| Hertford | |
|---|---|
 River Hertford, looking west | |
 Map of the Catchment Area of the River Derwent | |
| Location | |
| Country | England |
| Region | Yorkshire |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Muston,North Yorkshire,England |
| Mouth | Haybridge |
• location | River Derwent,North Yorkshire,England |
| Length | 16 km (9.9 mi) |
| Basin size | 45.22 km2 (17.46 sq mi) |
TheRiver Hertford is a river inYorkshire in the north of England. It is part of the River Derwent catchment area.[1] The River Hertford starts close toMuston near the seaside town ofFiley. Despite being only 1.2 miles (2 km) from theNorth Sea (to its eastern side) the river flows westwards for 9.9 miles (16 km)[2] into theRiver Derwent at Haybridge, North Yorkshire, nearWykeham.[3] It has been referred to as a 'backward-flowing river' because it flows away from the sea.[4] Ekwall suggests the name derives from a ford over the river, which became the name by back formation.[5]
Star Carr, a Mesolithic archaeological site, lies close to the river.[3] Star Carr was on the edge of a nine-thousand year oldStone Age wetland known as, 'Lake Flixton' (nearFlixton). This area is now known as the River Hertford Floodplain and extends fromMuston in the east toGanton in the west.[6]
Originally the river meandered, but the Muston & Yedingham Drainage Act 1800 resulted in the River Derwent and the River Hertford being straightened by cutting a new course for each.[7] The Hertford was hand dug during the industrial revolution (local stories hold that the men who dug the new channel were prisoners from theNapoleonic Wars).[8]
The River Hertford catchment suffers from the discharges of three sewage plants atFolkton,Hunmanby andSeamer. This not only affects the quality of the river but also that of the Derwent downstream of Haybridge.[9]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
54°11′49″N0°29′54″W / 54.19706°N 0.49841°W /54.19706; -0.49841
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