Missing Waters

2nd Feb 2010 -- 19:40

When I was little I was always told that the 'River Arthur' ran though the city. Could this be the river? that supplied the mill at the Swanswell, and following that line how many more small rivers [or should that be brooks?] run hidden from view today. The water that supplied Nauls Mill is another one that 'springs' to mind John

6th Feb 2010 -- 14:05

I must admit, the River Arthur is one I've never heard about, but there must be dozens of small brooks of that nature under our city, each with a name that would've been given to them in ancient times. The nearest one to that name that I know of is the River Albert, which seems to be an alternative name for the Radford Brook running from Naul's Mill and joining up with the main Sherbourne just past the Burges (corruption of bridges). This word also perhaps gives us a clue to the Coventry folk's accent in medieval times - "bridges" pronounced "burges" - did we really sound like country bumpkins? Maybe this could be another topic! Anyway, does anyone know of any other rivers or brooks lost or culverted beneath our city?

3rd Mar 2010 -- 23:51

I've read elsewhere that the Swanswell is indeed fed by the 'River Arthur' but the name of the reference escapes me for the present. There was even a silly folk tale that King Arthur's treasure was buried in the mud of the Swanswell but later dredging work totally disproved that theory. There is a stream which ran between Spon Street and the Sherbourne before the council estate was built called the Back Brook. Old maps show it running backwards from where the SkyDome is now and ending in a pool under what is now Windsor Street. I presume that is how the stream got its name? Later maps show it as running continuously from a junction near Windsor Street to a junction further downstream. According to Britsh History Online, the stream which runs under Gosford Street to the east of the Sherbourne is known as the Springfield Brook.