River Itchen, Hampshire
The
River Itchen is a
river in
Hampshire,
England. It flows from mid-Hampshire to join with
Southampton Water in the city of
Southampton. The river has a total length of
28 miles (45 km), and is noted as one of England's premier
chalk streams for
fly fishing, especially using
dry fly or nymphing techniques. It is designated as a
Site of Special Scientific Interest and is noted for its high quality habitats, supporting a range of protected species including the
otter,
brook lamprey and the
white-clawed crayfishThe source of the Itchen is situated just south of the village of
Cheriton. Initially the river flows north, through the villages of Cheriton and
Tichborne, before joining up with its tributaries the
River Alre and the
Candover Brook, just below the town of
New Alresford. The river then flows west down the upper Itchen Valley passing the villages of
Ovington,
Itchen Stoke,
Itchen Abbas,
Martyr Worthy,
Easton, and
Abbots Worthy to the historic city of
Winchester.
The river flows in several different channels through the city of Winchester, some of which come close enough to
Winchester Cathedral to have caused serious problems to the building's foundations in earlier years. The main channel flows through
Winchester City Mill and to the east of the city's
Roman walls, along a promenaded reach known as 'The Weirs'.
The river then flows south, through a series of water meadows, passing the
St Cross Hospital, the villages of
Twyford and
Shawford, and the town of
Eastleigh, before reaching the northern suburbs of
Southampton at
Swaythling. Between Winchester and Swaythling, sections of the river were once canalised as part of the long disused
Itchen Navigation, and the former towpath forms part of the
Itchen Way.
At
Swaythling the Itchen passes under Woodmill Bridge and becomes tidal. Four further bridges cross the river before its confluence with the
River Test estuary in Southampton Water:
* Cobden Bridge, a
19th century road bridge connecting Bitterne Park and St Denys.
* The bridge carrying the Southampton -
Portsmouth railway line.
* Northam Bridge, a road bridge carrying the
A3024 road from Bitterne Manor to Northam, which was opened in 1974.
* The
Itchen Bridge , a high-level toll road bridge connecting the docks area with Woolston. This replaced the famous floating bridge (a
chain ferry) which had previously crossed the river at this point.
The river is managed by the
Environment Agency, whilst the
Port of Southampton is the navigation authority for the tidal section below Swaythling.
*
Rivers of the United Kingdom* Environment Agency (2006).
Fact file on the River Itchen. Retrieved
February 7 2006.
* Ordnance Survey (2004).
OS Explorer Map 132 - Winchester, New Alresford & East Meon. ISBN 0319236013.
* Ordnance Survey (2004).
OS Explorer Map OL22 - New Forest. ISBN 0319236161.
* for the source of the River Itchen.
* for the mouth of the River Itchen.
*
River Itchen Archaeology Project Home Page
