River Tone - Route

Route

The river rises at Beverton Pond, at an elevation of 1,230 ft (370 m), to the west of the B3190 road from Watchet to Bampton, and near to Huish Champflower barrow, an ancient earthworks, and the derelict incline of the West Somerset Mineral Railway. Over its first 1.8 miles (2.9 km) it follows a south-easterly course and drops around 490 feet (150 m) before discharging into Clatworthy reservoir, which also impounds the waters of 5 other streams. The reservoir is an important wildlife habitat managed by Wessex Water, and offers facilities for fishing and walking.

The river continues as the outflow from the main dam of the reservoir, passing to the west of the village of Clatworthy before following a southerly course which passes to the east of Huish Champflower. The river enters a steeply wooded section at Washbattle bridge, with the Dearne Valley Way footpath on its eastern bank. The B3227 road from Wiveliscombe crosses from the east to the west side of the valley at Waterrow bridge, before heading westwards to Bampton, after which a former railway line crossed the river on its way to Taunton. By the time it reaches Stawley bridge and turns south-east, it has lost another 410 ft (120 m) and is just 330 ft (100 m) above sea level. At Tracebridge, the river turns to the north-east and then the north. Here the course of the derelict Grand Western Canal joins it.

The river passes over weirs at Greenham, Tone and Nynehead, after which it is crossed by the aqueduct of the Grand Western Canal and the railway, both on their own routes to Taunton. A disused bridge, constructed in 1817, which carried the drive to Nynehead Court spans the river at Nynehead, and was Grade II listed in 1956. The river turns to the north-east near Bradford on Tone, with its two Grade II listed bridges, originally built in the 15th century, and then to the east near Upcott bridge, where there were two mills. At Roughmoor its course is crossed by Silk Mills Road. A "Park and Ride" car park is situated just to the north, and there is a scheme to make the river navigable from here to the town centre as a way of encouraging transport with less environmental impact. Project Taunton, which is managing the regeneration of Taunton applied for a Big Lottery grant to fund this development, but were not successful, and so it may take longer to achieve.

Soon the river reaches French weir, the head of navigation. As it makes its way through the town centre to Firepool weir and the junction with the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, it passes under the North Bridge, constructed in 1895 and including globe lamps which are thought to be part of the earliest electric street lighting scheme in a British town, and Priory Bridge Road. Next comes the A358 Obridge viaduct, the A38 Bathpool Bridge and the M5 motorway bridge. Firepool weir was reconstructed in 1967 as part of the plans to straighten the river through the town centre and down to Bathpool in order to provide better flood defences. These works swept away the remains of the original navigation. A disused five-arched railway bridge built in 1863 and the aqueduct that carried the Chard Canal over the river, used from 1842 until 1866, still stand, followed by the bridge at Creech St Michael. Brewhouse Theatre, which takes its name from the late 18th century brewery house which forms part of the complex, is close to the riverside. Ham weir stands as a reminder of the location of the lock there. After Knapp bridge, built in 1820 and Grade II listed, the sluice at Newbridge marks the upper tidal limit of the river. Curry and Hay Moors, an area of low-lying fenland close to the river, are a Site of Special Scientific Interest. A railway bridge carries the Taunton to Castle Cary railway line over the river, after which is the Curry Moor pumping station. Two more road bridges at Athelney and Stanmoor cross the river before it joins the River Parrett at Burrowbridge, where the junction is overshadowed by Burrow Mump, a prominent hill with a ruined chapel on the top.