The 'River Loddon' is a
river in the
English counties of
Berkshire and
Hampshire. It is a tributary of the
River Thames, rising within the urban area of
Basingstoke and flowing to meet the Thames near the village of
Wargrave. The river has a total length of
28 miles (45 km) and, together with its tributaries, drains an area of
1036 km².
[1]
The River Loddon rises at West Ham Farm in Basingstoke, and in its first mile flows under the
Festival Place shopping centre that forms the main part of the central area of that town. The river then passes close by the village of
Old Basing and the ruined palace of
Basing House. Leaving the environs of Basingstoke behind, the river flows north through open north Hampshire countryside and passes near by the village of
Sherfield on Loddon. North of Sherfield the river passes through the ornamental grounds of
Stratfield Saye House, the home of the
Dukes of Wellington since
1817.
[2]
Entering Berkshire, the river passes the village of
Swallowfield. Just north of Swallowfield the River Loddon is joined by the
River Blackwater which adds substantially to its flow. The river then flows close to the east of the
Berkshire suburbs of
Earley and
Woodley, to the west of
Winnersh, and through
Dinton Pastures Country Park. Shortly after this, near the village of
Hurst it is joined by the
Emm Brook. The river then flows close to the village of
Twyford and is joined by the
St Patricks Stream, a backwater of the
River Thames. About a mile further on it flows into the main channel of the Thames, just downstream of
Shiplake Lock and close to the village of Wargrave.
[3]
Whilst
chalk underlies much of the River Loddon's catchment area, it only appears at the surface at either end of the river, near Wargrave and Basingstoke. For the rest of its course the chalk lies beneath the
Reading Beds and
London Clay. The terrace gravels of the Loddon valley have been extracted in a number of places, including the lakes within Dinton Pastures Country Park.
[1]
The catchment area of the River Loddon encompasses urban populations in Basingstoke and eastern Reading, whilst the urban areas of
Aldershot,
Fleet,
Camberley and
Farnborough all lie within the catchment area of the tributary River Blackwater. As a consequence the Loddon receives treated sewage effluent at nine locations, one just downstream of Basingstoke, a second at Wargrave, and seven indirectly via the Blackwater.
[1]
See also
★
Rivers of the United Kingdom
References
1. The River Loddon and the Emm Brook
2. Explorer Map 144 - Basingstoke, Alton & Whitchurch. Ordnance Survey (2005). ISBN 0-319-23606-4.
3. Explorer Map 159 - Reading. Ordnance Survey (2006). ISBN 0-319-23730-3.
4. The River Loddon and the Emm Brook
5. The River Loddon and the Emm Brook
External links
★ for the source of the River Loddon.
★ for the mouth of the River Loddon.
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