| Frays River | |
|---|---|
 Frays River in Frays Farm Meadows | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | England |
| County | Buckinghamshire,London Borough of Hillingdon |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | River Colne, Denham Weir,Buckinghamshire |
| • coordinates | 51°33′58″N0°29′00″W / 51.5661°N 0.4832°W /51.5661; -0.4832 |
| • elevation | 35 m (115 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | River Colne,West Drayton |
• coordinates | 51°29′58″N0°29′05″W / 51.4995°N 0.4848°W /51.4995; -0.4848 |
• elevation | 24 m (79 ft) |
| Length | 5.5 mi (8.9 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | River Pinn |
Frays River is a semi-canalised short river in England that branches off theRiver Colne at Uxbridge Moor and rejoins it atWest Drayton. It is believed to be a mainly man-madeanabranch north of the confluence with theRiver Pinn to feedwatermills in the Parish ofHillingdon. The river is believed to be named afterJohn Fray who owned Cowley Hall in the fifteenth century. Other names for the river are the Uxbridge and Cowley Mill Stream, the Cowley Stream or the Colham Mill Stream. Two of the three mills in Hillingdon Parish recorded in theDomesday book are believed to have been located on the southern section of the river.[1]
The Frays River leaves the River Colne east ofDenham, Buckinghamshire at Denham Weir. It passes throughFrays Farm Meadows,Uxbridge,Cowley,Yiewsley andWest Drayton. At Cowley theGrand Union Canal mainline is carried over the river in anaqueduct at Cowley lock. The Frays continues south, flowing past Little Britain Lake on its western side before crossing under theSlough Arm of the Grand Union Canal which is also carried above it in an aqueduct. InYiewsley it is joined on its east bank by the River Pinn. It then re-joins the River Colne at Drayton Point inWest Drayton.
The river flows through twoSites of Special Scientific Interest managed by theLondon Wildlife Trust:Frays Farm Meadows[2] andDenham Lock Wood.[3] Frays Island between the Frays and the River Colne in West Drayton is aSite of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation and is also managed by the trust.[4]
George Orwell once taught at Frays College, Uxbridge, which was on the banks of the river.[5]
51°30′55″N0°28′54″W / 51.51528°N 0.48167°W /51.51528; -0.48167
