Prittle Brook rises in Thundersley near Kiln Road opposite Shipwrights Drive (51°33'38"N 0°35'40"E) it flows (partly culverted) north then east and under Rayleigh Road (A129).[1] It emerges from a culvert near Prittle Close, and combines with another stream flowing from the north.[2] Flowing eastwards, its course is through West Wood, then under private properties before crossing under Daws Heath Road.[3] It then flows through private property again before reaching Dodds Grove Nature Reserve and then into Hadleigh Great Wood and Belfairs Wood.[2] The brook formed a series of meanders to the north of Hadleigh Great Wood. These were 'tampered with after 1920 and most of the meanders cut off'.[4]
A small tributary arises near The Crescent, Hadleigh and flows east under Woodfield Road, to the north of St. David’s Drive, then under Highlands Boulevard and joins Prittle Brook to the rear of houses in Vardon Drive, Leigh-on-Sea (51°34'27"N 0°42'59"E).[5] Another tributary arises in Hadleigh Great Wood and flows north east to join Prittle Brook at the boundary of the wood.[2]
From Belfairs the brook flows east under Eastwood Road and broadly follows the alignment of Manchester Drive and Fairfax Drive – known as the Prittle Brook Greenway – to Prittlewell Chase Southend.[6] From the eastern end of the Greenway the Prittle Brook flows under Victoria Avenue (A127), through Priory Park and north, past London Southend Airport to Rochford and eventually joins with an arm of the River Roach (Fleethall Creek) at Sutton Bridge (51°34'27"N 0°42'59"E).[7] The normal tidal limit of the Roach is about 150 metres south of Sutton Bridge.[2]
The Prittle Brook has a catchment area of 20.18 km2 (4,987 acres).[8]
Prittle Brook Greenway
A 5.7 km pathway (officially designated the "Prittle Brook Greenway" in 2010) enables walkers and cyclists to follow the section of the Brook from Belfairs, past Southend University Hospital to Roots Hall, effectively providing a route from Leigh into Southend which avoids the main roads.[9] This pathway, built in the 1940s, follows the Prittle Brook as it passes under several roads; the bridge which leads to Our Lady of Lourdes School in Manchester Drive runs directly over the Brook. This part of the Brook's route has been urbanised since the 1930s, and the banks have been concreted east of the Belfairs Wood area. As a consequence, the velocity of the brook has greatly increased, a phenomenon particularly noticeable during and after heavy rain (see below).[10]
The Prittle Brook Greenway[9] was the subject of major improvement work between 2009 and 2012, during which the sections running parallel with Blenheim Chase and Prittlewell Chase were widened and signposted.
In September 1968, during the Great flood of 1968, the Prittle Brook overflowed and flooded houses in Daws Heath Road, Hadleigh and around Manchester Drive, Leigh-on-Sea.[10] The brook was subsequently culverted and provided with concrete embankments west of Daws Heath Road. In 1972–3 the Prittle Brook Flood Relief scheme was constructed. This takes excess water from the brook at times of flood from an inlet structure west of Eastwood Road (51°33'04"N 0°38'45"E. Elevation 33.5 metres AOD),[11] Leigh-on-Sea and transfers water through an underground tunnel.[10] Another intake to the tunnel is adjacent to Manchester Drive.The tunnel is 2.5 metres in diameter and is formed from segmented concrete blocks, it was constructed by Murphy using a rotary drum excavator.[12][13] The tunnel discharges water into the River Thames at an outfall on the foreshore at Chalkwell beach.[10][14]
The water level in the Prittle Brook is continuously monitored. The Prittlewell Brook [sic] Monitoring Station is located in Belfairs Park (51°33'10.9"N 0°38'28.0"E); it comprises a concrete flume and equipment cabinet. The current water level is accessible online.[15]
^Ordnance Survey, 25 inch England and Wales, 1841-1952, Essex (New Series 1913-) n LXXXII.14 (Hadleigh; South Benfleet; Thundersley), revised 1939, published 1947
^Rackham, Oliver (1986). The Woods of South-east Essex. Rochford: Rochford District Council. pp. 84–85, 88, 102–4. ISBN0951186302.
