maun)". Catchment Data Explorer. Environment Agency.
External links
Media related to River Maun at Wikimedia Commons