Beverley Brook

Beverley Brook
The source of Beverley Brook in Cuddington Recreation Ground
Map of the Beverley and Pyl Brooks showing surrounding parkland and access from settlements
Location
Country	United Kingdom
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Cuddington Recreation Park,Worcester Park,Greater London
Mouth
• location	Barn Elms,River Thames
• coordinates	51°28′18.48″N0°13′22.8″W
Length	14.3 km (8.9 mi)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Pen Ponds overflow, Keswick Avenue ditch,Coombe Brook
• right	Kingsmere Stream, Queensmere Stream,Cannizaro Parkstream,Pyl Brook,East Pyl Brook, Old Pyl ditch, Merton ditch culvert, Grand Drive ditch

Beverley Brookis a 14.3 km (8.9 mi)-long river in the south-western suburbs ofLondon,England. It rises inWorcester Parkand joins theRiver Thamesto the north of the Putney Embankment atBarn Elms,having flowed through the green spaces ofWimbledon Common,Richmond Park,Barnes CommonandPutney Lower Commonon its course. It is followed for much of its course by theBeverley Brook Walk.

The brook has acatchment areaof 64 km²(25 sq mi).

Etymology

The name is derived from the former presence in the river of theEuropean beaver(Castor fiber), a species extinct in Britain since the sixteenth century. TheMiddle Englishword for beaver wasbever,the word for meadow wasley(orleior various other spellings, still rarely used today aslea) andbrookmeant stream, as it does today. Beverley Brook was thus the Beaver-Meadow Stream.

For some 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to the south of Richmond Park, the brook is followed by theA3 trunk road from London to Portsmouthand that stretch of the road is namedBeverley Wayin consequence.

Course

From source to Wimbledon Common

Beverley Brook in Motspur Park

Beverley Brook rises at the top of a hill in a shady area at Cuddington Recreation Ground inWorcester Parkthen flows north in an approximately 1 km (0.62 mi) longculvertunder several residential streets and theA2043 road,emerging in waste land next toWorcester Park Station.From here it flows for some 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) alongside Green Lane and past Green Lane Primary School to a bridge under theRaynes Park to Epsom railway line.North of the railway, it flows about 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) through the suburb ofMotspur Parkand passes under theA3for the first time, before reachingBeverley Park,where thePyl Brookjoins from the east.

From the mouth of the Pyl Brook, the strengthened Beverley Brook flows north for just under 1 kilometre (0.62 mi), passing under theLondon to Southampton railway lineand acrossMalden Golf Clubbefore passing under the A3 for a second time. From the north side of the A3, theBeverley Brook Walkfollows, at times more closely than others, the brook to its mouth. From the A3, the brook passes through a residential area for about 500 metres (1,600 ft) before passing under Coombe Lane and enteringWimbledon Commonat its extreme south-western corner.

Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park

Beverley Brook on Wimbledon Common

Beverley Brook in Richmond Park

After entering Wimbledon Common, the brook passes along the western edge of the common for some 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) before passing under the A3 for a third time. Along this stretch the lightly managed woodland of the common rises to the east of the brook, with the A3 some distance to the west. Except for the playing fields, the whole of the common, including Beverley Brook, is both aSite of Special Scientific Interestand aSpecial Area of Conservation.Towards the south (upstream) end of the common,Fishpond Wood and Beverley Meadsnature reserve lies a few metres east of the stream.

After passing under the A3, the brook then flows northeast for 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) throughRichmond Park,the largest ofLondon's Royal Parks.The park is aSite of Special Scientific Interestand aNational Nature Reserveand was first enclosed byCharles Iin 1637. It contains many ancientoak treesthat pre-date its enclosure, as well as herds ofred deerandfallow deer.Within the park the Beverley Brook creates a water feature used by the deer, smaller animals, water grasses and somewater lilies.Along this stretch the brook is followed by theTamsin Trailas well as theBeverley Brook Walk.

Richmond Park to the Thames

The Beverly Brook as it passes between Barnes Green and Barnes Common

Beverley Brook from Thames towpath, just before it discharges into the River Thames

After leaving Richmond Park, the brook flows for some 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi), passing alongsidePalewell Commonand theBank of England Sports Ground,before passing under theA205 Upper Richmond Roadand reaching Priest's Bridge. At Priest's Bridge, aweirandculvertexist to take flood water directly to the Thames.

The brook then continues some 850 metres (2,790 ft) in a north-easterly direction, passing under both theWaterloo to ReadingandHounslow Looprailway lines in close succession, before reachingBarnes GreenandBarnes Common.Here the brook flows under a footbridge linking the two open spaces. Despite the Thames being under 500 metres (1,600 ft) to the north-west along this stretch, the brook here turns east and heads across the base of the peninsular formed by the larger river's meander aroundBarnes.

The brook then flows for another 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi) through the south of Barnes, passing between the Barnes playing fields to the north andPutney Lower Commonto the south, and joins theRiver ThamesbetweenBarn ElmsandLeader's Gardens.

Beverley Brook as a boundary

The Beverley Brook lies entirely withinGreater Londonbut flows through a number ofLondon boroughs.It rises in the borough ofSutton,which it remains in until Green Lane Primary School, where it briefly becomes the boundary between the boroughs of Sutton andKingston upon Thames,before becoming the boundary between the boroughs of Kingston upon Thames andMerton.This historic South West London boundary continues for the next 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) until just before the brook flows into Richmond Park, where the brook briefly becomes the boundary between the boroughs of Kingston on Thames andWandsworth.

Once in Richmond Park, the river passes into the borough ofRichmond.After leaving Richmond Park, the brook briefly forms the boundary between the boroughs of Richmond and Wandsworth, before flowing back into the borough of Richmond near Priest's Bridge. It remains in that borough until it reaches Putney Lower Common, where it again forms the boundary between the boroughs of Richmond and Wandsworth as far as the Thames.

Tributaries

ThePyl BrookinNorth Cheam,a right bank tributary

Beverley Brook's longesttributaryisPyl Brook,5.3 km (3.3 mi) long,which is aLocal Nature Reserve.It flows fromSuttonthroughLower Mordento join it at Beverley Park inNew Malden.Both brooks are on theEnvironment Agency's watchlist of rivers susceptible to flooding.

Environmental improvements

For much of the twentieth century, Beverley Brook was joined by poorly treated sewage from a sewage works in Green Lane, Worcester Park. Since some pipe redirection enabling the removing of the works and the introduction of improved treatment methods in 1998, the range of wildlife species in the river has steadily increased.

AtWimbledon Common,Beverley Brook has banks reinforced with wooden "toe-boarding", which prevents use bywater voles,and there is scope for further such improvements.

In fiction

Beverley Brook is a regular character inBen Aaronovitch's series of urban fantasypolice proceduralnovelsRivers of London.She describes her kind thus: "'Orisa', said Beverley. 'We're Orisa. Not spirits, notlocal geniuses– Orisa'. "

See also

• Tributaries of the River Thames
• List of rivers of England

External links

• Beverley Brook Catchment
• Royal Parks press release on the improving water quality of the river,1 January 2004
• The Beverley Brook waymarked walk
• Beverley Brook Walk
• Beverley Brook Walk map
• Flow measurements