Land Yeo

For other rivers called Yeo, seeRiver Yeo (disambiguation).

Land Yeo
The Land Yeo by Jacklands Bridge,Nailsea
Location
Country	England
County	North Somerset
Cities	Barrow Gurney,Nailsea,Wraxall, Somerset,Tickenham,Clevedon
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Dundry Hill,Somerset,England
• coordinates	51°23′56″N2°39′06″W
Mouth	Severn Estuary
• location	Clevedon,Somerset,England
• coordinates	51°25′42″N2°52′33″W
• elevation	0 ft (0 m)

TheLand Yeois a small river which flows throughNorth Somerset,England. It rises onDundry Hilland suppliesBarrow Gurney Reservoirsbefore flowing through various villages toClevedonwhere it drains into theSevern Estuary.During the past 1,000 years it has powered at least ten watermills; however, only one is still functional. Since 2003 initiatives have been undertaken to clean up the river, improving water quality and encouraging wildlife.

River course

Millpond atBarrow Gurney

The Land Yeo has its origins at several small springs on the western edge ofDundry Hill.It is one of the small streams which feedBarrow Gurney Reservoirsnear the village ofBarrow Gurney,which provide drinking water forBristol.It flows through the village ofBarrow Gurneyalongside the B3130 road, where it can be seen in millponds controlled by sluices.

It flows north beneath theA370 roadand theBristol to Exeter railway lineclose to an old Roman settlement atGatcombe.The weir at Watercress Farm marks the start of the formal statutorymain riverdesignation of the Land Yeo. Flowing west past theTyntesfieldEstate it has been diverted north and embanked into higher ground around what is now the Barn Public House. The original much smaller channel is still fed via a sluice through the water meadows. The Land Yeo continues to the north ofNailseawhere it is crossed by Jacklands Bridge and south ofWraxall,continuing through a man-made channel, pastTickenhamwhere it is the northern boundary of theTickenham, Nailsea and Kenn Moors SSSI.

It then passes under theM5 motorway,throughClevedonwhere it joins theMiddle Yeoand drains at low tide through the tidal sluice into theSevern Estuary.

Mills

During the 18th and 19th centuries the Land Yeo powered a series of mills, with some dating back to the time of theDomesday Book.These included corn andgristmillsand those adapted for the production ofsnuff.

There were three mills on the Land Yeo inBarrow Gurney.The Upper Barrow Mill, which had anOvershot water wheel,was aGristmillwhich is known to have been operating in 1839. By 1866 it was running as a corn mill, and ceased operation by 1935. The Middle Mill was converted to snuff manufacture by Peter Lilly a tobacconist from Bristol around 1800 and became part of theW.D. & H.O. Willstobacco manufacturing company. It ceased mill operations by 1839 and by 1885 both the leat and millpond had disappeared. The Lower Mill is known have been grinding corn in the 19th century. It was rebuilt in 1909 when an iron overshot watermill of 14 feet (4.3 m) diameter was installed and steam power introduced. The mill is still used to produce animal feeds, however the waterwheel and millpond, which remain, are no longer in use.

The next mill downstream is in the parish ofLong Ashtonclose to the site of theGatcombe Roman Settlement.There is evidence of a snuff mill at the site in 1769, however the current building dates from the early 19th century. By 1846 it had been converted to grindmustard,annattoand drugs, but by 1874 was a flour mill.The internal machinery is still in place and the mill has been designated as a Grade IIlisted building.In the same parish stood Kincott Mill which had stood since at least the 13th century. By the early 19th century rented out for snuff grinding and in the 1830s a steam engine was installed to power a flour and corn mill. Later it was owned by aniron founder,who made edge tools and other farm implements and installed cast-iron water wheels.

To the north of the village ofFlax Bourtonare the remains of Bourton Mill which may have existed at the time of theDomesday Bookand strong documentary evidence exists from 1769. Between 1839 and 1885 the river was diverted into the tailrace of the mill, eliminating a bend in the river. All that remains of the three-storey mill is a single storey garage of a private house.

At Watercress Farm,Wraxallis the only waterwheel still operating on the River. The 6 feet (1.8 m) diameter wheel, which was built before 1885 and is housed in a small brick building is used as a water pump. The other mill in the parish of Wraxall operated in the 18th and 19th centuries. It fell out of use by 1885 and was ruined by 1950. The only remains are crumbling walls by the entrance to Wraxall House.

The mill atTickenhamwas established in the middle of the 12th century by Canons of the Abbey of St Augustine, (nowBristol Cathedral). In the 19th century it was owned by theAshton CourtEstate and in the 20th century was used as a water pump. It has now been converted into a private house.

There were at least two mills atClevedon.The Tuck Mills lay in the fields south ofClevedon Courtand were used forfullingcloth. The other mills were nearWain's Hilland probably date from the early 17th century.

Restoration

In 2003 a group known as the Friends of the Land Yeo was set up to maintain and enhance the river, including the removal of debris.The subsequent improvements in water quality have increased the numbers of fish and improved the river as a habitat for birds and mammals includingkingfishers,little egrets,herons,swansandotters.The group have also been developing a series of river walks.A grant, in 2011, of £200,000 to fund work on the wetlands of theNorth Somerset Levelswill enable further work to enhance biodiversity to be undertaken.