NRA Southern 37 THE RIVER OUSE

National Rivers Authority Southern Region

Guardians of the Water Environment document in the British Museum, THE “thefirst cast peece that was ever made in the realme of was made in Buckstede in the RIVER County o f by Ralph Hogge, the Quenes gonstone maker and OUSE gonfounder of Yron The success of the Roman iron HISTORY industry required good communications links and two of It was the ironstone of the Wealden their Wealden roads forded the Clay which gave birth to the iron upper reaches of the Ouse. ITie industry in this country and all the to Way, which was upper tributaries of the River Ouse probably built in the 1st Century, are characterised by abandoned forded the Shortbridge Stream at iron working sites. Iron ore, in the Piltdown and recrossed the main form of nodules and tubular masses, river at . The London to was extracted from the base of the Portslade Way forded the river in Wadhurst ('.lay, initially in the Iron its headwaters above Lower Age but later by the Romans and Ryelands Bridge. sporadically through the ages until The Saxons used the river for the industry reached its peak in transport and in Norman times the Tudor Times. Only one iron small town ofSeaford became working area was reported in established. This had developed at Sussex in the Domesday Book but the river’s mouth which had been in 1253 for example, Henry III diverted eastwards by a shingle spit called on the to extending across the Bay from the provide the royal army with 30,000 west. Such shingle banks, which are horseshoes and 60,000 nails. a common feature of the Sussex Gunfounding gave Sussex its coastline, are created by reputation. Prior to about 1540 “longshore drift”, a process by bronze cannons were widely used which sand and shingle are moved and they hurled stone cannon balls. continuously from West to East by Then in 1543 according to a the action of wind and tides. The waterfront, Lewes Seaford declined as a port in the 14th and 15th centuries due to silting up of the river’s mouth which had made it inaccessible to the large ships being built at that time. In 1539 a man-made cut was made to take the river directly to the sea, where the new exit was appropriately named Newhaven. The Ouse from Lewes to its source was known as the Middewinde, the last evidence for this name being up to 50 km inland. The Upper lost earlier this century when Ouse Navigation finally extended Midwyn Bridge was re-named some 35 km and 18 locks above Lindfield Bridge. From Lewes to the Lewes, but the development of the sea it was The Great River of railway network in the middle of Lewes’, pronounced Looze, from the 19th century brought an end to which the modern Ouse derived its the undertaking. Ironically the present name. bricks for railway During Medieval times Lewes viaduct were carried in the barges was the main port, with Cliflfe from Newhaven. The original Bridge providing the most names of Inns set up to cater for downstream crossing point for road barges still survive; The Anchor at traffic from Pevensey, Seaford, Barcombe, The Sloop at Freshfield Hailsham and . It was not and The Horse and Barge at until 1784 that a lower crossing Piltdown. was established when a drawbridge was built at Newhaven. Evidence of embanking dates from medieval times. The Bill of COURSE AND GEOLOGY Sewers was passed by Parliament in ITie River Ouse is the second the time of Henry VIII. Organised largest o f the Sussex rivers, draining drainage of the Lewes and Uughton some 430 sq km to the point where Levels was financed by a rate it breaches the chalk escarpment of known as the “scot” (the origin of the at Lewes, but with the expression “scot free” ). The an overall catchment area to its scot per acre ranged from 4d to mouth of some 664 sq km. is 6d. The main river is approximately In 1767, John Smeaton the 62 km long including a tidal length famous engineer ( and builder of from Barcombe to Newhaven of the Eddystone Lighthouse ), was 21 km. The total non-tidal channel commissioned to advise on land length, including the River Uck and drainage in the lower Ouse valley. other tributaries is 252 km. Major straightenings and bank ITie headwater areas are raisings were carried out, but his characterised by deeply incised full proposals were never stream lines, and the topography is implemented. As the demand for a mixture of gently undulating improved transport systems slopes in the Vale of Sussex and increased, the Ouse was improved more hilly areas of the High Weald under Acts of 1790 and 1791. These in the North. The main Ouse rises created two bodies:— The Company at Slaugham from the springs of the of Proprietors of the River Ouse Tunbridge Wells Sands some 90 m Navigation, and The Trustees of the above sea level. Apart from a faulted Newhaven and Ouse Lower area of Weald Clay in the west Navigation, which improved the of the upper catchment, the whole river for the navigation by barges of the headwaters area is floored ■ tenanted M o PL Cartoqraph/ prepared and published by ESTATE PUBLICATIONS HEATHLAND with the editorial assistance of the HDO SOUTHERN TOURIST BOARD 1EST FARM Based upon the ORDNANCE SURVEY maps with the sanction of the controller of HM Stationery Office

