Wootton Brook


Wootton Brook is a tributary of the River Nene which runs through Northamptonshire.
The brook has two sources one at Salcey Lawn, in the middle of Salcey forest, which flows northerly meeting the other flowing from Yardley Chase in a southerly direction and meeting at a marshy field south east of Horton.
It then takes a westerly direction, passing under the Northampton to Newport Pagnell road,once the A50 trunk road,and takes a meandering course between Hackelton on its north bank and Piddington on its south bank continuing through Preston Deanery then on between Wootton -the village that gives it its name - and Grange Park passing under the Quinton Road and continuing on to pass under the A45,previously the A508, into Blackymoor.
Here we see that it has been utilised to provide manmade lakes for Collingtree golf course and run offs for East Hunsbury.
It then passes under the Northampton to Euston railway line and the Northampton to Towcester Road, once the A43 trunk road, at Ladybridge with the Counties Crematorium on its south bank.
Passing now to the south of West Hunsbury through the country park, here again we find that a lake as been created, the south bank of which is the old course of the brook,passing over a weir as it continues on its course to pass under the A43, M1 to M40 link Road.
It then passes under the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union Canal which is carried over it by an aqueduct.
A little further on it passes under a humpback bridge on the Northampton to Rothersthorpe Road, once the old drovers track known has the Banbury Lane.
Turning northerly it passes through Swan Valley and Pineham where there are further man-made run off lakes for the industrial estates here.
Continuing northerly it enters the river Nene at Upton Mill. A journey of approximately 15 kilometres.