River Wiske
Encyclopedia
The River Wiske is a river in the county of Yorkshire
, England
and is a tributary of the River Swale
. The Wiske gives its name to several of the villages it passes through. The name Wiske is derived from an Old English word wisca meaning a water meadow.
The river is maintained by the River Wiske Internal Drainage Board, which is part of the Shires Group of IDBs. It lies within the National Character Areas (NCA) of the Vale of Mowbray and the Tees Lowlands.
close to the Tontine Bridge where the A19 and A172 roads diverge. It flows north in a series of meanders as far as East Rounton
where it turns north easterly and then easterly past Appleton Wiske
. The river continues to flow easterly until just after passing under the A167 road where it turns south. It follows a southerly and south south west direction towards Danby Wiske
and then south again between Yafforth
and Northallerton
. The river then alternates between a southerly and south south westerly direction until Kirby Wiske
, where it turns south east to join the River Swale
.
Mesozoic period.
The river passes through farmland bounded by hedgerows with some wet woodland near Kirby Wiske and some grassland near Newby Wiske. Biodiversity audits carried out in 2010 found Water Vole
on the river between Danby Wiske and Brompton Beck. Otters
were found on the river between North Otterington and Kirby Wiske. Soprano Pipistrelle
and Brown long-eared bat
were also found in the area along with Kingfisher
, Reed Bunting
and Lapwing
.
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and is a tributary of the River Swale
River Swale
The River Swale is a river in Yorkshire, England and a major tributary of the River Ure, which itself becomes the River Ouse, emptying into the North Sea via the Humber Estuary....
. The Wiske gives its name to several of the villages it passes through. The name Wiske is derived from an Old English word wisca meaning a water meadow.
The river is maintained by the River Wiske Internal Drainage Board, which is part of the Shires Group of IDBs. It lies within the National Character Areas (NCA) of the Vale of Mowbray and the Tees Lowlands.
Course
The river becomes the Wiske at the confluence of Carr Beck and Stony Lane Beck south of the village of Ingleby ArncliffeIngleby Arncliffe
Ingleby Arncliffe - is a small village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England, on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park. The village itself merges into its smaller neighbour Ingleby Cross.-Notable residents:* Rev...
close to the Tontine Bridge where the A19 and A172 roads diverge. It flows north in a series of meanders as far as East Rounton
East Rounton
East Rounton is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is about 1 mile west of the A19 and 8 miles north east of Northallerton. It is on the River Wiske and West Rounton is nearby....
where it turns north easterly and then easterly past Appleton Wiske
Appleton Wiske
Appleton Wiske is a small village and civil parish that sits between Northallerton and Yarm in the Vale of York, a flat tract of land that runs between the North Yorkshire Moors to the east, the Yorkshire Dales to the west and the River Tees to the north....
. The river continues to flow easterly until just after passing under the A167 road where it turns south. It follows a southerly and south south west direction towards Danby Wiske
Danby Wiske
Danby Wiske is a village in the district of Hambleton in North Yorkshire, England. It is the main settlement in the civil parish of Danby Wiske with Lazenby. The village lies on a minor road between the village of Streetlam and the A167 near Northallerton...
and then south again between Yafforth
Yafforth
Yafforth is a village in the civil parish of Danby Wiske in Hambleton, North Yorkshire, England about west of Northallerton. The village lies on the B6271 road between Northallerton and the village of Scorton.The River Wiske passes to the east of the village...
and Northallerton
Northallerton
Northallerton is an affluent market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Vale of Mowbray and at the northern end of the Vale of York. It has a population of 15,741 according to the 2001 census...
. The river then alternates between a southerly and south south westerly direction until Kirby Wiske
Kirby Wiske
Kirby Wiske is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Wiske, about four miles north-west of Thirsk....
, where it turns south east to join the River Swale
River Swale
The River Swale is a river in Yorkshire, England and a major tributary of the River Ure, which itself becomes the River Ouse, emptying into the North Sea via the Humber Estuary....
.
Geology
The River Wiske is underlain by a range of geological deposits, including undifferentiated sandstone, conglomerate, undifferentiated mudstone, siltstone and sandstone from the Triassic period, and the Lias group consisting of mudstone, siltstone, limestone and sandstone from theMesozoic period.
