Wikipedia

Wogebourne

The Wogebourne (/woʊɡˈbɔːrn/) is an 8 km (5.0 mi) tributary of the River Thames in the southeast London boroughs of Greenwich and Bexley, that flows generally in a northeasterly direction, from its source in Oxleas Wood in Shooter's Hill, to Thamesmead where it joins the Thames. The Wogebourne has appeared in records since at least the fourteenth century, and has been known by other names including Woghbourne, Plumstead River, and Wickham Valley Watercourse. The upper reaches of the watercourse in Shooter's Hill, Falconwood, Welling, and East Wickham are above ground through woodland, farmland and fields, where several smaller tributaries join; whereas the lower reaches in Plumstead, Abbey Wood, and Thamesmead are mostly underground within culverts. The final part of the river in Thamesmead was previously marshland which was drained in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, where the Wogebourne now completes its course through a man-made lake called Southmere and a purpose-built channel named Crossway Canal which empties into the Thames at Crossness.

Wogebourne
Woghbourne, Plumstead River,
Wickham Valley Watercourse
Crossway Canal
Crossway Canal in Thamesmead, the lower reach of the Wogebourne
Location
CountryEngland
CountyGreater London
London BoroughsGreenwich
Bexley,
PlacesShooter's Hill, Falconwood, Welling, East Wickham, Plumstead, Abbey Wood, Thamesmead, Crossness
Open areasOxleas Wood, East Wickham Open Space, Winn's Common, Bostall Heath and Woods, Erith Marshes
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationOxleas Wood, Shooter's Hill, Royal Borough of Greenwich
 • coordinates51°27′59″N 00°04′23″E / 51.46639°N 0.07306°E / 51.46639; 0.07306
 • elevation97 m (318 ft)
Mouth 
 • location
Southmere Lake, Thamesmead, London Borough of Bexley
or River Thames, Crossness, Bexley
 • coordinates
51°30′45″N 00°07′27″E / 51.51250°N 0.12417°E / 51.51250; 0.12417
 • elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Length8 km (5.0 mi)
Basin features
River systemRiver Thames

Name edit

The watercourse is usually called the Wogebourne,[1][2] or sometimes River Wogebourne.[2][3][4] This name has been in use since at least the fourteenth century,[2] when the alternative spelling Woghbourne, was also in use in addition to the present day spelling.[2] Another name that has been used to refer to the watercourse since at least the sixteenth century[2] is Plumstead River.[2][4][5] More recently the river has been called Wickham Valley Watercourse,[1][2][4][6] or Wickham Valley Waterway.[3] In the twentieth century the end of the watercourse around Thamesmead and the wetlands of Plumstead and Erith Marshes was diverted into purpose built channels for the water to flow into the River Thames, these have individual names including Crossway Canal, Harrow Canal, Waterfield Canal, and Butts Canal.[4][7]

Course edit

 
Tiny footbridge over the Wogebourne near its source in Oxleas Wood, where the river is only a small stream.

