GHQ Line B ran along the North Downs from Farnham and Guildford, crossing the Mole Gap to the north of Dorking and following the river to Horley. The River Mole rises in West Sussex and flows for 50 miles until it meets the River Ember. The river flows initially southwards for 1 km (0.6 mi) to a small lake at Baldhorns Park, before running eastwards through a largely rural area towards Crawley. [2], Between Cobham and Esher, the Mole's historic courses have deposited gravel on top of the London Clay. Post Reply . [65] Remains of a further gravel terrace, containing cherts and flints to a depth of 4m (13ft), line the east side of St George's Hill. The Mole where I used to tickle trout in my youth is a drain, and it will remain a drain." A part suspended steel and timber deck bridge, spanning 42 metres (138ft). That this could have been constructed at all indicates a fairly large population in the district, a chieftain of some sort, organised labour and a desperate perhaps recurring danger. The present bridge opened in 1971. However this proved to be impractical and they were instead covered by concrete domes, up to 18 m in diameter, each fully supported by the surrounding chalk and provided with a manhole and access shaft to allow periodic inspection. Just before the gate take the footpath on the right between 2 tree stumps. The Mole descends 15m[49ft] in the 10km[6mi] stretch between Brockham and Leatherhead, compared to 3m[9.8ft] in 19km[12mi] between Horley and Brockham. [47] The amount of water lost from the river is significant and in very hot summers the channel can become dry between Mickleham and Thorncroft Manor; this was recorded most recently in 1949,[48][49] 1976[50] and 2022. The geology of the local area is complex, since the river leaves the chalk of the Mole Gap at this point and flows over gravel and clay, creating a patchwork of different habitats including scrub, woodland, hedges, banks, and meadows as well as the water itself. Frederick Wicks (18401910), author and inventor, retired to the village and died there. Crayfish are common in areas associated with high alkalinity, particularly around Brockham, and the tributaries which run over the Weald Clay provide an excellent habitat for stoneflies, caddisflies, fast swimming mayflies and riffle beetles. The restoration project was dedicated to the memory of the Canadian servicemen who were billeted in the manor during the Second World War. [6], The river has captured the imagination of several authors and poets,[7] particularly since in very hot summers the river channel can become dry between Dorking and Leatherhead, most recently in 2022. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. [16] Most important to the local economy is the accessibility of Central London see Rail below, with more than 500,000 train entries and exits per annum recorded across the two stations bordering and in the village itself. Known as depot 'W15', this site supplied essential sheet metal parts parts for Vickers Wellington and Vickers Warwick aircraft manufactured at Brooklands. [94] The bridge was constructed in 1867 and, at the insistence of Thomas Grissell the landowner, was given lavish architectural treatment. The gauging station south of Gatwick Airport was installed in 2005, replacing an earlier station located 200m (220yd) downstream. [33], The marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus, a non-native species introduced from Europe in the 1930s) is now commonly found in the upper Mole and its tributaries around Newdigate and Gatwick. Fast trains stopping at Walton-on-Thames reach London Waterloo within 30 minutes. Glacial meltwater from the Anglian ice sheet caused the Thames to divert southwards and flood the valley of the MoleWey river, thus adopting its present route through London. [81] Between 1825 and 1828 the architect and civil engineer Nicholas Wilcox Cundy proposed a Grand Imperial Ship Canal from Deptford to Chichester passing through the Mole Gap, however he was unable to attract sufficient financial interest in his scheme.[84]. [134] For many years there may have been two mills on the site for corn grinding and industrial use. [136], In addition there was Ember Mill, which stood on the banks of the old course of the River Ember near Hampton Court Way.