River Ecclesbourne

The River Ecclesbourne is a small river in Derbyshire, England, which starts in the upper part of the town of Wirksworth, flows for 9 miles to Duffield, and then enters the River Derwent just outside the town.

The River Ecclesbourne's source is in the town of Wirksworth. This is also where the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, which is named after the river and follows it for its entire length, begins. The start of the river is located between Steeple Grange and Sough Lane. The river's two main headwaters come from Steeple Grange, below Bolehill, and the fields below the National Stone Centre, Ravenstor. The main source is about 100 metres down the railway tracks from Ravenstor railway station, where the Meerbrook Sough Mine area lies. The Meerbrook Sough drained water from the nearby quarries and led them in a tunnel to Whatstandwell where the excess water from the Sough joined the River Derwent towards Ambergate. The source of the Ecclesbourne contributed to the water powering the Meerbrook Sough. The Ecclesbourne flows mostly underground through the area of the Sough, but momentarily appears above ground in several places, near Ecclesbourne Cottages at the bottom of Sough Lane, in a shallow ditch next to the railway and also near the bottom of Fanny Shaws Park, again near the main railway track. Part of the main headwaters of the Ecclesbourne flowed past the rectangular Sough Reservoir, which transported water up to the quarries around Wirksworth. This reservoir was located at the bottom left area of Fanny Shaws Park. The Meerbrook Sough Engine House was built in the middle of the Sough area and powered the waterworks of the Sough and made materials for the quarries. Below Fanny Shaws Park and skatepark the Ecclesbourne leaves the Sough area and goes underground and reappears in the Hannages further down the railway tracks, where it powered the mills at the bottom of Wirksworth. The housing estate of Spring Close has recently been built over the area of the Meerbrook Sough; the Engine House still remains in its original place, but has recently been renovated into a house.

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