River Ryton - Course

Course

The River Ryton starts at the western edge of Lindrick Common, close to the 198-foot (60 m) contour, where Anston Brook, flowing in from beyond Anston to the west, and Pudding Dyke, flowing northwards from Thorpe Salvin, join. Shortly afterwards, the Brancliffe feeder leaves the river, following an 'S' shaped course to supply water to the Chesterfield Canal near Turner Wood locks. A little further east, it crosses under the Sheffied to Lincoln Railway line and through a three-arched aqueduct below the Canal, to pass through Shireoaks. It then loops around the village of Rhodesia, crossing under the Worksop to Nottingham railway line and the A57 Worksop bypass to arrive on the western edge of Worksop.

In Worksop, the river was used to power mills for centuries. Three water mills were mentioned in a survey carried out in 1636, one near the present junction of Westgate and Newcastle Avenue, one called Priory Mill, and a third called Bracebridge mill. All had ceased to operate by 1826, but a new water mill had been constructed further to the west, near to the present junction of Newcastle Avenue and the A57 Worksop bypass. It was known as Beard's mill, after its owner Mr. Joseph Beard, and the mill pond was a hive of activity, being used as a skating rink in winter, and for fishing at other times of the year. More exotic activity recorded includes demonstrations of the launching of a lifeboat, and the bathing of elephants when travelling circuses visited the town. The mill building lasted until 1985, when it was demolished to make way for the Worksop bypass.

The course of the Ryton through Worksop is largely man-made. It originally flowed much nearer to Castle Hill, probably forming part of the defences, but was diverted in 1842 into a channel further north when the 4th Duke of Newcastle constructed Newcastle Street, in order to develop that part of the town. The river is then culverted as it passes under a shopping complex and the shops of Bridge Street. This section counts as a confined space, and was surveyed in 2007, in a joint venture between the Environment Agency, a team of divers, and Bassetlaw District Council. Some five tons of debris, half a ton of steel, and some stolen goods were removed from the culvert during the exercise. Beyond Watson Road bridge, sluices and extra channels point to the existence of the mill near the Priory. Priory Water Mill was in use from the medieval period until 1876, and a large lake called the Canch was formed in 1820, by constructing a dam across the leat which fed it. The Canch gradually became polluted, and was filled in when milling ceased in 1876. The buildings were utilised by William Bramer and Sons for their business of making chairs until they burnt down in 1912, and the site has more recently become the location of a sensory garden. Three channels continue under Priorswell Road through separate bridges, cross Bracebridge field, and join up again near the old High Hoe Road bridge.

Continuing under the new High Hoe Road bridge, the river passes the derelict Grade II listed Italianate pumping station built in 1881 to pump sewage away from Worksop, before passing under the Chesterfield Canal again, through a 3-arched aqueduct. A feeder, which is at a higher level, passes under the canal through a culvert, and joins the canal through a sluice just below Kilton lock, after which the river and canal run parallel, until they pass through separate arches of a nine-arched viaduct which carries the Sheffield to Lincoln Railway line, opened in 1849. The river then follows a winding course through the estate of Osberton Hall and the village of Scofton, turning north to skirt the western edge of Ranby. Ranby Chequer Bridge marks the point at which the river, having flowed eastwards for most of its course, turns to the north west. The bridge itself can be reached from Ranby village by a footpath which runs along the central reservation of the A1 road for a short distance. The next major crossing is the B6045 at Hodsock Red Bridge, its three arches constructed of red bricks with stone lining, after which an early 19th century Grade II listed twin-arched bridge carries the drive to Hodsock Priory over the river.

Then comes the A634 to the west of Blyth. The bridge here has three arches, was built for William Mellish of Blyth Hall around 1770, probably by the architect and bridge designer John Carr of York, and is a Grade I listed structure. Despite its age, it is called Blyth New Bridge, to distinguish it from Blyth Old Bridge which carries the same road over Oldcotes Dyke, a little further to the west. Before the next crossing of the B6045, the river is joined by Oldcotes Dyke, which flows eastwards from Roche Abbey, and drainage of the surrounding flood plain from here to the Idle is managed by the Rivers Idle and Ryton Internal Drainage Board. A network of drainage channels accompany the river from here to the junction with the River Idle, passing under the A1 road, collecting the runoff from the drainage channels of Whitewater Common, and skirting Serlby and Scrooby. To the north of Scrooby, the channel passes under the A638 Great North Road, the road into Scrooby village and the East Coast Main Line railway, crossing the 16-foot (5 m) contour at the railway bridge. The Great North Road bypassed Scrooby, passing to the west of the village, when it was reconstructed as a turnpike road in 1776. The construction included a number of brick arches, to allow the Ryton to flow under it even in times of flood, which can still be seen from Mill Lane. The river used to flow through the village, and powered Scrooby water mill, an 18th century mill which was used to grind corn. Milling stopped in 1939, and the river was diverted to follow its present course further to the north in the 1960s. Beyond the railway, flood banks have been raised on both sides of the channel until it meets the River Idle just above Bawtry bridge, the limit of navigation on that river.