Natural History
There are four areas of non-statutory Nature Conservation Sites along the river, Middlebrough plantation just outside of Newby Wiske; Stony Lane Pond near the confluence of Stony Lane Beck and Carr Beck; Pepper Arden Bottoms near East Cowton and Pheasantry Wood and Fox Covert near Danby Wiske.The river passes through farmland bounded by hedgerows with some wet woodland near Kirby Wiske and some grassland near Newby Wiske. Biodiversity audits carried out in 2010 found Water Vole
Water Vole
The European Water Vole or Northern Water Vole, Arvicola amphibius , is a semi-aquatic rodent. It is often informally called the Water Rat or Ratty, although it only superficially resembles a true rat...
on the river between Danby Wiske and Brompton Beck. Otters
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
were found on the river between North Otterington and Kirby Wiske. Soprano Pipistrelle
Soprano Pipistrelle
The Soprano Pipistrelle is a small bat that was only formally separated from the Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus in 1999....
and Brown long-eared bat
Brown long-eared bat
The brown long-eared bat or common long-eared bat is a fairly large European bat. It has distinctive ears, long and with a distinctive fold...
were also found in the area along with Kingfisher
Kingfisher
Kingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...
, Reed Bunting
Reed Bunting
The Reed Bunting, Emberiza schoeniclus, is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae....
and Lapwing
Lapwing
Vanellinae are any of various crested plovers, family Charadriidae, noted for its slow, irregular wingbeat in flight and a shrill, wailing cry. Its length is 10-16 inches. They are a subfamily of medium-sized wading birds which also includes the plovers and dotterels. The Vanellinae are...
.
Tributaries
- East Rounton Stell
- Welbury Stell
- Carr Bridge Stell
- The Stell
- Willow Beck
- Howe Beck
- Spudling Dike
- Sike Stell
Settlements
- Ingleby ArncliffeIngleby ArncliffeIngleby Arncliffe - is a small village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England, on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park. The village itself merges into its smaller neighbour Ingleby Cross.-Notable residents:* Rev...
- East RountonEast RountonEast Rounton is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is about 1 mile west of the A19 and 8 miles north east of Northallerton. It is on the River Wiske and West Rounton is nearby....
- West RountonWest RountonWest Rounton is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is near East Rounton and 8 miles north of Northallerton....
- Appleton WiskeAppleton WiskeAppleton Wiske is a small village and civil parish that sits between Northallerton and Yarm in the Vale of York, a flat tract of land that runs between the North Yorkshire Moors to the east, the Yorkshire Dales to the west and the River Tees to the north....
- Great SmeatonGreat SmeatonGreat Smeaton is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies on elevated ground near the River Wiske, which is a tributary of the River Swale...
- BirkbyBirkby, North YorkshireBirkby is a village and civil parish about 6 miles north of Northallerton in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England.The village lies very close to the East Coast Main Line, it is possible to see Birkby from the left hand side of a southbound train on the line...
- Hutton BonvilleHutton BonvilleHutton Bonville is a hamlet and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. On its own road and near the A167, north of Northallerton....
- Danby WiskeDanby WiskeDanby Wiske is a village in the district of Hambleton in North Yorkshire, England. It is the main settlement in the civil parish of Danby Wiske with Lazenby. The village lies on a minor road between the village of Streetlam and the A167 near Northallerton...
- YafforthYafforthYafforth is a village in the civil parish of Danby Wiske in Hambleton, North Yorkshire, England about west of Northallerton. The village lies on the B6271 road between Northallerton and the village of Scorton.The River Wiske passes to the east of the village...
- NorthallertonNorthallertonNorthallerton is an affluent market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Vale of Mowbray and at the northern end of the Vale of York. It has a population of 15,741 according to the 2001 census...
- WarlabyWarlabyWarlaby is a small village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is near the A684 and Morton-on-Swale. It is 1 mile west of Northallerton....
- North OtteringtonNorth OtteringtonNorth Otterington is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is on the A167 road and south of Northallerton, South Otterington is further south on the same road....
- Newby WiskeNewby WiskeNewby Wiske is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Wiske, about five miles north-west of Thirsk.Famous descendants include the Island Park Newbys....
- South OtteringtonSouth OtteringtonSouth Otterington is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England, it is on the A167 road and south of Northallerton.It has a primary school and a preschool...
- Kirby WiskeKirby WiskeKirby Wiske is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Wiske, about four miles north-west of Thirsk....
Crossings
- Baulk Bridge, Ingleby Arncliffe
- East Rounton Bridge, East Rounton
- West Rounton Bridge, West Rounton
- Wiske Railway Bridge, Middlesbrough branchline
- Wiske Bridge, Appleton Wiske
- Unnamed road near Hornby Grange Farm
- Smeaton Bridge, A167
- Unnamed road near Frigdale
- Wiske Bridge, Birkby
- Railway Bridge, East Coast Main Line
- Wiske Bridge, Danby Wiske
- Yafforth Bridge, B6271
- Wensleydale Railway Bridge
- Viewly Bridge, Ainderby Road, A684
- Howden Bridge, nr Romanby
- Unnamed road nr North Otterington
- Otterington Bridge, between Newby Wiske and South Otterington
- Kirby Bridge, Kirby Wiske
- Pivet Bridge (foot), nr Kirby Wiske