Tuesday, 13 February 2007

Watersmeet or Water Meets


The Ordnance Survey has it as "Water Meets" whereas the Great Western Railway named the nearby railway bridge "Watersmeet Bridge". I'd expect to find at least two notable watercourses at the location . Hmmm. Whilst the obvious feature, "Back Stream", is sizeable the other is little more than an insignificant drain coming down the short valley from Pixford. Anyway, I'm surprised the area isn't called "Waters Split". Before the railway was built, the leat for a mill at Bishops Lydeard cut off from Back Stream around this area. and wound along the western valley sides - the course can still be seen and culverts under the railway still exist. Later, a new leat was constructed downstream which still provides water for the present mill. The other "split" still in use, provides for the ornamental ponds at Watts House, whilst most water continues in a realigned watercourse along the roadside wall. Back to the name, the question is whether the bridge should be renamed "Water Meets Bridge".

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