The River Dove is a
river
A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...
in the
county
A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...
of
Suffolk
Suffolk ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Norfolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Essex to the south, and Cambridgeshire to the west. Ipswich is the largest settlement and the county ...
. It is a tributary of the
River Waveney
The River Waveney is a river which forms the boundary between Suffolk and Norfolk, England, for much of its length within The Broads. The earliest attestation of the name is from 1275, ''Wahenhe'', from ''*wagen + ea'', meaning the river by a q ...
starting near
Bacton going through
Eye
An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system.
In higher organisms, the ey ...
to the Waveney.
Course
The Dove rises as several minor streams in the parish of
Bacton at around 63 metres above sea level. It descends to the west of the village and flows north, before turning east to pass through the village of
Finningham where it passes under the
Stowmarket
Stowmarket ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the Mid Suffolk district of Suffolk, England,OS Explorer map 211: Bury St.Edmunds and Stowmarket
Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton A2 edition. Publishing Date:2008. o ...
to
Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. It lies by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. The population of the Norwich ...
railway. At
Thorndon it merges with another stream and its course turns north. The river then skirts the eastern edge of the village of
Eye
An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system.
In higher organisms, the ey ...
, running alongside the former
Eye Priory.
[Ordnance Survey of Great Britain]
Below Eye, it largely forms the western boundary of the parish of
Hoxne in a meandering course to the west of Hoxne village. Here it is joined by Gold Brook, before emptying into the
River Waveney
The River Waveney is a river which forms the boundary between Suffolk and Norfolk, England, for much of its length within The Broads. The earliest attestation of the name is from 1275, ''Wahenhe'', from ''*wagen + ea'', meaning the river by a q ...
at the county boundary with
Norfolk
Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...
.
[
]
Gold Brook
The stream known as Gold Brook flows around north from the parish of Southolt through Redlingfield to Hoxne before emptying into the River Dove. As it enters Hoxne it is crossed by Goldbrook Bridge on the road to Cross Street. It is here that, according to legend, King Edmund the Martyr hid from the invading Danes. Whilst hiding under the bridge, a newly-wed couple saw his spurs glistening in the light and after capture by the Danes supposedly placed a curse on all bridal couples who should cross the bridge. Even up to the 19th century it is said that wedding parties would avoid the bridge rather than take the risk. According to the same legend, Edmund was then killed on the hill above the bridge.
History
The river passes alongside the town of Eye
An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system.
In higher organisms, the ey ...
, known for its important medieval castle
A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...
. The name "Eye" is believed to derive from an old word for "island", as in medieval times the River Dove, its tributaries and marshland would frequently flood and render it effectively an island. The area around the river still floods frequently.
References
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Dove
Columbidae is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with small heads, relatively short necks and slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. ...
2Dove