History
The course of the river has changed very little during its known history. When Sutton Coldfield was a separate district to Birmingham, it provided a major source of water for the residents.
To the affluent members of society living in Sutton Coldfield, it was contested over. Landowners were very restrictive in letting others use the stream. One such person was William Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick. However, in 1288, he allowed Thomas de Arden, owner of Peddimore Hall, to fish in the stream on Beauchamp's land.
A survey of the stream was conducted by the Applied Hydrobiology Section of Aston University in 1972, into the wildlife of the stream. The results showed that it was relatively unpolluted and was well aerated. The soft acid waters supported various species such as crayfish, nymphs, stoneflies, mayflies and fresh water shrimps. Minnows were also found to be living in the stretch of water between Blackroot Pool and Town Gate.
Read more about this topic: Plants Brook
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