The River Nene is a river in the East of England which rises at three sources in Northamptonshire. The length of the river is about 100 miles (160 km), of which about 3.7 miles (6.0 km) forms the border between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. It is the tenth longest river in the United Kingdom and is navigable for 88 miles (142 km), from Northampton to The Wash.
Etymology
The origin and meaning of the name of the Nene River is unknown. The earliest known examples, which date from the 10th century AD, are associated with Indo-European roots of the words for snow, rain or washing, but the direct connection is purely speculative. According to British toponymist and medievalist Victor Watts, „the name is certainly pre-English, possibly pre-Celtic“. Same name appears in Neen, the former name of the River Rea in Shropshire, which is preserved in the village of Neen Savage.
The course of the River Nene
The River Nene is the tenth longest river in the United Kingdom. From one of its sources, near Arbury Hill, to Northampton, the river falls a total of 91 metres (17 mi) over a distance of 17 miles (27 km). For the remainder of its course, the Nene falls less than 200 feet (61 m). Its catchment area is 631 square miles (1,630 km2). It’s average flow is 328 cubic feet per second (9.3 m3/s). The final 88 miles (142 km) from Northampton to the Wash are navigable.
Navigation
The River Nene is navigable from its junction with the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union Canal to the sea. It is most commonly used for recreational purposes between Northampton and Peterborough. It crosses the Middle Navigation Canal at Stanground Sluice Lock, giving access to the River Ouse in Bedfordshire. There is no longer any significant commercial traffic above Wisbech Harbour.
