River Beal

River in Greater Manchester, England

53°33′14″N 2°5′46″W / 53.55389°N 2.09611°W / 53.55389; -2.09611 Mouth 
 • location
River Roch, Belfield
 • coordinates
53°37′40.41″N 2°7′55.68″W / 53.6278917°N 2.1321333°W / 53.6278917; -2.1321333
  • v
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River Beal
Legend
 River Roch
Calder Valley line
Rochdale Canal
to Firgrove Manor Farm
Bridge Street
Whitworth Street
Station Road (Milnrow)
Butterworth Hall Brook
Metrolink
Elizabethan Way  A640 
Sir Isaac Newton Way  A6193 
 M62  motorway
Bentgate Street
to Cedar Farm
Piethorne Brook
Shaw Road  A663 
Jubilee House
Shaw Road  A663 
Metrolink
Dunwood Park Courts
Pencil Brook
Shaw Road  A663 
Old Brook
Linney Lane
Besom Hill Brook
Beal Lane
Metrolink
Metrolink
Bullcote Lane
Metrolink
Hodge Brook
Metrolink
Meek Street
Metrolink
Stoneleigh Park

The Beal is a small river in Greater Manchester, England, and is a tributary of the River Roch. It rises in the Beal Valley in green space between Sholver and Royton, before continuing northwards through Shaw and Crompton, Newhey, Milnrow and Belfield.

Course

From its source at Beal Valley, it flows north through Shaw and Crompton in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, where Old Brook and Pencil Brook are tributaries. It continues north through Newhey and Milnrow in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, before joining the River Roch at Belfield.

In part, the river forms a boundary between Oldham on one side and Royton and Shaw and Crompton on the other.[1]

A small part of the course runs perpendicular to the Metrolink line, between Shaw and Crompton and Derker.

History

1212: The Beal valley was recorded as part of the thegnage estate of Kaskenmoor, held on behalf of King John by Roger de Montbegon and William de Nevill.[2]

1892: Ellenroad Cotton Mill was built on the bank of the Beal, and made fine cotton yarn by mule spinning.[3]

During operation of a bleaching and dying works, discharge to the river of used dyes and waste would cause it to change colour from one day to another.[4]

c. 1997: Littlewoods PLC changed the course of the river slightly to allow development of their Shaw National Distribution Warehouse Centre.

2005: Raw sewage was discharged to the river, killing thousands of fish and raising health fears among local residents.[5]

Tributaries

Next confluence upstream River Roch Next confluence downstream
Ash Brook River Beal Stanney Brook

Gallery

  • The River Beal is sourced from the Beal Valley, between Oldham and Shaw and Crompton
    The River Beal is sourced from the Beal Valley, between Oldham and Shaw and Crompton
  • Infancy in Higginshaw
    Infancy in Higginshaw
  • Jubilee, Shaw
    Jubilee, Shaw
  • Looking downstream from Bentgate, Newhey
    Looking downstream from Bentgate, Newhey
  • Between the M62 and A640 culverts
    Between the M62 and A640 culverts
  • Downstream from Bridge Street
    Downstream from Bridge Street
  • View from Ashes Lane, Milnrow
    View from Ashes Lane, Milnrow
  • Upstream from Firgrove
    Upstream from Firgrove
  • Confluence with River Roch
    Confluence with River Roch

References

  1. ^ Brownbill, J; William Farrer (1911). A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5. Victoria County History. pp. 92–108. ISBN 978-0-7129-1055-2.
  2. ^ Brownbill, J; William Farrer (1911). A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5. Victoria County History. pp. 108–12. ISBN 978-0-7129-1055-2.
  3. ^ "Ellenroad Steam Museum". ellenroad.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
  4. ^ Mersey Basin Campaign. "Local Action / Action Irk & Roch". merseybasin.org.uk. Archived from the original on 14 August 2007. Retrieved 15 August 2007.
  5. ^ Stephen Foster (3 August 2005). "Leak turns Beal into dead river". manchestereveningnews.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2007.
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