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The River Wandle is a river in south west London. Drawing on rainfall from the [[North Downs]], it rises in [[Croydon]] and [[Carshalton]] and flows approximately 10 miles before joining the [[River Thames]] at [[Wandsworth]].
It has historically been a significant waterway. In the neolithic age, settlements sprang up in what is now [[Mitcham Common]]. In [[Saxon]] times, it formed part of the border between the kingdoms of [[Kent]] and [[Wessex]]. At the start of the twentieth century, a significant Saxon burial ground was excavated on the borders of [[Mitcham]] and [[Morden]]; some of the treasure, known as the [[Mitcham hoard]] can be seen at the [[Museum of London]].
In the [[middle ages]], [[Augustinian]] monks established [[Merton Priory]], one of the most important church communities outside of [[Canterbury]]. The [[Magna Carta]] was drafted in the [[scriptorium]] there.
In the late sixteen century, [[Sir Walter Raleigh]] saw great potential in the river and set up a series of snuff mills along its length to grind his [[tobacco]] imports. In the nineteenth century, it was described as the "hardest working river in Britain", with more watermills per mile than any other waterway. By the end of that century, [[William Morris]] had set up one of his [[Liberty]] works close to the site of Merton Priory. Liberty continued to produce fabrics there and downriver at [[Southfields]] until the 1990s.
It fell into decline early in the twentieth century and, by the 1980s, was in a fairly unhealthy condition. Since then, however, the length of the Wandle has been shaped into the Wandle Trail, a mainly off road walking route that is incorporated into the [[Avenue Vert]]. There are several parks and nature reserves. Among the bird species that can be seen are [[peregrine falcons]] (nesting at the top of the Merton Civic Centre and largely hunting around the [[Morden Hall]] Wetlands, kingfishers, herons, cormorants, tawny owls (around [[Ravensbury Park]] (which also supports a large bat colony), egyptian geese and the ubiquitous green parakeet. The [[Environment Agency]]'s annual fish survey has found catfish, eels, trout, dace, chubb and carp. The latter can grow to around three feet, making the Wandle a popular destination for south London's anglers, who are casting their lines where Lord [[Horatio Nelson]] and [[Izaak Walton]] did centuries earlier.
It has historically been a significant waterway. In the neolithic age, settlements sprang up in what is now [[Mitcham Common]]. In [[Saxon]] times, it formed part of the border between the kingdoms of [[Kent]] and [[Wessex]]. At the start of the twentieth century, a significant Saxon burial ground was excavated on the borders of [[Mitcham]] and [[Morden]]; some of the treasure, known as the [[Mitcham hoard]] can be seen at the [[Museum of London]].
In the [[middle ages]], [[Augustinian]] monks established [[Merton Priory]], one of the most important church communities outside of [[Canterbury]]. The [[Magna Carta]] was drafted in the [[scriptorium]] there.
In the late sixteen century, [[Sir Walter Raleigh]] saw great potential in the river and set up a series of snuff mills along its length to grind his [[tobacco]] imports. In the nineteenth century, it was described as the "hardest working river in Britain", with more watermills per mile than any other waterway. By the end of that century, [[William Morris]] had set up one of his [[Liberty]] works close to the site of Merton Priory. Liberty continued to produce fabrics there and downriver at [[Southfields]] until the 1990s.
It fell into decline early in the twentieth century and, by the 1980s, was in a fairly unhealthy condition. Since then, however, the length of the Wandle has been shaped into the Wandle Trail, a mainly off road walking route that is incorporated into the [[Avenue Vert]]. There are several parks and nature reserves. Among the bird species that can be seen are [[peregrine falcons]] (nesting at the top of the Merton Civic Centre and largely hunting around the [[Morden Hall]] Wetlands, kingfishers, herons, cormorants, tawny owls (around [[Ravensbury Park]] (which also supports a large bat colony), egyptian geese and the ubiquitous green parakeet. The [[Environment Agency]]'s annual fish survey has found catfish, eels, trout, dace, chubb and carp. The latter can grow to around three feet, making the Wandle a popular destination for south London's anglers, who are casting their lines where Lord [[Horatio Nelson]] and [[Izaak Walton]] did centuries earlier.