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One of the most photographed of our
local features from times past is the river we know as the Bourne Eau,
meaning a spring or the stream flowing from it, a word derived from the
Old English burna.
By far the most picturesque section of the waterway can be found in South
Street, with Baldock’s Mill and the tower of the 12th century Abbey Church
as a backdrop, a scene that has attracted camera enthusiasts for many
years, such as here in 1920 when local photographer Ashby Swift took this
shot for a picture postcard that has survived for posterity.
The Bourne Eau begins at St Peter's Pool where the water can be seen
gushing out at its source, feeding the river as it flows towards Baldock's
Mill and after a tortuous route through the town it reaches Eastgate and
crosses underneath Cherryholt Road at Mays’ Sluice before flowing out into
the South Fen, joining the River Glen at Tongue End, its entire length
being just under 3½ miles.
The river was much wider and fast flowing a century ago but then as now it
was a magnet for wildlife and for townspeople out for an evening or
weekend walk, an exhilarating outing along the banks to what is now the
Wellhead Gardens. |