[136]. You can change your cookie settings at any time. There is a Waitrose at 105 High Street, KT10 9QE. [11], The first mill at Sidlow was built during Saxon times. The nearest tackle shops are Esher Angling Centre at Pond House, Weston Green, Thames Ditton KT7 0JX, and Surbiton Angling Centre (31 Station Approach, Esher KT10 0SR). [12] At Pixham the Mole meets the Pipp Brook, a tributary draining the northeastern slopes of Leith Hill. River Mole rises in Baldhorns Copse 700m (0.4mi) to the south of the village of Rusper in West Sussex. Hersham began as a strip of woodland beside the River Mole. In 1579 Queen Elizabeth granted to Thomas Vincent "the manor, site, and demesne lands of Morehall, and the wood called Sylkesmore coppice". yes that is it olly had a walk round the pond as well did find some intense feeding going on in one corner very few fishing it in fact the third person . This trail is great for road biking, running, and walking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. [1] The river gives its name to the Surrey district of Mole Valley. The walk begins beside the Prince of Wales Pond, grid ref 129639, postcode When Henry VIII built Nonsuch Palace in Cheam as many as eighty loads of timber were obtained from Southwood, or the South Woods, for it. Use our species pages to find the fisheries that suit you. Learn more about how we use cookies in our Privacy Policy, and also find links to the privacy policy of Google and other data holders whose applications are present on or integrated with this website. Named after the Duchess of Albany (resident of Claremont). Hersham Green, in the nucleus of the village, is 3.4 acres (1.4 ha) of open space where regular events take place throughout the summer. [4] It is of brick and stone in 13th-century style, has a nave and aisles, five arcades, chancel, transepts, and a western tower and spire. Colonel Sir William Heaton Horrocks, KCMG, CB, was buried in St Peter's Churchyard in 1941, as was his late wife, Lady Minna Horrocks in 1921. a huge defensive earthwork was erected on top of St George's Hill (ecclesiastically in Hersham, but in Weybridge post town), probably as a refuge camp against invaders coming up the Thames Valley. This page was last edited on 12 February 2023, at 07:13. The airport was fined 30,000 by Lewes Crown Court. A multi-span composite deck supported on steelwork tresses with a total span of 48m (157ft) and a main span of 22m (72ft) over the river itself. The school holds specialist Business and Enterprise College status, and boasts an impressive drama programme. We'll update this page when there's a flood alert in the area, which means flooding to low lying land is possible. Until the Dissolution of the Monasteries it was owned by Chertsey Abbey. The woodland, river and ponds are attractive at any time of the year. Hersham began as a strip of woodland beside the River Mole. Flood alert area: River Mole and its tributaries from Kinnersley Manor to South Hersham, including Sidlow, Leigh, Betchworth, Brockham, Pixham, Dorking, Mickleham, Leatherhead, Fetcham, Stoke D'Abernon and Cobham. Another well-established commercial business is the popular Squires Garden Centre adjacent to the Burvale Cemetery in Burwood Road. Emergency services rushed to the River Mole between Esher and Hersham on Wednesday morning (October 12) after receiving a report that a body part had been seen in the water. The proportion who owned their home with a loan compares to the regional average of 32.5%. The westbound carriageway on Esher Road was down to one lane for much of the morning rush hour as the incident was investigated due to a line of emergency vehicles parked by the curb in the left lane. [4], Hersham's first chapel of ease (Holy Trinity church, which was demolished in 1889 having been superseded) was built of yellow brick in Anglo-Norman style in 1839. The trail is open year-round and is . Initially the surveyors tried to fill the holes with rubble to prevent the foundations of the new road subsiding. Tributary of the River Thames in southern England, This article is about the river in south east England. [86], The river crossing at Sidlow Bridge was heavily defended and a line of pill boxes was constructed on the north bank of the river. [21], At Leatherhead, the Mole leaves the chalk and turns northwestwards to flow across impermeable London Clay, winding towards Cobham. [30], Highly polluting discharges have become less common but have taken place since 2000. The present building dates from the 18th century but it is inaccessible to the public. [26] (For the purposes of the remainder of this article, the River Mole and the River Ember are treated as a single entity. Queen Victoria wrote in her diary how she saw her first steam train in Hersham when she was a young girl. [1] In 1974 zander, a non-indigenous coarse fish native to Europe, were introduced legally to Old Bury Hill Lake which supplies the Pipp Brook. The remaining% is made up of rented dwellings (plus a negligible% of households living rent-free). The band's biggest hit was Hersham Boys. Hersham began as a strip of woodland beside the River Mole. River Mole, West End Recreation Ground NO FISHING. Own label and private label building products. South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) also attended the incident. Turn right on the wide track beside the river. However the river's name is unlikely to have derived from this behaviour: The Oxford Dictionary of English Place Names suggests that Mole either comes from the Latin mola (a mill) or is a back-formation from Molesey (Mul's