The River Trent
The River Trent is England’s third longest river after the Severn
and the Thames and its name from Celtic origins warns of a river prone to
flooding, which it still is, and users of the Inland waterways should take
note of this for their own safety. When in flood it is a very different
creature from its usually more placid self.
If the river is heading downstream at 6 knots and you are heading
upstream at 5 knots you are going to be going backwards. So before
attempting it, make sure your boat has enough power, you have enough skill
and that the adventure is really necessary.
That said, it is a very attractive river when it is behaving itself and
well worth exploring.
It rises in Staffordshire, the head being marked by a small monument
in a cow paddock in Biddulph village. From here it flows down towards Burton
-on- Trent fwhere it becomes Navigable, fed by tributaries such as the
Derwent, the Dove , the Erewash and
the Devon plus many smaller streams and water courses.
From
Burton- on- Trent it continues onto pass Nottingham , Newark and Gainsborugh
and finally onto to Trent falls
where it feeds into the Humber
estuary.
For many years it had major pollution problems not helped by the water
draining from Birmingham’s industrial areas, though farm land and Nottingham
also made their contributions. However in more recent years the battle to
clean up the river has taken huge strides forwards and now it is even being
used as a source of drinking water; after the usual purification.
The river, when not in flood is non-tidal and safe for inland craft
above Cromwell Lock, below which the tidal section should only be attempted
by suitably experienced crews in suitably equipped craft.
Historically there is evidence that the river Trent has been used as a
trade route since the Bronze age after which the Romans realised its value
as a route to the sea, followed of course by the Vikings who used it as a
convenient means of tapping the wealth of Nottingham and various other
settlements.
The first major improvement
of the navigation on the river probably started about
1699,
with Lord Padget obtained an
act of Paliament to extend
navigation up to Fleetstones Bridge, Burton, despite opposition from the
people of Nottingham. Lord Paget funded the work privately, building locks
at King's Mills and Burton Mills and several cuts and basins, this being to
service his local mines.
After that there is a long history of economic development and political
intrigue up to the present day resulting in the current facilities.
Rivers and canals, it must be remembered were really
the first efficient means of transport for large industrial purposes like
mining, so if you controlled or heavily influenced the right of use you were
in a powerful position to exploit the situation for your own benefits –
which could be considerable.
So waterways were effectively fought over if not with actual weapons, then
with the blunt instruments of influence, politics and law.
