| Gypsey Race | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Gypsey Race nearBridlington | |
  Location of the mouth shown within theEast Riding of Yorkshire | |
| Etymology | Gypsia[note 1][1] |
| Location | |
| Country | England |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Duggleby |
| • coordinates | 54°5′21″N0°39′33″W / 54.08917°N 0.65917°W /54.08917; -0.65917 |
| • elevation | 114 metres (374 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | North Sea atBridlington |
• coordinates | 54°4′52″N0°11′27″W / 54.08111°N 0.19083°W /54.08111; -0.19083 |
| Length | 41.4 kilometres (25.7 mi)[2] |
| Basin size | 265.5 square kilometres (102.5 sq mi)[2] |
TheGypsey Race is awinterbourne stream[3] that rises to the east ofWharram-le-Street and flows through the villages ofDuggleby,Kirby Grindalythe,West Lutton,East Lutton,Helperthorpe,Weaverthorpe,Butterwick,Foxholes,Wold Newton,Burton Fleming,Rudston andBoynton. The stream flows into theNorth Sea inBridlington harbour. It is the most northerly of the Yorkshire chalk streams.[3]
The Gypsey Race rises in theGreat Wold Valley[4] through a series of springs and flows intermittently betweenDuggleby and West Lutton where it runs underground in the chalk aquifer before re-surfacing in Rudston. It has been known during very wet conditions for the stream to re-appear at Wold Newton[5] some 4.3 miles (7 km) north-west of Rudston.[6] Water from the aquifer running between West Lutton and Wold Newton also heads south to re-appear at Elmswell feedingWest Beck and theRiver Hull.[5]
According to folklore, when the Gypsey Race is flowing in flood (The Woe Waters), bad fortune is at hand.[7] It was in flood in the year before theGreat Plague of 1665–66, the restoration ofCharles II (1660) and the landing ofWilliam of Orange (1688), before bothWorld War One andWorld War Two, plus the bad winters of 1947 and 1962.[1]
The stream also badly flooded the village of Burton Fleming in 2012 when the water was 2 feet (0.61 m) deep in places.[8]
Villagers in Boynton have an annual duck race on the stream in May. Hundreds of yellow plastic ducks are paid for and race the Race in aid of funds for the village hall.[9]
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Media related toGypsey Race at Wikimedia Commons