River Wansbeck

The River Wansbeck runs through the county of Northumberland, England. It rises above Sweethope Lough on the edge of Fourlaws Forest in the area known locally as The Wanneys (Great Wanney Crag, Little Wanney Crag; thus the "Wanneys Beck"); runs through the town of Ashington before discharging into the North Sea at Sandy Bay near Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.

River Wansbeck
The River Wansbeck near Low Angerton
River Wansbeck is located in Northumberland
River Wansbeck
Location of mouth within Northumberland
Location
CountryUnited Kingdom
CountyNorthumberland
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationWest of Sweethope Loughs
 • coordinates55.1409°N 2.137°W / 55.1409; -2.137
 • elevation295 m (968 ft)[1]
Mouth 
 • location
North Sea
 • coordinates
55.1619°N 1.5294°W / 55.1619; -1.5294
Length50 km (31 mi) [1]
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • rightRiver Font, Hart Burn

The River flows through the village of Kirkwhelpington, Hartburn, where the tributary Hart Burn joins, the village of Mitford, where the River Font joins, and the town of Morpeth.

The River Wansbeck is nicknamed the River Wanney. The term 'The Wilds of Wanney' is used by people of Tyneside to refer to the rural areas of Northumberland where the Wansbeck rises.

The River lent its name to the former Wansbeck district which was based in Ashington, and included Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Bedlington and Stakeford.

Barrage and navigation

Between 1974 and 75, a £250,000 barrage[2] with a navigation lock was built near the rivermouth and adjacent to the A189 road bridge.[3] In so doing the lower three miles of river[4] became a country park[5] and are recognised as England's most northerly inland (locked) navigation.[6] Very little use of the lock has actually been recorded, although rowing and sailing craft are launched and used in the country park.

Stakeford Bridge[7] is about midway in the navigable part. Sheepwash Bridge[8] is near the upper limit of the park and the navigable water.[9]

From 1985, the new navigation was officially recorded in The Inland Waterways of Great Britain, noting that the navigation authority was then Wansbeck District Council,[10] which means that, since 2009, Northumberland County has held that role.

Road and rail river crossings
  • North Seaton A189 Bridge, A189 (road, foot)
  • North Seaton Railway Bridge (rail), used to carry Blyth and Tyne Railway now used for freight
  • Stakeford Bridge, A196 (road, foot)
  • Sheepwash Bridge, A1068 road (road, foot)
  • Bothal Mill Bridge, A196 (road, foot)
  • Pegswood Railway Viaduct, East Coast Main Line (rail)
  • Morpeth Telford Bridge, A197 (road, foot)
  • Lowford Bridge, B6343 (road, foot)
  • Highford Bridge, B6343 (road, foot)
  • A1 Bridge (road)
  • Mitford Bridge, B6343 (road, foot)
  • Meldon Bridge (road, foot)
  • Mill House Bridge, B6343 (road, foot)
  • Low Angerton Bridge (road, foot)
  • Low Angerton Railway Bridge (disused), Used to carry the Wansbeck Railway
  • Middleton Bridge, B6343 (road, foot)
  • Wallington Bridge, B6342 (road, foot)
  • Kirkwhelpington Bridge (road, foot)
  • Kirkwhelpington A696 Bridge (road)
  • Sweethope Loughs Road Bridge (road, foot)[11]

See also

References
  1. "River factfiles : Get to know your rivers" (PDF). Environmentdata.org. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  2. "The barrage is a subject within this Durham University Doctoral thesis "Remediation Strategies and Water Quality of estuarine impoundments" by Jens Lamping" (PDF). p. 107. Retrieved 9 June 2014. The thesis has a colour photo of the lock. The construction dates and details are sourced from the thesis
  3. "North Seaton Bridge". Bridgesonthetyne.co.uk. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  4. "River Wansbeck – Gazetteer – CanalPlanAC". Canalplan.org.uk. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  5. Council, Northumberland County. "Northumberland County Council - Home". Northumberland.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Stakeford Bridge". Bridgesonthetyne.co.uk. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  8. "Sheepwash Bridge". Bridgesonthetyne.co.uk. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  9. "Sheepwash Bridge – Gazetteer – CanalPlanAC". Canalplan.org.uk. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  10. Edwards, L. A.: The Inland Waterways of Great Britain, sixth edition Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson, St Ives, Cambs, 1985 p. 382
  11. "Bridges On The Wansbeck - Introduction". Bridgesonthetyne.co.uk. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
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