River Chater facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chater |
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The Chater at Ketton
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 Location of the river mouth in Rutland
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| Country | England |
| Counties | Rutland, Leicestershire |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Whatborough Hill, Leicestershire 182 m (597 ft) 52°38′30″N 0°51′44″W / 52.641539°N 0.862270°W |
| River mouth | River Welland Tinwell, Rutland 30 m (98 ft) 52°38′26″N 0°31′16″W / 52.640648°N 0.521143°W |
| Length | 35 km (22 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | River Welland |
| Tributaries |
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The River Chater is a river found in the East Midlands area of England. It flows into the River Welland and is about 35 kilometers (22 miles) long.
Contents
The Chater's Journey: Where Does It Flow?
The River Chater starts near Whatborough Hill in Leicestershire. It then flows east, passing by places like Sauvey Castle and Launde Abbey. After this, it enters the county of Rutland.
A special natural area called Chater Valley is located north of Loddington. This area is a 3.8-hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest, meaning it is protected for its unique plants and animals.
The river continues its journey east. It flows north of Ridlington and Preston. Then, it passes south of Manton and north of Wing. North-east of South Luffenham, another stream called the Morcott Brook joins the Chater.
The river keeps flowing north-east, going under the A6121 road at Foster's Bridge. It then travels through the village of Ketton. Finally, the River Chater meets the larger River Welland near Tinwell.
The Land Around the River
The area drained by the River Chater covers about 49 square kilometers (19 square miles). This land is mostly made of clay, but some parts have limestone and sandstone. The area around the river is mostly countryside, with a mix of farms and woodlands closer to where the river ends.
Long ago, there was a plan to build a huge reservoir, Rutland Water, in the Chater valley. However, the ground underneath was not suitable for holding so much water. Also, the valley was too small to create a reservoir as big as the one that was eventually built for Rutland Water.
Wildlife in the River Chater
The River Chater is home to many different types of fish. You can find fish like roach, dace, and chubb swimming in its waters.
The river also has white-clawed crayfish. These are a native species, meaning they naturally belong there. However, they are at risk because other types of crayfish, which are not native and can be harmful, are found in the nearby River Welland.
A Look Back: The Chater's History
For many years, people used the River Chater to power watermills. These mills had large waterwheels that turned to grind corn into flour.
The last watermill that was still working on the river was in South Luffenham. It stopped operating in 1948. This happened because the leat (a channel that carried water to the mill wheel) was damaged and was never fixed.
What Does "Chater" Mean?
The name "Chater" is very old, even older than the English language. We are not completely sure what it means.
One idea from a language expert named Eilert Ekwall is that it comes from an ancient language called Common Brittonic. In this language, ceto-dubron might have meant "forest stream."
The village of Ketton, which the river flows past, actually got its name from the River Chater itself!
