View of the Little Stour, passing through Farmland near the parish of Stourmouth
The river has four main tributaries, the Great Stour rises in Lenham and East Stour River from Sellindge, meeting at Ashford, when they turn into the Great Stour. The Great Stour continues through Canterbury to Plucks Gutter where it meets two further tributaries, the River Wantsum and Little Stour to become the River Stour. The river continues across Ash Level through Sandwich and out to Pegwell Bay where it meets the North Sea. The Nailbourne (Little Stour) flows from Lyminge, through the Elham Valley until it becomes known as the Little Stour at Littlebourne. The Nailbourne bubbles up beneath St Ethelburga's Well in Tayne Field in the centre of Lyminge. Whilst the stream often holds a plentiful supply of water from Lyminge to Elham throughout the year, it rarely holds any water from Elham to Bishopsbourne even in the winter months. However, in wet years the normally dry ditch can turn into a fast flowing torrent, flooding roads, fields and houses. An example of this was in 2001 when there was extensive flooding throughout the Elham Valley. It joins with the Great Stour at Plucks Gutter. The Little Stour starts at the springs near Well Chapel, Bekesbourne, after the watercress beds the Nailbourne joins the Little Stour (when it is running) and then joins with the Great Stour at Plucks Gutter near West Stourmouth. The merged river is usually known as the River Stour.
Size: 4064px × 2704px
Location: Little Stour (Nailbourne) near Stourmouth,
Photo credit: © John Gaffen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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