River Meden - Route

Route

The river rises as two main streams to the north of Huthwaite, above the 200-foot (61 m) contour, on the coal measures that run along the western edge of Nottinghamshire. Both are crossed by dismantled railway lines, before they unite and flow in a north-easterly direction to the north of Stanton Hill and Skegby. After crossings by two more redundant railways, the river is joined by a stream which flows from the Car Ponds on the edge of the Hardwick Hall estate. The county boundary between Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire follows the course of the stream, and continues along the river as it passes to the south of Pleasley and under the A617 road. Just before the bridge are two large ponds, the second one constrained by a grade II listed dam, 66 feet (20 m) long by 10 feet (3.0 m) wide, with vertical wooded sluice gates on the upstream side. The adjacent two-arched bridge was built in 1800, although it was modified somewhat in the twentieth century, and its function has been partially superseded by the A617 bypass. Next the river passes through Pleasley Vale, where the water has cut through the underlying limestone escarpment to form a deep, narrow valley, much of which is wooded. Several mill buildings were constructed here out of local limestone. Two large mill ponds remain, with two mill buildings, while a third building is located on a stream which flows from the north to join the Meden at this point.

After passing under the Robin Hood Line, which runs from Worksop to Nottingham, the county border leaves the river, which continues in a north-easterly direction to pass between Church Warsop and Market Warsop, where it is crossed by the A60 road. Just below the bridge is Warsop watermill, much of which dates from 1767. The building is grade II listed, and internally, the machinery and rolling mill date from the nineteenth century. There is also an early twentieth century water turbine. The mill bridge and weir are also listed structures. Turning eastwards, the river passes through Budby and into Thoresby Park, where it has been dammed to form a large ornamental lake called Thoresby Lake. The difference in height between the lake and the river below it at the eastern end was sufficient for Earl Manvers, the owner of Thoresby Hall, to install two water turbines in 1941. They were supplied by Newtons of Derby and were of 22 kVA and 5 kVA capacity. The electricity generated supplied the hall. The generator house was demolished in the late 20th century. Below the lake, the river passes the hamlet of Perlethorpe, to be joined by the River Maun, flowing northwards, and here called Whitewater. The Robin Hood Way, a long distance footpath, crosses soon afterwards, and a weir creates two channels again, the south one deemed to be the Maun and the north one the Meden. They remain roughly parallel as they are crossed by the B6387 road near Bothamsall, a freight railway and the Robin Hood Way again. They diverge to the west of Markham Moor roundabout on the A1 road, pass under the road, and combine to form the River Idle. Just below the junction, the River Poulter swells the flow.