island). The Pipp Brook drains the northernmost heavily wooded slopes of Leith Hill (which include Squire's Great Wood and Abinger Forest), as well as areas of. In 1929 an aeroplane designed by Anthony Fletcher was constructed in the village by ABC Motors. The bridge was designed by the architect Howard Humphreys and the westernmost section is a drawbridge which may be raised to prevent access to Painshill Park. [20] The meander was reinstated in 1997, in an attempt to enhance this area of the Park, although it has since become blocked by silt. The path leads to the Mole near a concrete bridge. The River Mole arises in Sussex and enters Surrey at Gatwick airport. It is home to Sandown Park Racecourse. [53] Most holes were difficult to observe in times of normal or heavy flow and were susceptible to silting up as new holes were continually being formed. A flood warning means flooding to some property is expected. [32] In May 2003, sewage leaking from a pump operated by Thames Water leaked into the Stanford Brook, killing coarse fish in the Gatwick stream. It was occupied by pre-historic folk whose flint instruments have been found in large numbers beside the River on Southwood Manor Farm.These date mostly from the mesolithic period. In 2003, Gatwick Airport Ltd pleaded guilty to charges of allowing chemical pollution to enter the River Mole after a detergent, used to clean rubber and oil from the runway, was washed into Crawters Brook by airport workers. This was estimated in 2004 to have consisted of around 7,000 birds.[15]. [83] In 1810 the engineer John Rennie proposed a canal linking the River Medway to Portsmouth which was to have a branch to London following the Mole for much of its length. The bridge has a 15m (49ft) span with mass concrete abutments and a pre-stressed concrete deck. [45], The Mole rises south of Rusper in West Sussex, where an outcrop of the Hastings Beds sandstone dips below the impermeable Weald Clay. The water table rises at this point and much of the water which drained out of the channel through the chalk returns through springs in the riverbed. and is not designated artificial or heavily modified. We'll update this page when there's a flood warning in the area. Something went wrong, please try again later. Water is therefore able to flow out of the river through swallow holes in the bed and banks, decreasing the volume of water carried in the main channel. [76], Significant Bronze Age finds include a bronze sword found close to the river north of Amberley Farm near Charlwood[77] and a small hoard of weaponry consisting of two palstave axes and a scabbard chape was discovered in 2003 in Norbury Park close to Ham Bank. [12] There is only one aquifer in the drainage basin, at Fetcham, which means that the majority of the water in the river is from surface drainage, particularly from Gatwick Airport and the urban areas of Horley and Crawley, and that the flow rate responds rapidly to rainfall.[1]. Other specialist Hersham firms include coachbuilders Compton & Herman Ltd based in Molesey Road in the 1920s before being renamed Compton Motor Body Builders and later moving first to Kingston and then to New Malden. The other locations were at Burhill Golf Club ('W32'- see below) plus Corbie Wood ('W86' which included both a Bellman hangar and an Air Ministry T.2 Type hangar) and Riseholme ('W63'), both located on the St George's Hill side of Seven Hills Road. [6] From the source to Dorking, the river drains an area of 340km2 (130sqmi), of which approximately 60% is on Wealden or Atherfield Clay, 20% is on Tunbridge Wells Sand and 20% is on greensand. 26); This page was last edited on 20 January 2023, at 21:55. The parish boundaries run from the South West Main Line railway in the North to the East and through St George's Hill in the West. The manor remained in the possession of the Crown, and was granted by Philip II of Spain and Mary I of England to David Vincent. The site is a rich habitat for birds including the redshank and little ringed plover. [43] Although much of the surrounding land has been taken by residential and commercial development, this section of the Mole supports 20 different mammal species, 20 butterfly species and 15 species of dragonfly. Hersham is a village in Surrey, . The first gauging station on the Mole is south of Gatwick Airport (57m[187ft] above OD). Mole (Horley to Hersham) is 60.133 km long and is not designated artificial or heavily modified. The path runs between high wire fences. [39] Viviparid snails and water scorpions (of the genus Nepidae) are commonly found where the river runs over the London Clay. Designed by Anthony Fletcher and fitted with an ABC Scorpion aero engine, this was test flown from nearby Brooklands and had could have been built in quantity but became a victim of the economic depression of 1929-32. Esher play at The Rugby Ground, 369 Molesey Road. [10] The bridge has nine low arches and is primarily built of red brick with stone coping. The entirety of the Mole Gap lies within the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The culvert was constructed in 1957. Similarly congregationalists had a Round Chapel which existed from 1844 until 1961, the year in which the single dual carriageway in Hersham was created, and enabling its construction.