River Dever

The River Dever /ˈdiːvər/ is a chalk stream in Hampshire in the south of England. It rises at West Stratton near Micheldever and flows westwards for 11 mi (18 km) to meet the River Test at Wherwell.[1]

River Dever, Bransbury
Newton Stacey Ford, on the River Dever

Course

The source is at 80 metres (260 ft) Above Ordnance Datum alongside the A33, the main road north-east from Winchester, of Roman origin,[n 1] and meanders west through the village of Micheldever, three hamlets: Weston Colley, Stoke Charity and Wonston, then its largest village, Sutton Scotney, followed by Upper and Lower Bullington. The river skirts to the north of Barton Stacey and through the hamlet of Bransbury, meeting the Test on Bransbury Common, opposite the east fields of Wherwell on the multi-channel Test's West Bank at 48 metres (157 ft) AOD.[2]

Etymology

From Old English times some records have Myceldefer.[3] The likely first sound-meaning denoted by the scribe is /mixl/, that means "great", and the latter part, if from the Common Brittonic, "water, river" as in Andover or the Candover Brook nearby.[3]

Alternatively the Old Welsh /mixn/ for "bog" is suggested by the earliest-known form, from 862, Mycendefr, not relatively prevalent due to the gradient and alkaline water.[3]

Attributes

It is essentially fed by very close chalk aquifers, likewise to its continuation the Test, a highly abundant watercourse in Europe for large trout. It includes a trout farm at the otherwise almost wholly green locality of Bransbury. The watermill at Weston Colley is a Grade II listed building/.[4] The mill at Bransbury is also Grade II listed.[5]

References
References
  1. Ordnance Survey (1995). OS Landranger Map 185 - Winchester and Basingstoke. ISBN 0-319-22185-7.
  2. https://www.freemaptools.com/elevation-finder.htm
  3. Eilert Ekwall (1928). English River Names. OUP. pp. 290–291.
  4. Historic England (16 November 1983). "Old Mill Cottage  (Grade II) (1350775)". National Heritage List for England.
  5. Historic England (21 May 1984). "Bransbury Mill  (Grade II) (1093471)". National Heritage List for England.
Notes
  1. Part of the road from Silchester to Winchester, Margary route 42A, at around grid reference SU535402

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