River Cong (Norfolk) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids River Cong
River Cong
Location of the river mouth within Norfolk
Country	England
State	Norfolk
Region	East of England
District	King's Lynn and West Norfolk
Physical characteristics
Main source	Manor Farm, Congham 19 m (62 ft) 52°47′11″N 0°33′00″E / 52.7865°N 0.5499°E / 52.7865; 0.5499
River mouth	River Babingley west of Hillington 13 m (43 ft) 52°48′02″N 0°31′52″E / 52.8006°N 0.5311°E / 52.8006; 0.5311
Length	1.5 mi (2.4 km)
Basin features
River system	River Babingley

The River Cong is a small stream located in the western part of Norfolk, England. It is only about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long. This river is a branch, or tributary, of the River Babingley.

The River Cong starts from a spring in a meadow pool near Manor Farm in Congham. From there, it flows through a nearby wood. It then goes over a small waterfall. In the past, this waterfall was very important. It powered the machines at the Congham Oil Mill, which is now known as Congham Lodge.

The River Cong flows under the A148 road The old Congham Oil Watermill

You won't find the name "River Cong" on most maps today. Not many sources mention it by name. However, the nearby village of Congham might be named after the river. Some people believe "Congham" means "dwelling by the River Cong." Other ideas suggest it means "dwelling at the hill."

The Historic Congham Oil Mill

The Congham Oil Mill was a very interesting place. It was built to process whales. Whales were brought from the docks in King's Lynn to the mill using horses and wagons.

At the mill, workers would extract oil from the whale blubber, which is the thick layer of fat under a whale's skin. This whale oil was used for many things, like lighting lamps.

After the oil was removed, the whale bones were taken to another place called Narborough Bone Mill. There, they were ground up into a powder to make fertiliser. Fertiliser helps plants grow better in the soil. Some of these old whale bones are still kept as decorations at Congham Lodge today.

The waterfall that powered the mill is still there. Imagine the smell! Processing whale blubber would have created a very strong odor, especially in warm weather. This is why the mill was built away from King's Lynn.

After passing the old mill, the River Cong continues its journey. It flows under the A148 road before joining the larger River Babingley. This meeting point is close to the Gatton Waters caravan site.