[5]. Grade II listed. The beautiful demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) disappeared from the River Mole during the 1960s owing to deteriorating water quality, but has since recolonised. The River Mole forms the western boundary of the common, flowing past a steep sandy area known locally as The Ledges. The River Mole and Stepping Stones are in front of you. This is a new service your feedback will help us to improve it. The original road bridge on this site was destroyed during flooding in 1968. [68] This name is probably derived from the Old English word men meaning misty or causing mists,[67] and the name of the River Ember probably has its origins in this name. [note 1] The mean flow is 0.33m3/s (12cuft/s) and the river ran dry at this point for the first time in the summer of 1995. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. The island where it stood now forms part of the ornamental gardens of a housing development called "The Wilderness". Hersham contained one manor alone known as Morehall alias Sylkesmore or Southwood. It also takes in all six ponds of this part of Esher Common, some hidden deep in the woods. Single track bridge built in 1842 and refurbished in 1993. The Mole winds its way past Leatherhead and under the M25 then runs beside the boundary of the Chelsea FC training ground & then through the wealthy village of Cobham (with many "Chelsea Tractors"). =? The remaining red brick mill dates from the 1822 and was in use until 1928. The Mole Valley has been polluted. Instead of merely (for vestry and property owning matters such as poor relief, road maintenance, manorial ownership, land tax and tithes) being the southern hamlet of Walton, Hersham became an ecclesiastical parish in 1851. [citation needed]. For the hamlet in Cornwall, see, The artefact-rich manor is at Burhill Road KT12 4BJ, Will of Dame Dorothye Edmondes, widow of Sir Christopher Edmondes, of 'Est Moulsey, Surrey', line 39 of her registered will; National Archives; PROB 11, proved 21 Sept 1615: 'And the lease of the Coppice called the Hurst Coppice, lying & being in Haversham, in the parish of Waltoun, in the said county' (spelling modernized), 'The Memoirs of Herbert Hoover, The Cabinet & Presidency 19201933' (Pub. Wed also like to use analytics cookies so we can understand how you use the service and make improvements. The current stones were dedicated in September 1946 by the then Prime Minister Clement Attlee, replacing those destroyed during the Second World War as an anti-invasion measure. Its housing is relatively low-rise and diverse and it has four technology/trading estates. 1200 students. Mole Valley - Walking London's Waterways Home Mole Valley This walk was rather different in that it didn't follow an existing long distance path. However, the road remained open and the site was clear of parked vehicles by mid-morning. We use some essential cookies to make this service work. Places within Hersham therefore technically include part of Saint George's Hill, all of Burwood Park and Whiteley Village. There were a series of fires over a century and after the last in 1978 the buildings were demolished. The first, in 1663, was passed by the House of Commons but was defeated in the House of Lords. The largest STW in the Mole catchment (Reigate STW) discharges up to 118,500m3 (4,180,000cuft) per day into the Earlswood Brook. <> The proportion of households in the settlement who owned their home outright compares to the regional average of 35.1%. Flood alert area: River Mole and its tributaries from Kinnersley Manor to South Hersham, including Sidlow, Leigh, Betchworth, Brockham, Pixham, Dorking, Mickleham, Leatherhead, Fetcham, Stoke D'Abernon and Cobham. [11] It has been used for many purposes including the processing of corn, paper, iron, tinplate and flock and the generation of electricity. . In the 12th century it was written Haverichesham suggesting Haeferick's hamlet or river bend settlement. Built in 1957 as part of the scheme to divert the A23 around the eastern periphery of Gatwick Airport. The dividing line was what then officially termed the "London and South Western Railway line" and all borders remain almost unchanged by later local government and ecclesiastical parish decisions. Mole (Horley to Hersham) is a river in Surrey. Very little angling is available in this area as the local lakes are closed to fishing and the River Mole is controlled by the local authority who do not permit fishing on their land. [86] Between Betchworth and Box Hill, the north bank of the River Mole was stabilised and made steeper to prevent wheeled