C Estate Publications Crown copyright reserved

HEATH LAN Do Nutley ®i BORDE HI GDNS. Fairwarpi Whitemans/

kfieldy/vu % m m / Anstt;

• ' L..

Wtyelsfield Balcombe Viaduct 15 HICKSTEA ^ O W JU M P COURSE t A w t i o Fish Pass at Fletching

Anchor Inn Sluices, Barcombe MJ bpitnurst BENTLl v & M Barcomb .Trn^r

L fl rcom Sewage Works, Barcombe

WATERMILL U»l= TRAIL R a m s e y , 1 6 Poynings u Off ham Fulkin The main weir, ^ BATTLE OF LEWES

v 1264 LEWES 1 I ANNES OF CLEVES: BARBICAAUilLN

, X W)LEWE» TOWNjWODEL & LIWNC HILL v s * Jfc*«STARY MUSEUMX ,0N K in n U n n ^ S 0 # ™ 0 ^ GRANGE^ ixingygn JHE OU) NEEDLEMAKER \ nea^-fcev\fes ^ • ^ .ff o r d

)cASTLE HILi/ 1 Sc* n . PLAQE (BUrd M igrati/6n 1 nOdfTiell Vhvuyatj/n) y /x X / \ IIAIII/ • # 1 V ivi u i i i \ o uyr 11 V HOUSE W oorlm nrlAan \ (NTj,/ | ^ S O 'Vs WA

