Witham

Map of the Witham (red)

The **Witham** is a river in south-eastern Great Britain, and principal river of the Witham Basin. It is sourced near the town of Grantham in the English county of Lincolnshire, and flows generally eastwards in a wide arc through the county before entering The Wash near the town of Boston. Its lower reaches have been extensively modified.

## Course

### Upper Witham (South Witham to Lincoln)

The source of the Witham is located near the village of South Witham in southwest Lincolnshire. Some maps contend that the source lies further to the west, near the village of Market Overton. At South Witham, the nascent river meets its first tributary, a minor stream known as Fishpool Dyke (right bank), and turns to a northward trajectory. The Witham proceeds through the villages of North Witham and Colsterworth, then meets its second tributary, Cringle Brook (left bank), at Great Ponton. Further north at Little Ponton, the river is joined by a minor, unnamed tributary, then approaches the town of Grantham. Within and around Grantham, the Witham picks up a handful of tributaries including Mow Beck (left bank, culverted through the town), Running Furrows (left bank) and several unnamed streams. Downstream of the village of Barkston, the river turns westwards and meets Honington Beck (right bank) followed by Foston Beck (left bank). At Long Bennington, the Witham picks up another two minor streams, Ease Drain (left bank) and Western Drain (east bank), then bends to the north once again. At this point, the river strays close to the watershed of the Humber Basin, and is a mere 6 kilometres from the Trent at their closest separation near the town of Newark-on-Trent. It is also here that the Witham is joined by Shire Dike (left bank) and forms the county boundary between Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. Near the village of Beckingham, the county boundary diverges from the Witham, and the river is joined by Sutton Dyke (right bank) and Stapleford Meadow Drain (left bank). It then continues north-northeast for several kilometres to the village of Thurlby, where it receives the waters of Thurlby Drain and then turns to the east. Downstream of the vilage of Aurbourn, the Witham meets its first major tributary, the Brant, and resumes its north-north-easterly course. Now approach the outskirts of the city of Lincoln, the river is joined by a few minor streams including The Beck, Pike Drain and Catchwater Drain, before proceeding into the city centre. Here, it flows into Brayford Pool and meets Foss Dyke on its left bank, a canal of Roman origin connecting the Witham to the Trent and also carrying the waters of the Till. The river then changes course once again, turning sharply to the east along a narrow channel through central Lincoln.

### Lower Witham (Lincoln to Boston)

After clearing Lincoln and passing through a gap in the Lincoln Cliff escarpment, the Witham flows into a wide, low-lying floodplain. From here on, the river is extensively canalized and continues to flow eastwards for several kilometres, picking up an unnamed right-bank tributary along the way. Further downstream as it approaches the village of Bardney, the Witham meets Barlings Eau and turns to the southeast. At this point, the Witham lies in a wide valley between the Lincoln Cliff to the west and the Lincolnshire Wolds to the east. Tributaries rising from the Lincoln Cliff enter the Witham via a complex network of ditches draining a large expanse of fenland on the river's right bank, whereas left-bank tributaries rising from the Lincolnshire Wolds assume a more straightforward course. Such left-bank tributaries include Tilehouse Beck, Tupholme Beck, Catchwater Drain, Swine Syke Drain, The Sewer, Kirkstead Abbey Drain, and Kirkstead Mill Beck. Near the village of Coningsby, the Witham meets three significant tributaries in quick succession: first, Billinghay Skirth (right bank), then the Bain (left bank), then the Slea (right bank). The river then enters a dead straight channel devoid of tributaries, which bends to the east at Langrick Bridge then to the southeast again Anton's Gowt, then enters the town of Boston. The Witham briefly regains its meanders in the town centre, where it becomes tidal and is known as **The Haven**. At the Port of Boston, it meets two major tributaries, the South Forty-Foot Drain (right bank) and Maud Foster Drain (left bank), then leaves the town behind and proceeds south-eastwards to be joined by its final two tributaries: Wyberton Marsh Pump Drain (right bank) and Hobhole Drain (left bank). The Haven then curves to the east and flows into The Wash right next to the Welland.

## Notes

* \*HydroRIVERS erroneously includes part of the Devon (Shreve number = 2) as a tributary, thus the Witham's Shreve number has been reduced from 76 to 74.