River Sence, Wigston facts for kids

Quick facts for kids River Sence
The river, just north of Great Glen.
Country	England
Physical characteristics
River mouth	River Soar

The River Sence is a river in Leicestershire, England. It flows into a bigger river called the River Soar. The River Sence starts near the village of Billesdon.

From Billesdon, it flows southwest through Great Glen, Leicestershire. Then it goes west, passing south of Wigston and South Wigston. Finally, it joins the River Soar west of Blaby.

The Environment Agency watches the river between Blaby and Great Glen. There hasn't been much flooding there recently. The land along the River Sence is mostly farms. Long ago, people sometimes called this river Billesdon Brook or Burton Brook.

Where the River Sence Flows

The River Sence flows past South Wigston at a place called Crow Mills. When it rains a lot, the river level here goes up fast. It can flood nearby fields. Sometimes, the water even flows across the road. This makes the road impossible for cars to use.

After heavy rain, large areas of farmland along the river can flood. In the village of Blaby, the river can flood the cricket pitch. It can also flood the Leicester Road under the railway bridge. This can cause big problems for local traffic.

Over the past few years, less work has been done to keep the river clear. You might often see it full of weeds and other plants.

Flooding History of the River Sence

The River Sence flows into the River Soar. Because of this, the areas around Blaby and Wigston often flood. This has been happening for hundreds of years.

In the mid-1800s, a railway bridge at Crow Mill was washed away. A big storm and floods destroyed the wooden bridge. A new bridge was built from steel and brick. This helped to get the main railway line working again.

However, in the 1960s, this bridge was taken down. This happened when many train lines were closed across the country.

Even today, the road at Crow Mill still closes because of flooding. The road between Blaby (Northfield Park) and Glen Parva also floods. This happens when the River Sence overflows its banks.

Images for kids

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  The river, just north of Great Glen.