River Chew

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River Chew
River Chew between Stanton Drew and Pensford
Country	England
State	Somerset
District	Chew Valley
Length	27 km (17 mi)
Watershed	145 km² (56 mi²)
Discharge	Keynsham
- average	1.18 m³/s (42 ft³/s)
- maximum	20 m³/s (706 ft³/s) 20
- minimum	0.5 m³/s (18 ft³/s) 0.5
Source	Chewton Mendip
- location	Mendip Hills, Somerset, England
- coordinates	51°16′34″N, 2°34′42″W
- elevation	125 m (410 ft)
Mouth	River Avon, Bristol
- location	Keynsham, Somerset, England
- coordinates	51°25′29″N, 2°30′26″W
- elevation	55 m (180 ft)
Major tributaries
- left	Strode Brook, Winford Brook
Topographical map of the Chew Valley

The River Chew is a small river in England. It merges with the River Avon after 17 miles forming the Chew Valley.

The spring from which the Chew rises is just upstream from Chewton Mendip. The river flows North West from Chewton Mendip through Litton, Chew Valley Lake, Chew Stoke, Chew Magna and Stanton Drew. The river passes under the A37 at Pensford almost making the old church and pub garden into an island. The river then flows through the villages of Publow, Woollard, Compton Dando and Chewton Keynsham before joining the River Avon at Keynsham. For much of its route a footpath the Two Rivers Way. In total the Chew flows for some 17 miles through the North Somerset countryside.

1 The name 'Chew'
2 Fishing
3 References
4 External links
5 Gallery

[edit] The name 'Chew'

The name 'Chew' has Celtic origins, but its exact meaning isn't certain, however there have been several explanations, including "winding water",^[1] the EW being a variant of the French EAU meaning water. The word CHEWER is a western dialect for a narrow passage and CHARE is Old English for turning. Many believe that the name CHEW began in Normandy as CHEUX, and came to England with the Norman Conquest during the 11th century.^[2]

However, some people agree with Ekwall’s interpretation that it is derived from the Welsh "cyw" meaning "the young of an animal, or chicken", so that "afon Cyw" would have been "the river of the chickens".^[3]

Other possible explanations suggest it comes from the Old English word cēo ‘fish gill’, used in the transferred sense of a ravine, in a similar way to Old Norse gil, or possibly a derogatory nickname from Middle English chowe ‘chough’, Old English cēo, a bird closely related to the crow and the jackdaw, notorious for its chattering and thieving.^[4]

According to Robinson it is named after the Viking war god Tiw.^[5]

The river suffered a major flood in 1968 with serious damage to towns and villages along its route, including sweeping away the bridge at Pensford.^[6]

[edit] Fishing

Fishing rights for the Millground and Chewton sections of the river are owned by Keynsham Angling Club. The Mill Ground stretch of the River Chew is comprised of the six left-bank fields (looking downstream) from Chewton Place at Chewton Keynsham to the Albert Mill, Keynsham. The water is home to a good stock of sizeable Chub, Roach, European perch and Rudd, along with good numbers of Gudgeon, Dace and Trout. In the Chewton section waters are much more 'wild' than the Mill Ground, with overhanging trees and fast-flowing runs, leading to deeper eddies and pools. Not all swims are fishable and some will need hacking out before angling, but this is a classic roving river. Trout, Grayling and Chub lurk in the shady, meandering stream, along with a good showing of Dace, Roach and Eel.