l e a s a * scombe Sth. Heighton ddinghoeif INGHOE lk > KILN \ Denton NRA DRE

National Rivers Authority Southern Region Newhaven Harbour New ave MARINA FORT NEWHAVEN ^ ...... - L (Nat. Coastal Defence S o s f n r i BASS Mus ) IUI 1 COD MARTELLO TOWI CONGER MUSEUM by Hastings Beds, the Tunbridge works in Sussex. The NRA sets Community structure - fish biomass The main spawning migration Wells Sand predominating. The stringent conditions on the quality Ardingly Sheffield Pork generally takes place at the end of impermeable areas are mainly and quantity o f all permitted the fishing season when large confined to the Wadhurst Clay, effluents to ensure that the river is numbers of sea trout run up­ the Grinstead Clay and the Weald protected to the appropriate stream. Many of the fish show a Clay. standard. These standards are preference for the tributaries The tributaries o f the Upper known as Environmental Quality which spring from the scarp face Ouse include the Northlands Wood Objectives and the River Ouse has o f the South Downs, but redds are Stream, the Ardingly and Shell an objective o f class IB (high cut in the gravels of all the head­ Brooks (which have now been im­ water quality suitable for game streams which the sea trout can pounded below their confluence and high class fisheries) except freely reach. to create Ardingly Reservoir), the for a 3-5 km stretch between Cockhaise Brook, draining the Scaynes Hill and Sheffield Park Horst ed Keynes area, the Sc rase which has an objective of Class 2 HYDROLOGY Bridge Stream, the Sheffield Stream, (suitable for reasonably good the Pellingford Brk, the Searles coarse fisheries). This stretch is The River Ouse provides the Mid- Stream and the Shortbridge Stream also protected by an EC Directive Sussex Water Company with its draining the Maresfield area. for Cyprinid Fisheries which re­ major sources of supply, com ­ The River Uck is the largest tri­ quires a quality encompassed by prising abstractions from the reservoir at Ardingly, Cockhaise butary'. It rises in the High Weald the top o f Class 2. The Cockhaise Key and finds its way to the main river Brook above Holywell is unusual BT Brown Trout, Bu Bullhead. Ch Chub. Brook at Holywell and the Ouse at at by way o f Uckfield. Other in having an objective of Class 1A; I) Dace. K Kels. (i Gudgeon, M Minnows, Barcombe. These abstractions O Other, P Perch, K Roach. Rd Rudd tributaries o f the middle Ouse are this stream is a source of water for are licensed by the National Rivers the Longford and Bevern Streams domestic supply and the objective the fertilising effects of the sewage Authority and are subject to con­ which spring from the South of 1A (water of high quality, effluent. Continuing urban develop­ ditions which ensure that the Downs escarpment and flow north suitable for potable supply ment in the early eighties resulted water environment is protected and east through the Weald clay in deteriorating river water quality and that the water resources are before joining the non-tidal river. and fish biomasses fell to around used effectively. Abstractions may The Clayhill Stream flows to the 150 kg/ha. Extensive improve­ be restricted at times o f unusually river from the east and is also ments to the sewage treatment dry' weather. floored by Weald Clay. At Bar- works, which were completed in At Ardingly the 86 ha ( 189 acre) combe, an old tributary', the Iron 1989, have resulted in a greatly reservoir is fed by the Shell and River is now occupied by a 16 ha improved effluent so that fish Ardingly Brooks which drain a (40 acre) bankside storage reser­ stocks now appear to be well catchment area of 2,590 ha ( 5,690 voir and all that remains o f its balanced and stabilising. acres). The reservoir has a lower reaches is the Andrews The river downstream from capacity of 4,770 M l (1,050 Stream, one o f five parallel chan­ abstraction, game and other high Gold Bridge (at ) has a million gallons). Some water is nels taken by the Ouse at this class fisheries and o f high amenity lower gradient and hold species abstracted directly to the Shell point. value) recognises its special need characteristic of slow flowing and Brook pumping station and this Below Barcombe, the river is for protection. still waters such as bream, roach may not exceed 4.5 Ml/d. A com­ tidal and flows through the South The main discharges to the tidal and carp. Coarse fish are successful pensation flow must be main­ Downs escarpment to emerge onto Ouse are from Lewes Sewage well into the tidal section though tained in the Shell Brook below the coastal flood plain. Lewes is a Treatment Works and Newhaven the limit o f their range varies the reservoir to ensure that there classic example o f a “gap” town, West Sewage Treatment Works. between in summer and is always 0.9 Ml/d in the Brook utilising the strategic benefits o f a Effluent from Newhaven and Sea- Lewes in winter, depending on and 13-6 Ml/d in the main river below the Shell Brook confluence. narrow, steep sided valley. Tri­ ford will soon be discharged salinity. The lower tidal section butaries of the lower Ouse include from a long sea outfall for which supports excellent stocks of The main role of the reservoir is the North End Stream, Norlington the NRA will set consent con­ mullet, flounders and bass. to store water at times of surplus Stream and Paper Mill Cut which ditions. These will ensure that the The Ouse is renowned for the and release it at times o f shortage outfall through tidal flaps and are quality o f coastal waters is pro­ size o f its sea trout which average so that more water is available for abstraction at times of low flow at subject to tidelock. The Winter- tected and that designated