River Beal.html



River Beal
River
River Beal at Firgrove.
Country	England
Source
- location	Beal Valley
Mouth
- location	River Roch, Belfield
- coordinates	53°37′40.41″N 2°7′55.68″W / 53.6278917°N 2.1321333°W / 53.6278917; -2.1321333

The Beal is a small river in Greater Manchester, England, and is a tributary of the River Roch. It rises in the Beal Valley in green space between Sholver and Royton, before continuing northwards through, Shaw and Crompton, Newhey, Milnrow and Belfield.

Course

The River Beal is sourced from the Beal Valley, between Oldham and Shaw and Crompton.

From its source at Beal Valley, it flows north through Shaw and Crompton in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, where Old Brook and Pencil Brook are tributaries. It continues north through Newhey and Milnrow in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, then joins the River Roch.

In part, the river forms a boundary between Oldham on one side and Royton and Shaw and Crompton on the other.¹

History

The name Beal is believed to come from the Brythonic word "Bel" meaning "raging torrent".^{citation needed}

1212 :, The Beal valley was recorded as part of the thegnage estate of Kaskenmoor, held on behalf of King John by Roger de Montbegon and William de Nevill.²

1892 : Ellenroad Cotton Mill was built on the bank of the Beal, and made fine cotton yarn by mule spinning.³

During operation of a bleaching and dying works, discharge to the river of used dyes and waste would cause it to change colour from one day to another.⁴

circa 1997 : Littlewoods PLC changed the course of the river slightly to allow development of their Shaw National Distribution Warehouse Centre.

2005 : Raw sewage was discharged to the river, killing thousands of fish and raising health fears among local residents.⁵

Tributaries

• Butterworth Hall Brook
• Piethorne Brook
• Jubilee Brook ? (name uncertain)
• Old Brook
  • Brushes Brook (formerly Leornardin Brook) ⁶
• Pencil Brook
• Besom Hill Brook ? (Name uncertain)
• Hodge Brook ? (name uncertain)

Gallery

Infancy in Higginshaw	Jubilee, Shaw	Looking downstream from Bentgate, Newhey	Between the M62 and A640 culverts
Downstream from Bridge Street	View from Ashes Lane, Milnrow	Upstream from Firgrove	Confluence with River Roch

References

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