Zouch

Looking west; the 'county' bridge, the boat yard and the boat club are across the field on the left; Zouch Lock is on the right, allowing navigating boats to descend from the cut down to the river.

Zouch is an example of a small canal settlement, though there was a mill there long before the Soar was made navigable (and on some historic maps is denoted as Zouch Mill). Due to the canalisation of the River Soar, involving the construction of the Zouch Cut and several weirs and canals in the vicinity, the hamlet lies on several islands (including the main island, and the much smaller islands of Lower Holme and Upper Holme, which have small houses on them). Canal mooring is a notable feature; on the Leicestershire side of Zouch Bridge, situated on the River Soar, are Zouch Marina and the clubhouse of the Loughborough Boat Club.[2][5] The Long Whatton Brook joins the Soar between the two.

The meaning of the name derives from the Old English term for poor ground.[6]

It is alphabetically last in a list of all the named settlements in Britain.[7]

• 
  The old mill race through the hamlet (not Zouch Cut) which once fed Zouch Mill
• 
  Zouch Cut, which effectively by-passes the hamlet to the north
• 
  Zouch Cut, looking east, with Zouch Lock
• 
  Main Street (the A6006) entering the hamlet from the Nottinghamshire side
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  The rear of the "Rose and Crown" pub, on the Zouch Cut
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  Boats moored (on the River Soar) at Zouch Marina
• 
  The main weir at Zouch; this is the main channel of the River Soar, which has the county border running along its centre
• 
  Zouch Lock, on the Zouch Cut — there is also a "flood lock" where the cut passes under the Main Street