Rothbury

Many thanks to the Coquet Valley Gas for facilitating this camera's location and capitally funding its installation.The River Coquet, pronounced as /ˈkoʊkət/, gracefully meanders through the renowned county of Northumberland in England, ultimately finding its outlet into the North Sea along the east coast at the charming town of Amble. Originating from the majestic Cheviot Hills, situated on the border between England and Scotland, this river follows a serpentine course across the region, famously known as "Coquetdale." Its upper reaches are flanked by the esteemed Otterburn Ranges military training ground and adorned with a collection of 20th-century bridges. Along its journey, the river gracefully passes through idyllic villages and hamlets, while also nourishing one of the lakes formed by gravel extraction, contributing to the formation of the Caistron Nature Reserve. Eventually, it reaches the historic town of Rothbury, where a Grade II listed bridge elegantly spans its gentle waters. Below the town lies Thrum Mill, an iconic landmark whose restoration was prominently featured on Channel 4 television.The course of the River Coquet gracefully encircles Brinkburn Priory, a cherished Augustinian Canons foundation dating back to the 1130s, along with its associated mill. As the river approaches Felton, it encounters two notable bridges—one dating from the 15th century and its successor, erected in 1927—both proudly recognized as listed structures. Adjacent to these bridges, a sewage treatment works was erected in the 1990s, effectively addressing the region's sanitation needs. Continuing its journey, the river passes through Brainshaugh, where it gracefully cascades over a grand horseshoe dam, engineered by the esteemed John Smeaton in 1775. Originally constructed to power an iron and tin works, this dam later facilitated the operations of a woollen mill and became one of the pioneering factories to adopt hydroelectricity. Before reaching the historic town of Warkworth, the river encounters another dam, now an integral part of the intake works for Warkworth Water Treatment Works, ensuring a reliable supply of drinking water to approximately 92,000 customers in the region. Below this dam, the river transitions into a tidal stretch, enveloping the esteemed Warkworth Castle within its graceful loop. Finally, the river finds its culmination at Warkworth Harbour in Amble, where a noteworthy Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboat station stands as a testament to maritime safety.Throughout its course, the River Coquet has been harnessed as a valuable source of power, leading to the establishment of numerous mills along its length. Among the earliest examples is one situated on Hepden Burn, a tributary in the upper reaches, mentioned as early as the 13th century, although subsequent development was hindered by unrest in the area. Remarkable archaeological investigations conducted between 2010 and 2013 unveiled one of the rare medieval mill sites in Britain, thereby rewriting the historical development of the breast-shot water wheel by three centuries. While most of these mills were primarily employed for grinding corn, some played a pivotal role in the wool fulling process, and the mill at Brainshaugh served industrial purposes. Notably, the earliest mill was located in Warkworth, with the rental income from this facility dedicated to illuminating St Cuthbert's shrine as early as 1214.Dating back to the 8th century, the earliest known reference to the River Coquet can be traced to the Ravenna Cosmography. Ecologically speaking, the non-tidal section of the river boasts commendable water quality, with only the final tidal stretch experiencing some impact from agricultural runoff, resulting in a moderate decline in water quality.Additionally, it is worth noting that Brinkburn Priory represents an esteemed Augustinian foundation from the time of Henry I. Paperhaugh Bridge, originally constructed by the Duke of Northumberland, was subsequently adopted by the County in 1888. The River Coquet is home to Brown Trout, with the most remarkable catch to date weighing an impressive 6 pounds. Furthermore, the river attracts seasonal runs of Salmon and Sea Trout, with notable catches reaching up to 22 pounds and 14 pounds, respectively.