River Trent

Encyclopedia : R : RI : RIV : River Trent

For other uses see Trent River.

The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire between Biddulph and Mow Cop and its course flows through the Midlands until it joins the Humber Estuary at Trent Falls, and then to the North Sea.

The name "Trent" comes from a Celtic word possibly meaning "strongly flooding". More specifically, the name may be a contraction of two Celtic words, tros ("over") and hynt ("way") (see [University of Wales Online Dictionary]). This may indeed indicate a river that is prone to flooding. However, a more likely explanation may be that it was considered to be a river that could be crossed principally by means of fords, i.e. the river flowed over major road routes. This may explain the presence of the Celtic element rid (c.f. Welsh rhyd, "ford") in various placenames along the Trent, such as Hill Ridware.

The river is navigable for some 117 miles below Burton upon Trent. A navigable route into the Potteries and beyond is provided by the Trent and Mersey Canal, which meets the Trent at Shardlow. The river is tidal downstream of Cromwell Lock to the north of Newark.

Nottingham seems to have been the ancient head of navigation, but this was extended to Wilden Ferry, as a result of the efforts of the Fosbrooke family of Shardlow after the Restoration. Lord Paget obtained an Act of Parliament in 1699 to extend navigation to Burton on Trent, but nothing was immediately done. In 1711, Lord Paget leased his rights to George Haynes, who carried out improvements, quickly opening the river to Burton. He monopolised freight, causing discontent among merchants and encouraging interloping. His business was continued as the 'Burton Boat Company', but after the opening of the Trent and Mersey Canal, the Boat Company were unable to compete. Eventually in 1805, they reached an agreemetn with Henshall & Co. the leading canal carriers for the closure of the river above Wilden Ferry. Though the river is no doubt legally still navigable above Shardlow, it is probable that the agreement marks the end of the use of that stretch of the river as a commercial navigation. C. C. Owen, Burton on Trent: the development of industry (Phillimore, Chichester 1978), 13-20.

It is unusual amongst English rivers in that it flows north (for the second half of its route), and is also unusual in exhibiting a tidal bore, the "Aegir". The area drained by the river includes most of the northern Midlands.

The river marks the boundary between the provinces of two English Kings of Arms, Norroy and Clarenceaux. It was formerly also a boundary for other purposes. For example the adminstration of Royal Forests was divided according to whether they were north or south of the river. The phrase "born North of the Trent" is thus one definition of someone from the North of England.

Cities and towns on or close to the river include:

Tributaries

Among its tributaries are:

River Derwent, Derby
River Dove
River Soar, Leicester - meets the Trent at Trentlock
River Tame, Birmingham
River Devon
River Leen

River Trent

Tributaries

Footnotes

See also