^Ordnance Survey, 25 inch England and Wales, 1841-1952, Essex (New Series 1913-) n LXXXII.15 (Hadleigh; Southend on Sea; Thundersley), revised 1939, published 1947
^Sanctuary, Jim (20 February 2016). "Leigh's Ancient Waterway: Prittle Brook". leighgardening. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
^Ordnance Survey 6-inch England and Wales, Essex nLXXXIII.SW (includes: Rochford; Southend on Sea; Sutton.), revised 1938, published: ca. 1946
^"Environment Agency Prittle Brook". Environment Agency. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
^ abcdSouthend-on-Sea Borough Council (September 2010). "Strategic Flood Risk Assessment" (PDF). Retrieved 5 January 2021.
^Ordnance Survey, Map OS Explorer 175 Southend-on-Sea & BasildonISBN9780319243688 2018
^Trollop, K. S. (February 1974). "Prittle Brook Diversion Tunnel". The Institution of Municipal Engineers. 101 (2): 37–42.
^"Lidar Mapping of Prittle Tunnel". Retrieved 6 January 2021.
^"Outfall on the beach at Chalkwell". geograph. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
^"Prittlewell Brook GS Southend Monitoring Station". River levels UK. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
External links
Prittle Brook Greenway, Cycle Southend
Prittle Brook Greenway Phase 1 nearing completion
The Prittle Brook Beyond the Point
August 21, 2023
prittle, brook, mile, watercourse, south, essex, england, tributary, river, roach, brook, rises, thundersley, passes, through, hadleigh, leigh, westcliff, prittlewell, rochford, discharges, into, roach, then, into, north, roach, crouch, estuaries, leigh, showi. The Prittle Brook is a 7 2 mile 11 59 km watercourse in south Essex England A tributary of the River Roach the brook rises in Thundersley and passes through Hadleigh Leigh on Sea Westcliff Prittlewell Rochford and discharges into the Roach and then into the North Sea via the Roach and Crouch estuaries The Prittle Brook at Leigh on Sea showing the concrete wallingPrittle Brook has a footpath alongside for some of its length Prittle BrookEtymologyFrom the parish of PrittlewellLocationCountyEssexDistrictCastle Point Southend on Sea RochfordPhysical characteristicsSource locationThundersley Essex coordinates51 33 38 N 0 35 40 EMouthRiver Roach Rochford coordinates51 34 27 N 0 42 59 ELength11 6 km Contents 1 Description 1 1 Course 1 2 Prittle Brook Greenway 1 3 Flood defences 2 References 3 External linksDescription EditCourse Edit Prittle Brook rises in Thundersley near Kiln Road opposite Shipwrights Drive 51 33 38 N 0 35 40 E it flows partly culverted north then east and under Rayleigh Road A129 1 It emerges from a culvert near Prittle Close and combines with another stream flowing from the north 2 Flowing eastwards its course is through West Wood then under private properties before crossing under Daws Heath Road 3 It then flows through private property again before reaching Dodds Grove Nature Reserve and then into Hadleigh Great Wood and Belfairs Wood 2 The brook formed a series of meanders to the north of Hadleigh Great Wood These were tampered with after 1920 and most of the meanders cut off 4 A small tributary arises near The Crescent Hadleigh and flows east under Woodfield Road to the north of St David s Drive then under Highlands Boulevard and joins Prittle Brook to the rear of houses in Vardon Drive Leigh on Sea 51 34 27 N 0 42 59 E 5 Another tributary arises in Hadleigh Great Wood and flows north east to join Prittle Brook at the boundary of the wood 2 From Belfairs the brook flows east under Eastwood Road and broadly follows the alignment of Manchester Drive and Fairfax Drive known as the Prittle Brook Greenway to Prittlewell Chase Southend 6 From the eastern end of the Greenway the Prittle Brook flows under Victoria Avenue A127 through Priory Park and north past London Southend Airport to Rochford and eventually joins with an arm of the River Roach Fleethall Creek at Sutton Bridge 51 34 27 N 0 42 59 E 7 The normal tidal limit of the Roach is about 150 metres south of Sutton Bridge 2 The Prittle Brook has a catchment area of 20 18 km2 4 987 acres 8 Prittle Brook Greenway Edit A 5 7 km pathway officially