New River |
Hob Uid: 1042779 | |
Location : Hertfordshire, Greater London Authority East Hertfordshire, Broxbourne Hackney, Haringey, Enfield Stanstead St. Margarets, Hertford, Great Amwell, Ware Non Civil Parish
|
Grid Ref : TL3444200474 |
Summary : 17th century artificial river or aqueduct built to improve the water supply to the City of London, bringing water from springs at Chadwell and Amwell to Clerkenwell. Extended to the Lea River in 1738. |
More information : Constructed by Sir Hugh Myddleton (with financial help from James I), the New River (then 40 miles in length, now shortened), was designed to augment London's water supply by the flow from the then abundant Chadwell spring [TL 3499 1369] between Hertford and Ware, and from a large spring at Great Amwell [TL 3718 1253] to the New River Head Reservoir at Clerkenwell [TQ 3135 8272]. In 1619 the New River Company was formed by Myddleton and was taken over by the Metropolitan Water Board in 1904. A cut was made from the Lea to the New River [TL 3399 1379] in 1738 and over it a guage was erected. This was replaced by later guages in 1770 and 1856, the latter one is still in use. (1) |