River Till, Wiltshire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids River Till |
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River Till at Shrewton
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Country within the UK | England |
| Counties | Wiltshire |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Tilshead, Salisbury 51°13′49″N 1°57′21″W / 51.23028°N 1.95583°W |
| River mouth | Stapleford, Wiltshire 51°08′09″N 1°54′07″W / 51.13583°N 1.90194°W |
The River Till is a small waterway in Wiltshire, England. It starts near a village called Tilshead on a large open area known as Salisbury Plain. From there, it flows south and then southeast. Finally, it joins another river, the River Wylye, close to Stapleford. The River Till also passes through the villages of Shrewton and Winterbourne Stoke. This special waterway has been named a SSSI site, which means it's a "Site of Special Scientific Interest" because of its unique nature.
What is the River Till?
The River Till is quite unusual. It's not a typical river that flows all year round. Instead, it's what we call a winterbourne. This means it's a stream that only flows for a few months each year, usually during the winter when there's more rain. For the rest of the year, its bed might be dry.
Why is it called "River Till"?
The name "River Till" is a bit of a mistake! People in the past thought that because the stream started near the village of Tilshead, it must be the "head" of a river called "Till." But this wasn't correct.
The name "Tilshead" actually comes from an old English name, "Tydolfshide." This meant "the piece of land belonging to Tydolf." So, the name "Till" was a misunderstanding that happened a long time ago, possibly in Victorian times.
Its Older Name
Before it was known as the River Till, people in the area had a different name for this winterbourne. In the early 1900s, especially in the village of Shrewton, it was often called "the Waterlake." This shows how its name has changed over time.