vehicles from crossing. It has in 2008 been recorded in tributaries of the River Mole at Capel and Brockham. [85] The river may be paddled all year by canoe between Brockham and Fetcham with an appropriate licence from the British Canoe Union. It was used for fulling woollen cloth and milling corn. The River Mole rises in West Sussex near Gatwick Airport and flows north-west through Surrey for 50 miles. These levels can help you understand your flood risk now and over the next few days. [7] A planned community also exists in the south almost entirely for the retired, Whiteley Village. [wa=}k During the Commonwealth it was used for gunpowder manufacture, but after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 it reverted to corn milling. vGc+R~g^Dq|( The path runs between high wire fences. [68][69][70][note 7], The name Mole does not appear until the 16th century, first occurring as Moule in Harrison's Description of Britain of 1577. Get flood warnings by phone, text or email. ", "Manchester United's Luke Shaw signs new contract at Old Trafford until 2023", Parakeet population booming in borough Molesey News & Mail, 7 July 2004, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hersham&oldid=1134823525. There have been further alterations to the courses of these two rivers in a major flood prevention scheme since serious flooding in the area in 1947 and 1968. Just across from the green is a shopping centre, consisting of multiple shops and restaurants. Hersham also has three primary schools Burhill, became primary in 2015, Bell Farm, became primary in 2014 and Cardinal Newman. The canoe is preserved at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford. Two golf courses are within its bounds, Burhill Golf Club and Hersham Village Golf Club; considerable other land is wooded, used for mixed farming or Esher Rugby Club,[n 1] much of which is Metropolitan Green Belt. . [47], In a survey in 1958, the geologist C.C. Fagg identified 25 active swallow holes between Dorking and Mickleham; the majority were only a few centimetres in diameter and were located in the vertical banks of the river below the water line. [80], During the 17th century, two bills came before parliament to make sections of the river navigable. Leaving Dorking, the River Mole skirts the south west of Leatherhead and then Cobham, before heading north between Hersham and Esher. [40][41] The Mole is one of only three locations in England where the river shingle beetle (Meotica anglica) is found. [96] The bridge was renovated and strengthened in 1999 by a group of Canadian engineers working on the Terra Nove project. [9] In John Rocque's 1768 map of Surrey, the name Moulsey River is used. The bridge is largely composed of flint and has a large inverted scallop shell in the place of the keystone and similar shells in the spandrels at each side. It was used to process corn, brass wire, iron, paper, linoleum, and books. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 1 h 32 min to complete. This forum belongs to the other rivers. Leaving Dorking, the River Mole skirts the south west of Leatherhead and then Cobham, before heading north between Hersham and Esher. Cobham Mill, downstream of Leatherhead, consisted of two mills used for grinding corn. Library, Hersham is 311 meters away, 5 min walk. [44], Molesey Heath Local Nature Reserve lies on the west bank of the Mole, west of the Island Barn Reservoir. It has been suggested that a proportion of the excess water originates from the Mole Gap. Tonawanda to Buffalo via Shoreline Trail Riverwalk. 1952), Key Statistics; Quick Statistics: Population Density, Hersham in Surrey: a brief local history of the parish of St. Peter's, Hersham, in the Borough of Elmbridge in Surrey, "William Lilly (1602-1681) By Barbara Dunn. According to Hersham in Surrey:. Find a river, sea, groundwater or rainfall level in this area, Telephone: 0345 988 1188Textphone: 0345 602 6340Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a weekFind out more about call charges. Constructed between January and March 2008, replacing an earlier bridge on the same site. The walk begins beside the Prince of Wales Pond, grid ref 129639, postcode A seven-span 170m long (190yd) reinforced concrete viaduct, cast. Look out for. At the east end of Painshill Park, the flood plain narrows into a trench about 60m (66yd) wide, in which the river runs northwards for 6.5km (4.0mi) towards Hersham, where the river enters the flood plain of the River Thames. [47] A survey in March 1883 estimated that the Fetcham springs were producing about 3.6million imperial gallons (16,000m3) every day. [131] It was a corn mill, built in the early 19th century, and has been converted into a bed and breakfast hotel. large bittercress (Cardamine amara) and the non-native Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera). About 90% of the energy generated is fed into the regional electricity grid, while the remainder is used to supply the Betchworth Park Estate, where the weir is situated. Opened in 1927 by Henry Cubitt, 2nd Baron Ashcombe. The Heath is an area of rough scrubland and, despite its name, is a reclaimed landfill site hence its large but artificial mound and small plateau. The bridge is a long structure of 14 segmental arches resting on low piers, finished in red brick in Flemish bond, with some Portland stone dressing. [132], Slyfield Mill near Stoke d'Abernon is first mentioned in Domesday Book. Above Meath Green (near Horley), the terrace corresponds to the flood plain of the river, however from this point downstream to Brockham, the river cuts a narrow trench no more than 150m (160yd) wide. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. [92] The first bridge on this site was probably constructed during the late Middle Ages and was rebuilt and enlarged by the county surveyor, George Gwilt in 178283. It then runs along the west side of Horley, and heads north west towards Dorking. The chalk aquifer also feeds the springs at the southern end of Fetcham Mill Pond, which have never been known to run dry. Besides the significant contribution of ABC Motors to the British war effort with products that included auxiliary power units for Short Sunderland flying boats), Vickers-Armstrongs had four secret production sites in the village and its surrounding parish occupied the existing Ben Stanley Ltd bus depot and workshop in Burwood Road as part of its dispersed Tinsmiths Department. The Ember flood relief channel has a diverse fish population, including chub, dace, roach, bleak, large pike and barbel. Part of a guide to angling in Surrey. [1][3] Twelve Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) that include wetland habitats are located within the Mole catchment area, and the stretch of river through Leatherhead has been designated a Local Nature Reserve. A full list of the tributaries is given in the table below. An old timber structure was replaced by a brick building in the 1820s which can be seen from the bridge over the Ember in Hampton Court Way. The flood alert is in place until 1pm tomorrow (November 28) (Image: Ben Birchall/PA Wire) Two flood alerts have been issued for the River Mole on Wednesday (November 27) warning that flooding is . It dates back way before the Doomsday book and this is what makes it such an interesting river to paddle. Within a few minutes walk of the village centre in the east are green fields and meadows alongside the River Mole and footpaths both through and by fields used for mixed farming. Up to date as of 9:36pm on 27 February 2023. [61], At Leatherhead the river leaves the chalk bedrock, moving onto London Clay. The most recent mill was demolished in 1959, although the mill house still stands. Read more 2021 munki-boy design, All Rights Reserved. [_ch MP=e(3+K}h;,x5K_>. [6] The catchment area receives 761mm (30.0in) of rain each year; the greatest average level of rainfall is 800mm (31.5in) around Crawley. Emergency services rushed to the River Mole between Esher and Hersham on Wednesday morning (October 12) after receiving a report that a body part had been seen in the water. [2], Between Dorking and Leatherhead the Mole cuts a steep-sided valley through the North Downs, creating a 170-metre-high (560ft) river cliff on the western flank of Box Hill. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Information about angling in Esher, covering fishing venues, tackle shops, supermarkets, and local weather. [1], The geographical distribution of many species of invertebrate in the river reflects the geology of the catchment area. Just before the gate take the footpath on the right between 2 tree stumps. However, a search of the scene uncovered no evidence of any body parts and the fire service handed over control of the incident to Surrey Police. Music is "Oxygen Garden" and "Out of the. xmqV$@$"HQmJy'T\bU`l)qJYk[{BR&5~xr><97o?oyo?iQ/Og~wo;>OaO=_|o|o?|M~.toI%8mx?u?oV^0
zqO~~6s?;SS|sW\}N2omlc]GCxvWPwN`Tim'Ba~Vr:? [135], East Molesey Upper Mill was associated with the manor of Molesey Matham. The final mill on the site was demolished in 1790, however remains of the mill leat are still visible. Plant species typical of ancient woodland are found in this area, including bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scriptus), marsh marigolds (Caltha palustris) and golden saxifrages (Chrysosplenium sp.). The Stepping Stones The average level of accommodation in the region composed of detached houses was 28%, the average that was apartments was 22.6%. [73] Remains of a flat-bottomed dug-out canoe were found at the confluence of the Mole and Thames in 1877 by a local boatman. However, during the early 1930s, when Hampton Court Way and the bridge were built, the River Mole was redirected to flow into the River Ember and both rivers now enter the Thames in a single widened and straightened channel once occupied only by the River Ember.