The Wogebourne rises within Oxleas Woods southeast of Shooter's Hill[2][4][6] in the Royal Borough of Greenwich[7] from several sources.[8] The main source has an elevation of around 97 m (318 ft) above sea level,[8] where it flows for about 1 km (0.62 mi) and dropping 30 m (98 ft) in a curved path through the woodland, and under several small footbridges, first southeast toward Falconwood, then east followed by north toward the A207 road, Shooter's Hill and part of Watling Street.[9][10] The river flows northward under this main road, just to the west side of the We Anchor In Hope pub, and BP petrol station in Welling.[2][8] From here its course goes northeast for just over 1 km (0.62 mi) mostly lined with trees and shrubs through the fields of Woodlands Farm.[10] This section of the stream marks the boundary between the London Boroughs of Greenwich to the west and Bexley to the east.[7][10] Here the stream is joined from the east by a tiny spring tributary near the Anchor in Hope pub and a slightly longer tributary from the west joining from near the Woodlands Farm buildings and the grounds of Shooter's Hill Golf Course.[10] At the northern end of the fields the stream passes south of Willow Dene School and Swingate Lane Playing Fields before entering a culvert at the elevation of 40 m (130 ft)[11] and flowing east under the residential roads Edison Grove and Glenmore Road in East Wickham. The stream flows underground northeastward in a straight culvert for 1 km (0.62 mi), underneath East Wickham Open Space just to the south of Woolwich Cemetery then under another small residential road Bournewood Road, then emerges above ground again at the elevation of 25 m (82 ft)[12] between two houses on the east side of Wickham Lane, part of the A209 road. From here the stream continues flowing northeasterly between houses and gardens, in an open concrete channel, except when it passes under the residential road Woodbrook Road for another 300 m (980 ft) when it takes a sharp left turn just by the northwest corner of Plumstead Cemetery.[12] From here the river travels northwest for another 300 m (980 ft) in an open channel between the back gardens of Woodbrook Road to the southwest and Bostall Woods to the northeast, from where another short tributary joins, passing beneath a cul-de-sac named Streamdale then returning to another underground culvert.[12] From here the river gently curves northward toward Plumstead and is joined by a small stream coming from Winn's Common to the west, and passes under several residential roads including Waterdale Road, Oakmere Road, Rutherglen Road, Bastion Road, Glendale Road, Gatling Road then under Bostall Hill part of the A206 road after almost 1 km (0.62 mi) at the elevation of 11 m (36 ft).[13] After this the Wogebourne continues flowing underground for another 800 m (2,600 ft) beneath the residential roads Myrtledene Road, Manton Road, Blithdale Road and Bracondale Road before passing underneath the North Kent Line. The Wogebourne them takes a sharp right turn and flows east for 1.2 km (0.75 mi) between the railway line and Mottisfont Road towards Abbey Wood near the station then turns northward for another 600 m (2,000 ft) behind Boxgrove Primary School. Here the stream flows east parallel with Eynsham Drive for 200 m (660 ft) beneath the car parks of a Lidl store and a vet surgery, then travels northeast for another 400 m (1,300 ft) under Harrow Manorway part of the A2041 road and more residential buildings before emptying into a lake called Southmere in Thamesmead, at an elevation of just 1 m (3 ft 3 in).[14] Southmere is a man-made lake 8.5 ha (21 acres) in area and around 400 m (1,300 ft) across, from here the watercourse continues northward in a wider man-made open channel named Crossway Canal, for around 1.5 km (0.93 mi), through Crossway Park, under the local main road Crossway several small footbridges, and the Ridgeway and Green Chain Walk paths then through a nature reserve Crossway Lake, before emptying into the River Thames.[7] There is another series of canals to the west which connect with Crossway Canal, named Harrow Canal, Waterfield Canal and Butts Canal linking several slightly smaller man-made lakes including Birchmere, and Thamesmere.[7]