bathing 2—2.5 kg (4.5—5 lbs). Exceptional bourne at Lewes is, as its name beaches meet the standards set by specimens reach 7.5 kg ( 16.5 lbs). Barcombe Waterworks, 23 km suggests, an ephemeral chalk the EC Directive. Some adult sea trout enter the downstream. Whilst releases are stream which rises in the lx*wes tidal river as early as May and June, taking place, the river benefits from augmentation flows between Road Valley in the winter months depending on rainfall and flow, and Ardingly and Barcombe. At Bar­ once rain has recharged the FISHERIES attract a little angling attention groundwater. The major tributary between Hamsey’ and Barcombe. combe, abstraction may only take of the lower Ouse is the The upper tributaries o f the Ouse place when the river flow is greater Reach which was closed to tidal and the main river above its than 18.2 Ml/d. A bankside storage reservoir of 16 ha (40 acres) forms influence in 1973 by the construc­ confluence with the Shell Brook tion o f a w eir and pumping station have a typical pool and riffle part of the Barcombe Scheme. at . topography. Many o f the streams The abstraction on the Cock­ on the High Weald are naturally haise Brook supplies a small water acidic and aquatic invertebrate treatment works on the river bank. WATER QUALITY communities are impoverished, Again, stream flows are protected but they support populations of by licence conditions. The continuing development of strikingly coloured, small brown In addition to the abstractions central Sussex, based on good trout. Other species o f fish for public supply, there are a road and rail links to London has include brk lamprey, stone number of smaller licensed abstrac­ resulted in some fourteen sewage loach, minnow and bullhead. tions for agricultural purposes. works in the upper Ouse catch­ Below Ardingly trout are re­ The National Rivers Authority ment, three others on the River placed as the dominant species by monitors river flows using Uck and a number o f small works fast water cyprinids such as dace, “Crump” gauging weirs on the on the Bevern and Longford chub and gudgeon. In the past, Ouse and Shell Brook at Ardingly, Streams. The two principal works fish populations below Scaynes on the main river at Gold Bridge are Scaynes Hill, which serves Hill have been influenced by the and on the various channels o f the and Lindfield, quality o f effluent. In the 1970s Ouse at Barcombe. There are also and Uckfield Sew'age Treatment fish biomasses were artificially level recorders at several points Works. These are two o f the largest high, at around 400 kgTia. due to on the river system. lands of the flood plain are all References The History o f Water Mills, the Wcalden Iron FLOOD DEFENCE protected from saline incursion Industry and G eology o f the South East. Woodrave, McCarthy, E and M (1979). Sussex River - Journey Herbert and Smart. The Flood Defence Department of by tidal flaps, which must be along the banks o f the River Ouse, Vols 1—3. Lindel Brandon. P.F. The origin o f Newhaven and the the National Rivers Authority is maintained. Press. 1 Warwick Road, Seaford. drainage o f the I .ewes and l.aughton levels Sysscst" Archeological Collections, vol 109, pp 9-»-106. responsible for improving land A speed limit of 5 knots along Nature Conservancy Council. Survey o f Rivers and the tidal section is also enforced Coast in the South East Region. Vol 2. Rivers o f Earrant, J.H The evolution of Newhaven Harbour drainage and protecting people Sussex. NCC, Zcalds. Church Street, Wye, Ashford. and the U»wer Ouse before 18<)0 Sussex Archeo and property from flooding. by the National Rivers Authority. Kent. logical Collections. Vol 110. pp 45-60. River maintenance work is carried out routinely and includes hand weed cutting, bush trimming and removal o f obstructions, chiefly in the upper catchment. There are automatic sluices at Anchor Weir and at Isfield Mill on the River Uck, but the sluices replacing derelict lock gates at Lindfield, Sheffield Park (Bacon Wish Lock) and Fletching are all hand operated. Flood relief sluices are associated with fixed weirs at Sutton Hall and Barcombe are also adjusted manually. After serious flooding of Mailing and Ix-wes in I960, a major scheme o f embanking and widening the river was carried out between Newhaven and Lewes. The river is now designed to carry' a peak flood of 170 cumecs (3,230 mgd) without causing flooding to the town. At Barcombe Mills, where the old locks and a series o f weirs maintain a high head of water, there is a sub-atmospheric siphon with a capacity of about 45 cumec (850 mgd). When operating, this maintains a fairly stable upstream water level which prevents flood­ ing upstream. There are gauging weirs on the four other river channels at Bar­ combe Mills. The total capacity of the weirs and the siphon is 3,500 cumecs. In the lower reaches o f the river there are land drainage schemes benefitting the Glynde and Sections showing the general relations of the rocks along the lines X—X', drawn on the map marshes. The two largest levels, Rodmell and Ranscombe Brooks, are pump-drained. Ragstone Vale ol North Downs Maintenance of flood banks and South Downs High Weald N« protection against erosion are important on the lower Ouse, _ o.d.JL which being a man-made channel has fast flows on the ebbing tide. Drains and streams from the brook - Vnrtirn^Scale about ten times the Horizontal National River: Inform Head, Class Acc

National Rivers Authority

Southern Region LOWER GREENSAND

Regional Office Guildboume House Chatsworth Road HASTINGS BEOS Worthing West Sussex BN 11 1LD 0 10 2 0km (0903)820692 October 1991 NRA (Southern) Boundary CHALK (with some PURBECK BEOS Upper Greenland)