Plants Brook facts for kids

Plants Brook is a small stream in Birmingham, England. It flows through areas like Erdington and Sutton Coldfield. This stream is also known by older names like Ebrook or East Brook.

Plants Brook is a branch, or tributary, of the River Tame. The water from Plants Brook eventually travels through the River Tame, then into the Humber Estuary, and finally reaches the North Sea.

Where Plants Brook Flows

The Plants Brook stream starts in Sutton Park, near the Streetly area. It begins as a tiny trickle of water. This trickle flows into a place called Blackroot Pool, which was created by building a dam across the stream.

From Blackroot Pool, the stream flows southeast. It goes to another pool near the Wyndley Leisure Centre. Water from this pool used to power a water mill at the leisure centre, but the mill is no longer there.

After this, the stream goes underground below Sutton Coldfield town centre. It comes back to the surface along Queen Street, at the edge of the town. Here, the stream is guided along the side of the road. It then flows back underground at a bend, changing direction from northeast to southeast.

The stream continues flowing southeast, passing Plantsbrook School. The school is actually named after this very stream! It then turns northeast near Sutton Coldfield Town F.C.'s training ground and goes under Ebrook Road. This road is named after the stream's old name, Ebrook.

Plants Brook then winds its way through a housing area. It goes under a railway viaduct (a bridge that carries a railway). After this, it enters New Hall Valley Country Park from the north.

Journey Through New Hall Valley

Inside New Hall Valley Country Park, the stream flows south. It passes by the New Hall Estate, New Hall Manor, and New Hall Mill. In the past, the stream flowed right next to New Hall Manor and powered the machinery at New Hall Mill.

As it gets closer to Wylde Green Road, the stream splits into two parallel parts. Until 1967, people crossed Wylde Green Road using a ford, which is a shallow place in a river or stream that can be crossed by walking or driving. Next to this ford, John Vesey, who was a Bishop of Exeter, built a small house called the Fordkeeper's House. This house helped keep travelers on Wylde Green Road safe.

The stream keeps flowing south through the country park in New Hall Valley. It goes under Penns Bridge. It also flows to the east of Walmley Golf Club. Plants Brook provides water to a long pool called 'The Dam' at Penns Hall.

The stream's southward flow slowly changes as it goes around the edge of Pypes Hayes Golf Course. Here, it starts to flow southeast. By the time it reaches Eachelhurst Road, it is flowing east.

Underground and Nature Reserve

A bridge was built over the stream at Eachelhurst Road. Even though the stream goes underground here, you can see a gap in the housing estate that shows where it flows.

Soon after, Plants Brook comes back to the surface. It flows into several small pools. These pools used to be reservoirs, which are places where water is stored. These reservoirs still supply water to the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal.

In March 1991, this area was made a special place called a nature reserve. It's known as Plantsbrook Local Nature Reserve and covers about 24.96 acres (101,000 square metres). From the nature reserve, the brook flows underground again, heading south. It comes out just before it joins the River Tame.

Plants Brook's Past

The path of Plants Brook has not changed much throughout history. When Sutton Coldfield was its own separate area from Birmingham, the stream was a very important source of water for the people living there.

Wealthy landowners in Sutton Coldfield often argued over who could use the stream. They were very strict about letting others use the water. For example, William Beauchamp, who was an Earl of Warwick, owned land along the stream. However, in 1288, he allowed Thomas de Arden, the owner of Peddimore Hall, to fish in the stream on Beauchamp's land.

In 1972, scientists from the Applied Hydrobiology Section of Aston University studied the wildlife in Plants Brook. Their study found that the stream was quite clean and had plenty of oxygen in its water. The soft, slightly acidic water was home to many different creatures. These included crayfish, nymphs (young insects), stoneflies, mayflies, and freshwater shrimps. They also found minnows (small fish) living in the part of the stream between Blackroot Pool and Town Gate.

Places Along Plants Brook

Here are some important spots along the Plants Brook stream: