Chalk streams

  • Most of the chalk streams on Abbey Farm are ‘winterbournes’. This means they usually start flowing in the winter and stop at some time between late spring and early autumn
  • The streams that are higher up the valley (further to the east at Abbey Farm) start flowing latest and dry up the earliest. The stream at the eastern end of our pastures can go some years without flowing. The stream at the western end has never been known to dry up
  • The course of the stream has been greatly altered. In the western half of the pastures a straight stream has been dug (probably in the 19th century) to take water off the site as quickly as possible (and perhaps to facilitate use of a ram pump). Using sluices and bunds we have diverted water out of this stream back onto the pastures. This water forms the stream that flows through the public access area
Winterbourne chalk stream
The winterbourne at the eastern end of the pastures at Abbey Farm. This usually only has water in from January to May. After a dry autumn and winter, there may be no flow for the whole following year
A straightened section of chalk stream – probably dug in the 19th century
A straightened section of chalk stream – probably dug in the 19th century