Whissendine Brook Explained

Whissendine Brook
Pushpin Map:United Kingdom Rutland
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of the river mouth in Rutland
Subdivision Type1:Country
Subdivision Name1:England
Subdivision Type3:Counties
Subdivision Name3:Rutland, Leicestershire
Length:10.5km (06.5miles)
Source1 Location:Cold Overton, Leicestershire
Source1 Coordinates:52.6824°N -0.8067°W
Source1 Elevation:182m (597feet)
Mouth:Langham Brook
Mouth Location:Whissendine, Rutland
Mouth Coordinates:52.7414°N -0.7658°W
Mouth Elevation:94m (308feet)
Basin Size:14.4km2

The Whissendine Brook is a small watercourse in the East Midlands region of England. It is a tributary of the Langham Brook and part of the River Soar catchment.

Course

The Whissendine Brook rises to the west of Cold Overton in Leicestershire and flows in a north easterly direction past the village and across the county boundary into Rutland. From here it continues through a gentle valley, splitting the village of Whissendine into two distinct halves, with the older settlement on higher ground to the east and a larger collection of more modern houses around a restored 19th century windmill to the west.[1]

In the centre of the village, it is joined by a smaller tributary from the south at a location formerly known as Horse Pit Lane where the brook was used to wash horses and carts.[2] In periods of heavy rain, it regularly floods at this point.

Upon leaving the village, it continues to flow north through arable fields where it soon joins the Langham Brook back on the border of Leicestershire.

Status

In 2016, the overall classification of the Whissendine Brook was 'Poor' under the Water Framework Directive for reasons of sewage contamination, poor livestock management and poor nutrient management in the agricultural land surrounding it.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Parishes: Whissendine. British History Online. 9 May 2020.
  2. Web site: A Walk around Whissendine. Ian Ryder. 28 October 2014. Rutland Local History & Record Society. 9 May 2020.
  3. Web site: Whissendine Brook: Catchment Data Explorer. environment.data.gov.uk. 9 May 2020.