River Dun (River Kennet) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids River Dun |
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River Dun at Freeman's Marsh, before reaching Hungerford
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| Other name(s) | Bedwyn Brook |
| Country | England |
| Counties | Wiltshire, Berkshire |
| Towns | Great Bedwyn, Hungerford |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire, United Kingdom 120 m (390 ft) 51°22′16″N 1°36′24″W / 51.37109°N 1.60664°W |
| River mouth | River Kennet Hungerford, Berkshire, United Kingdom 90 m (300 ft) 51°24′44″N 1°29′38″W / 51.412169°N 1.494023°W |
| Length | 16 km (9.9 mi) |
The River Dun is a small river in England. It flows through the counties of Wiltshire and Berkshire. This river is also known as Bedwyn Brook. The River Dun is a tributary of the River Kennet. This means it is a smaller river that flows into the larger Kennet.
About the River Dun
The River Dun starts in a place called Great Bedwyn in Wiltshire. From there, it flows for about 16 kilometers (10 miles). It travels towards the east-northeast. Finally, it reaches Hungerford in Berkshire. Here, it joins the River Kennet.
An Important Valley
The valley where the River Dun flows is very important. It acts like a natural pathway. This path goes through high chalk hills. These hills separate the London Basin to the east from the Vale of Pewsey to the west.
This valley has been used for important transport routes for a long time.
- The Kennet and Avon Canal uses this valley. This canal connects the cities of London and Bristol. It helps boats travel between the River Thames area and the Vale of Pewsey. To do this, the canal uses the Bruce Tunnel and the Crofton Pumping Station.
- Later, a railway line was built here. This railway connects London to the southwest of England. It also uses the River Dun valley as its route.
Other Streams Joining the Dun
The River Dun has two smaller streams that flow into it. These are called tributaries.
- The first is the Froxfield Stream. It joins the Dun from the left side. This happens between Little Bedwyn and Hungerford.
- The second is the Shalbourne Stream. It joins the Dun from the right side. This is just before Hungerford.
For a while, the Shalbourne Stream was moved. This happened when the Kennet and Avon Canal was built. That was in the late 1700s. The stream was diverted into the canal. But in the year 2000, the Shalbourne Stream was returned to its original path. Now, it flows under the canal through a special tunnel. Then it joins the River Dun again.