History edit

The Wogebourne has been documented since at least the fourteenth century,[2] and was originally a tidal river in part.[2][5] In the early twentieth century and earlier, the section of the river that runs through what is now East Wickham Open Space flowed in a meandering path above ground through the areas of woodland, Bourne Spring Wood, previously called Bowan Spring Wood[9][15] and Hill Grove,[15] and was joined from the south by a short tributary that flowed through a pond,[15] both which no longer exist. When the County of London existed from 1889 to 1965 the Wogebourne formed some of its boundary with the county of Kent near Welling and East Wickham.[9] In the twentieth century the Wogebourne within East Wickham Open Space was diverted underground into a straight culvert. In 2015 Crossrail were constructing new railway lines between Abbey Wood and Plumstead stations, where the underground section of the River Wogebourne was uncovered causing minor flooding. The water was temporarily diverted whilst construction continued.[3][4] 270 m (890 ft) of underground culvert near Abbey Wood railway station was destroyed, and a by-pass culvert was created for the watercourse further from the live rails.[3] Initially the contractors thought the river diversion may cost up to £20 million, but managed to complete the work at a lower price.[3] In the twenty first century the local government have had concerns about the possibility of the river flooding, especially in its lower reaches.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Local Flood Risk Management Strategy Consultation 2015" (PDF). www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk. Royal Borough of Greenwich. 2015. Retrieved 2024-01-28.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Admin. "The Lost River Wogebourne". A Spark in Your Veins. Retrieved 2024-01-25. The Lost River Wogebourne... This rivulet is often alluded to as the Plumstead River, but researches made by the late W.H. Many, in 14th century manuscripts, have shown that its ancient name was the Wogebourne or Woghbourne. It is said to have originally been a tidal river....
  3. ^ a b c d e "Case Study: Wickham Valley Culvert Project at Abbey Wood Station". ace-limited.co.uk. Ainsworth Civils & Engineering Ltd. Retrieved 2024-02-21. Along a section of the new Crossrail high-speed tracks, there was a conflict between the new Crossrail alignment leading to Abbey Wood station and the existing course of the Wickham Valley Waterway. The long-hidden River Wogebourne, now known as the Wickham Valley Waterway, begins in Shooters Hill and snakes its way through Plumstead to Abbey Wood before reaching Thamesmead...The waterway's close proximity to the new Crossrail high speed tracks meant that 270m of the culvert had to be demolished, moved and rebuilt...We sought to maintain the flow by installing a diversion pipe while simultaneously working around the numerous existing services. Once this was in place, we proceeded to mechanically break into the culvert and divert the water through the diversion pipe. Our research with the client led us to three possible solutions: An off-line simple in-situ concrete channel with final connections, which was not achievable due to earlier project delays and the speed of construction required and access to the area. An off-line heavy duty piled and suspended precast solution, which was not achievable due to its significant costs, exceeding £20m. An on-line solution with the installation of a bypass channel and the subsequent safe demolition of the culvert next to the live rail, taking care to avoid a landslip and undermining the existing rail lines. The third solution, while complex, was most cost effective overall, resulting in it being selected for implementation.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Has Crossrail work revealed a long hidden river?". Murky Depths. 2015-01-24. Retrieved 2024-01-25. The long-hidden River Wogebourne, or Wickham Valley Waterway...W.T. Vincent called it the Plumstead River...The river begins around Shooters Hill near Woodlands farm and the We Anchor in Hope pub. The river passes through Bourne Spring Wood and then heads towards Bostall Woods, before heading roughly parallel to Wickham Lane before heading below ground under Bostall Hill heading down towards what were marshes at Abbey Wood and Thamesmead....This report refers to it as 'Butts Canal' and states that the term 'Wickham Valley Watercourse' is used informally, but other sources refer to Butts canal as only applying to its final course once it reaches Thamesmead...
  5. ^ a b Hutchinson, Grace E. (1921). "Population and Parishes in the Ravensbourne and Darent Basins". The Geographical Teacher. Vol. 11. Taylor & Francis. p. 63. Plumstead grew up where the little Plumstead River, tidal for a short distance, entered the marshes...
  6. ^ a b "South London Rivers" (PDF). Environment Agency. 2001. Retrieved 2024-01-28. Marsh Dykes - These man-made dykes, drain the low lying areas previously used for grazing. The main watercourses are Thamesmead Canals on the former Plumstead Marshes; Great Breach and Green Level Dykes on Erith Marshes; and Crayford Dyke on the Crayford Marshes. The only river from an upland area here is the Wickham Valley Watercourse, with its source in Oxleas Wood on Shooter's Hill.
  7. ^ a b c d e Nicholson Greater London Street Atlas Comprehensive Edition. London: Harper Collins Publishers. 2003. p. 146. ISBN 0-583-33291-9. shows named lakes Southmere and Birchmere and named canals Crossway Canal, Harrow Canal, Waterfield Canal, and Butts Canal Shows Boundary between the Bexley and Greenwich boroughs
  8. ^ a b c OS Map. "OS Map Online" (Map). Explore OS Maps [OS Map]. OS Maps. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
  9. ^ a b c The Director General (1910). "Kent Sheet II" (Map). Kent Sheet II (1910 ed.). Six inches to one statute mile. 1/10560. Ordnance Survey, Southampton: The Director General at Ordnance Survey, Southampton. p. Kent Sheet II. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  10. ^ a b c d OS Map. "OS Map Online" (Map). Explore OS Maps [OS Map]. OS Maps. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
  11. ^ OS Map. "OS Maps Online" (Map). Explore OS Maps [OS Map]. OS Maps. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
  12. ^ a b c OS Map. "OS Maps Online" (Map). Explore OS Maps [OS Map]. OS Maps. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
  13. ^ OS Map. "OS Map Online" (Map). Explore OS Maps [OS Map]. OS Maps. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
  14. ^ OS Map. "OS Map Online" (Map). Explore OS Maps [OS Map]. OS Maps. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
  15. ^ a b c "Kent Sheet II" (Map). Kent Sheet II. Six inches to one statute mile. 1/10560. Ordnance Survey, Southampton: Major General Sir Henry James R.E. F.R.S. and c. Superintendent. 1870-11-30. p. Kent Sheet II. Retrieved 2024-01-29. Author: Lt. Colonel Bayly and Captain Cary R.E. Contoured in 1870 by Capt E.R. James R. E. Engraved in 1870 under the direction of Colonel Cameron R.E.
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