River Roch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids River Roch |
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Flowing in front of Rochdale Interchange and Number One Riverside
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| Country | England |
| District | Littleborough, Rochdale, Heywood, Bury |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Chelburn Moor |
| River mouth | River Irwell, Radcliffe 53°33′43.95″N 2°18′2.65″W / 53.5622083°N 2.3007361°W |
| Length | 100 miles |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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The River Roch is a river in Greater Manchester, North West England. It's a smaller river that flows into a bigger one, the River Irwell. The town of Rochdale actually gets its name from this river!
Contents
The River Roch's Journey
The River Roch starts its journey on Chelburn Moor. This area is south of Todmorden in the Pennines mountains.
The river flows south through a town called Littleborough. Then it reaches Rochdale. In Rochdale, two other rivers join it: the River Beal at Belfield, and the River Spodden from Whitworth.
After Rochdale, the river turns west. It flows past Heywood and Bury. Finally, it meets the River Irwell just east of Radcliffe.
History of the River Roch
The name of the town, Rochdale, comes from the river. Long ago, in the Domesday Book (a famous old record), the town was called Recedham. This name came from old English words meaning "hall" and "homestead."
Over time, the town's name changed to Rachedale and then to Rochdale. The river's name, Roch, came from the town's name. It's pronounced with a long 'o' sound. But the town's name, Rochdale, is said with a short 'o' sound.
The River Under the Town
For many years, the River Roch has flowed under the town centre of Rochdale. This happened in the early 1900s. Seven bridges were joined together to create one very wide bridge over the river. This made it one of the widest bridges in the world!
In the 1990s, workers did maintenance on this bridge. For a short time, parts of the river were uncovered. Then, in 2015, a big project began to uncover the river again in the town centre.
However, on Boxing Day in 2015, there was very heavy rain. The River Roch burst its banks, causing floods in the town centre.
Rivers Joining the Roch
Many smaller streams and rivers flow into the River Roch. These are called tributaries. Here are some of them, listed as you go upstream from where the Roch meets the River Irwell:
- Parr Brook
- Hollins Brook
- Gigg Brook
- Barn Brook
- Tack Lee Brook
- Wrigley Brook
- Naden Brook
- Plumpton Wood Brook
- Millers Brook
- Primrose Hill Brook
- Sudden Brook
- River Spodden
- Moss Brook
- Hey Brook
- Stanney Brook
- River Beal
- Ash Brook
- Clegg Hall Brook
- Wuerdle Brook
- Stubley Brook
- Featherstall Brook
- Ealees Brook
- Town House Brook
- Greenvale Brook
- Chelburn Brook
Images for kids
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The source on Chelburn Moor
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Aqueduct across the Caldervale Railway
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Looking downstream from Smallbridge
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Confluence of River Beal
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Flowing under one of the world's widest bridges
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Rochdale town centre section uncovered during bridge works in the 1990s
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Confluence of River Spodden
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Upstream from Bottom o' th' Brow, Heywood
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Confluence with River Irwell
