River Meon

The River Meon (/ˈmiːɒn/) is a chalk stream in Hampshire in the south of England. It rises at East Meon then flows 34 km (21 mi) in a generally southerly direction to empty into the Solent at Hill Head near Stubbington.[1] Above Wickham, the river runs through the South Downs National Park.

"Meon" redirects here. For other uses, see Meon (disambiguation).
River Meon
River Meon Spring
Location
CountryEngland
CountyHampshire
Physical characteristics
SourceMeon Spring
 • locationEast Meon, Hampshire, England
 • coordinates50.9785°N 1.0249°W / 50.9785; -1.0249
 • elevation120 metres (390 ft)
MouthHill Head Harbour
 • location
The Solent, Hampshire, England
 • coordinates
50.8183°N 1.2430°W / 50.8183; -1.2430
 • elevation
0 metres (0 ft)
Length34 km (21 mi)
Discharge 
 • locationMislingford
 • average0.98 m3/s (35 cu ft/s)
 • minimum0.06 m3/s (2.1 cu ft/s)5 August 1976
 • maximum11.0 m3/s (390 cu ft/s)1 January 2003

Course

The River Meon rises one mile (1.6 km) south of the village centre of East Meon. It flows due north, then northwest to West Meon, and southwest to Warnford followed by its characteristic, quite straight, south-southwest course, with many tiny wibbles in short stretches. The river descends through the villages of Exton, Corhampton and Meonstoke, Droxford, Wickham, and Titchfield. The river outflows over 2 miles (3.2 km) of estuary through the marshes of the Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve to enter the Solent through a small harbour at Hill Head.[2] Overall the valley forms the shape of that of a shepherd's crook.

Above the estuary has never been navigable. Titchfield Haven, on the Solent coast was a minor harbour. In the 17th century, the Earl of Southampton caused a sluice (not a canal) to be built (Titchfield Canal) to drain the marshes. The reinstated wetlands form the Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve.[1]

References
  1. Hampshire County Council (2006). Activities at Titchfield Haven - River Study Archived 2006-04-27 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 19, 2005.
  2. Ordnance Survey (2005). OS Explorer Map 119 - Meon Valley, Portsmouth, Gosport & Fareham. ISBN 0-319-23596-3.
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