River Quaggy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Quaggy |
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| Other name(s) | Kyd Brook, Chin Brook |
| Country | England |
| County | Greater London |
| London Boroughs | Bromley, Lewisham, Greenwich |
| Places | Locksbottom, Farnborough, Keston, Petts Wood, Chislehurst, Bickley, Grove Park, Chinbrook, Mottingham, Horn Park, Middle Park, Eltham, Blackheath Park, Lee Green, Hither Green, Lewisham |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Locksbottom, Farnborough, London Borough of Bromley 122 m (400 ft) |
| River mouth | River Ravensbourne, Lewisham station, Lewisham, London Borough of Lewisham 9 m (30 ft) |
| Length | 17 km (11 mi) |
The River Quaggy is a cool river in south-east London. It's about 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) long. This river flows through three different areas of London: Bromley, Greenwich, and Lewisham.
The Quaggy starts from two places near Locksbottom. It then flows into the River Ravensbourne near Lewisham station. Think of it like a smaller stream joining a bigger river! In its upper parts, away from the city, the Quaggy looks more natural. Here, it's often called the Kyd Brook. But closer to London, it becomes an urban river, meaning it flows through towns and cities.
You can see a long part of the Kyd Brook in Hawkwood. This is a big area of open land and countryside near Chislehurst. It's managed by the National Trust and is free for everyone to visit. From there, the river flows north through Sundridge Park Golf Course. Then it goes through Chinbrook Meadows and areas like Mottingham, Middle Park, Horn Park, and Eltham.
The river then enters Sutcliffe Park. It flows west through southern Kidbrooke and Blackheath. Finally, it goes through Lee and its park, Manor House Gardens. It then reaches Hither Green and Lewisham, where it joins the River Ravensbourne.
Contents
River Quaggy: A Changing River
In the 1960s, parts of the River Quaggy were changed a lot. This happened in parks like Chinbrook Meadows and Sutcliffe Park. The river was made straight and put into concrete channels. This was done to help stop flooding. In Chinbrook Meadows, the river was even hidden behind tall hedges and fences. This split the park into two parts.
Bringing Nature Back to the Quaggy
In the early 2000s, people decided to make the river more natural again. The old concrete channels, fences, and hedges were removed. The river was reshaped to look like it would in nature, with gentle curves. They also created a small area next to the river that could flood safely. This helped bring back wild plants and animals. It also made the parks much nicer for people to enjoy.
New wooden bridges were built over the river, replacing the old concrete ones. This big project finished on October 1, 2002. It cost about £1.1 million. After this change, Chinbrook Meadows won the Green Flag Award two years in a row! Soon after, the Quaggy in Sutcliffe Park also got a similar makeover. This park is now a peaceful place for wildlife, right between two busy roads.
What's in a Name? The Quaggy's Story
The name "Quaggy" has been around for a long time. You can find it in old books from the 1800s and 1900s. For example, it's mentioned in The New Treasure Seekers by Edith Nesbit. The name probably comes from words like "quagmire" or "quaggy." These words describe soft, marshy ground, which might have been how the river area used to be.
Other Names for the Quaggy
The River Quaggy has been known by other names too!
- Kyd Brook: This name is usually used for the river in its upper parts, like in Chislehurst and Farnborough.
- Kidbrooke: The place called Kidbrooke got its name from the river. Even though it's further down the river, it has two smaller streams called Middle Kid Brook and Lower Kid Brook.
- Chin Brook: The area known as Chinbrook got its name from "Chin Brook." This was another name for the Quaggy River in that area about 100 years ago.
Quaggy's Tributaries: Its Smaller Friends
The River Quaggy is a tributary of the River Ravensbourne. This means the Quaggy flows into the Ravensbourne. In turn, the Ravensbourne flows into the famous River Thames. The Quaggy also has several smaller streams that flow into it. These are its own tributaries! Here are some of them, listed from where the Quaggy starts to where it ends:
- Main Branch: This part is about 3.7 kilometers (2.3 miles) long.
- East Branch: This branch is about 2.2 kilometers (1.4 miles) long. Both the Main and East branches start in Locksbottom and join together at Petts Wood.
- Milk Street Ditch: This small stream is about 0.3 kilometers (0.2 miles) long. It starts near Milk Street in Sundridge and joins the Quaggy in Sundridge Park Golf Course.
- Grove Park Ditch: About 0.5 kilometers (0.3 miles) long, this stream starts in Lower Marvels Wood, Mottingham. It flows west and joins the Quaggy in Chinbrook Meadows.
- Little Quaggy: This stream is about 0.7 kilometers (0.4 miles) long. It starts in Mottingham and joins the Quaggy near Horn Park.
- Lower Kid Brooke: This stream is about 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) long. It starts in Well Hall, Eltham, and splits into two before joining the Quaggy in southern Blackheath.
- Middle Kid Brooke: About 1.9 kilometers (1.2 miles) long, this stream starts in Kidbrooke. It also splits into two before joining the Quaggy in Lee. These two "Kid Brooke" streams gave their name to the area of Kidbrooke.
- Quaggy Hither Green: This stream is about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) long. It starts in Hither Green and flows north, joining the Quaggy north of Hither Green railway station.
There's also another fairly large tributary that flows from Shooters Hill. It joins the main part of the Quaggy in Kidbrooke.
