River Tillingham
Tillingham | |
---|---|
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | East Sussex |
Mouth | River Brede |
• location | Rye, East Sussex |
• coordinates | 50°56′49″N 0°43′54″E / 50.946958°N 0.731703°E |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
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The River Tillingham flows through the English county of East Sussex. It meets the
History
The ancient course of the Tillingham was rather different from its present one, as the river discharged into a broad area defined by islands, tidal creeks and salt marshes during the Roman period, rather than the estuary of the River Rother.[1] The thirteenth century was a time of turmoil, as from the 1240s there was a period of 60 years when weather conditions were extreme. Old Winchelsea, which was built on a huge mound of shingle to the east of the mouth, was threatened with flooding, and ultimately succumbed. Following extensive flooding, including the washing away of the church on 1271, a new town was established further to the west on a hill near Iham, just to the south of the Tillingham, in 1280.[1] In 1287, a great storm deposited large amounts of shingle and mud on the port of Romney, and blocked up the mouth of the River Rother, which carved out a new route to the sea near Rye, where it joined the Tillingham and the River Brede.[2]
A major project of river engineering was carried out in 1596, when the course of the Rother was diverted around the northern edge of Rye to join the Tillingham. The scheme was expensive, and ultimately was not a success, as the Rother reverted to its previous course to the east on Rye in 1610.
Shipbuilding had been carried out at Rye since at least 1223, although the location of the shipyards is not well defined. However, a number of firms are known to have owned and run shipyards on the lower reaches of the Tillingham and the Rock Channel. In the early nineteenth century, Harvey and Staffell were prominent, making
Route
The River Tillingham rises from two springs near Staplecross, a small settlement in the parish of
Just before the next bridge is
In 1872, there was a gasworks located on the north bank of the river just above the sluice, while the area below that was called The Quay, where there was a Custom house and a shipbuilding yard. Towards the junction with the Brede was a large timber yard, and there was another shipbuilding yard on the Rock Channel. By 1898, there were additional timber yards on both banks below the sluice, and the Custom House had moved to the south bank. The southern end of the quay was occupied by steam-powered flour and saw mills. By 1907, the mill was described as a corn mill, and the southern timber yard had been turned into allotment gardens. By 1929, the timber yard on the south bank had become housing, as had the allotment gardens, but there was a new timber yard by the junction with the Brede. The Quay had been covered by a road system and warehouses by 1971, but there were still active shipyards on the Rock Channel.[17]
Water quality
The Environment Agency measure the 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 River Tillingham was as follows in 2019.
Section | Ecological Status | Chemical Status | Length | Catchment |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tillingham[19] | Moderate | Fail | 11.6 miles (18.7 km) | 17.85 square miles (46.2 km2) |
The reasons for the quality being less than good include sewage discharges from sewage treatment works and from agriculture and land management activities, together with physical modification of the channel for land drainage and flood protection, which restricts the free movement of fish within the river system. 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) and mercury compounds, neither of which had previously been included in the assessment.
Points of interest
Point | Coordinates (Links to map resources) |
OS Grid Ref | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Source at Staplecross | 50°58′16″N 0°32′09″E / 50.9712°N 0.5358°E | TQ781221 | |
Watts Palace Lane bridge | 50°57′34″N 0°34′10″E / 50.9594°N 0.5694°E | TQ805209 | |
A28 Arnold Bridge | 50°57′33″N 0°35′50″E / 50.9591°N 0.5971°E | TQ824209 | |
Beckley Furnace | 50°57′36″N 0°36′48″E / 50.9599°N 0.6134°E | TQ836210 | Iron works and watermill |
Hundredhouse Bridge | 50°57′00″N 0°37′53″E / 50.9501°N 0.6313°E | TQ849200 | |
Marley Farm | 50°57′12″N 0°41′56″E / 50.9533°N 0.6988°E | TQ896205 | limit of navigation |
B2089 Ferry Bridge | 50°57′06″N 0°43′34″E / 50.9516°N 0.7260°E | TQ915204 | |
Tillingham Sluice | 50°57′00″N 0°43′41″E / 50.9499°N 0.7280°E | TQ917202 | |
Junction with River Brede | 50°56′49″N 0°43′54″E / 50.9470°N 0.7317°E | TQ919199 | |
End of Rock Channel | 50°57′00″N 0°44′23″E / 50.9501°N 0.7397°E | TQ925203 | Junction with River Rother |
Bibliography
- Chantler, Bob. Kent and East Sussex River Walks. Bob Chantler.
- Collard, John (1998). Rye's Shipbuilding Industry. Rye Castle Museum. Archived from the original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- Cumberlidge, Jane (2009). Inland Waterways of Great Britain (8th Ed.). Imray Laurie Norie and Wilson. ISBN 978-1-84623-010-3.
- Yates, Barry; Triplet, Patrick (2000). "Changes in Rye Bay" (PDF). East Sussex County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016.
References
- ^ a b Yates & Triplet 2000, p. 9.
- ^ Cumberlidge 2009, p. 260.
- ^ Yates & Triplet 2000, p. 14.
- ^ "Smeaton's Harbour—an unfair name". Rye Castle Museum. Archived from the original on 7 December 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- ^ Yates & Triplet 2000, p. 17.
- ^ Ordnance Survey, 1:2500 maps, 1872, 1898 and 1907, available here
- ^ Yates & Triplet 2000, p. 19.
- ^ Collard 1998.
- ^ a b c Ordnance Survey, 1:25,000 map, available here
- ^ Historic England. "Watts Palace Cottage (1233948)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- ^ Historic England. "Maplestone Farmhouse (1352923)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- ^ Historic England. "Barn at Conster Manor Farm (1232191)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- ^ Chantler, p. 131.
- ^ "Newsletter 88" (PDF). Sussex Industrial Archaeology Society. October 1995. p. 13. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016.
- ^ Ordnance Survey, 1:10,560 maps, 1940 and 1961
- ^ Historic England. "Rye Windmill (1251517)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- ^ Ordnance Survey, 1:2500 maps, various dates
- ^ "Glossary (see Biological quality element; Chemical status; and Ecological status)". Catchment Data Explorer. Environment Agency. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
- ^ "Tillingham". Catchment Data Explorer. Environment Agency. Retrieved 8 July 2018.