designated the Prittle Brook Greenway in 2010 enables walkers and cyclists to follow the section of the Brook from Belfairs past Southend University Hospital to Roots Hall effectively providing a route from Leigh into Southend which avoids the main roads 9 This pathway built in the 1940s follows the Prittle Brook as it passes under several roads the bridge which leads to Our Lady of Lourdes School in Manchester Drive runs directly over the Brook This part of the Brook s route has been urbanised since the 1930s and the banks have been concreted east of the Belfairs Wood area As a consequence the velocity of the brook has greatly increased a phenomenon particularly noticeable during and after heavy rain see below 10 The Prittle Brook Greenway 9 was the subject of major improvement work between 2009 and 2012 during which the sections running parallel with Blenheim Chase and Prittlewell Chase were widened and signposted Flood defences Edit Prittle Brook relief tunnel inlet Prittle Brook relief tunnel outfallIn September 1968 during the Great flood of 1968 the Prittle Brook overflowed and flooded houses in Daws Heath Road Hadleigh and around Manchester Drive Leigh on Sea 10 The brook was subsequently culverted and provided with concrete embankments west of Daws Heath Road In 1972 3 the Prittle Brook Flood Relief scheme was constructed This takes excess water from the brook at times of flood from an inlet structure west of Eastwood Road 51 33 04 N 0 38 45 E Elevation 33 5 metres AOD 11 Leigh on Sea and transfers water through an underground tunnel 10 Another intake to the tunnel is adjacent to Manchester Drive The tunnel is 2 5 metres in diameter and is formed from segmented concrete blocks it was constructed by Murphy using a rotary drum excavator 12 13 The tunnel discharges water into the River Thames at an outfall on the foreshore at Chalkwell beach 10 14 The water level in the Prittle Brook is continuously monitored The Prittlewell Brook sic Monitoring Station is located in Belfairs Park 51 33 10 9 N 0 38 28 0 E it comprises a concrete flume and equipment cabinet The current water level is accessible online 15 Note Coordinate 51 33 04 N 0 42 07 E 51 55109 N 0 70207 E 51 55109 0 70207 is at Priory Park Southend on SeaReferences Edit Ordnance Survey 25 inch England and Wales 1841 1952 Essex New Series 1913 n LXXXII 14 Hadleigh South Benfleet Thundersley revised 1939 published 1947 a b c d Ordnance Survey 1 25000 Explorer 175 Southend on Sea amp Basildon Brentwood amp Billericay 1999 Southend on Sea Borough Council Seven Woods Walk publicity brochure undated Rackham Oliver 1986 The Woods of South east Essex Rochford Rochford District Council pp 84 85 88 102 4 ISBN 0951186302 Ordnance Survey 25 inch England and Wales 1841 1952 Essex New Series 1913 n LXXXII 15 Hadleigh Southend on Sea Thundersley revised 1939 published 1947 Sanctuary Jim 20 February 2016 Leigh s Ancient Waterway Prittle Brook leighgardening Retrieved 7 January 2021 Ordnance Survey 6 inch England and Wales Essex nLXXXIII SW includes Rochford Southend on Sea Sutton revised 1938 published ca 1946 Environment Agency Prittle Brook Environment Agency Retrieved 7 January 2021 a b Prittle Brook Greenway Overview Prittle Brook Greenway Southend on Sea Borough Council Southend gov uk Retrieved 27 March 2013 a b c d Southend on Sea Borough Council September 2010 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment PDF Retrieved 5 January 2021 Ordnance Survey Map OS Explorer 175 Southend on Sea amp Basildon ISBN 9780319243688 2018 Trollop K S February 1974 Prittle Brook Diversion Tunnel The Institution of Municipal Engineers 101 2 37 42 Lidar Mapping of Prittle Tunnel Retrieved 6 January 2021 Outfall on the beach at Chalkwell geograph Retrieved 7 January 2021 Prittlewell Brook GS Southend Monitoring Station River levels UK Retrieved 8 January 2021 External links EditPrittle Brook Greenway Cycle Southend Prittle Brook Greenway Phase 1 nearing completion The Prittle Brook Beyond the Point Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Prittle Brook amp oldid 1128630435, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
