Celebrating 25 Years of the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project

OVERVIEW
Chalk streams have not only been desirable locations for settlement for their supply of drinking water and
food resources, but also for their motive power. Industries of all types have thrived over the millennia along
the banks of the rivers. Iron smelting in the later prehistoric and Roman periods occurred at places like Cow
Roast on the Bulbourne, and a part of the Ver downstream of St Albans (Roman Verulamium), which were
navigable by barge, at least in Roman times.
Between that period through to modern times there have been abundant mills (more than 90!) which both
written records and archaeological remains attest to, processing a range of materials, from turning grain into
flour, rags into paper, and even a brief flirtations with milling silk and, in the 18th century, polishing diamonds!
Another major stream-reliant industry was watercress ‘farming’, which led to the creation of numerous
watercress beds along chalk streams throughout the Chilterns. Sadly, these are nearly all out of operation.
Beyond the pragmatic, waterside locations have been used for spiritual and religious activity since prehistoric
times. From the Bronze Age burnt mounds on the Chess, to Roman shrines and temples on the Ver and
Hamble Brook, and the subsequent relationships between Saxon and Medieval churches at ‘holy wells’ and
near the rivers, we can see people are drawn to ritual behaviour near water – even today, we ourselves
follow suit. People of many different faiths are still placing items of personal and religious significance in
chalk streams.
The narrative of humans in the Chilterns and the biography of our chalk streams are as inter-braided as
a prehistoric river channel. Today, we are at the next chapter in this long story, and the CCSP has been
instrumental in not only enriching the tale but working toward the story having a happy ending for our rivers,
and by extension, those who connect with them.
Left: Netting the River Gade
to harvest cropped watercress
near Cassiobury House
(demolished 1927)
(© Carole Maddison).
Right: 1935 entry into the
Lord Mayor’s Show
highlighting the importance
of chalk stream industry
(© Croxley Green History
Project).
CULTURAL OVERVIEW OF CHILTERNS CHALK STREAMS | 13