A 17th Century waterway whose advanced construction techniques far surpassed those of the 18th century canal builders
Around Woodberry Down and the start of the watered New River
The large council estate that straddles both sides of Seven Sisters Road, Manor House, is known as Woodberry Down estate. What is less known is that it is virtualy encircled by the New River as the waterway makes its way along the one remaning contour section. We begin this section at The Castle, otherwise known as the old pumping station, where traces of the New River can be found. Immediately by Green Lanes is a watered section but this is an illusion for within a short distance it is dammed and the remainder of the course is either dried upor filled in, It is not until the waterports centre a bit further along that the waterway finally puts in its first tenative appearance. Devoid of flow it is merely a water feature along the perimeter of the Western reservoir as far as Lordship Road, where the active section of the New River begins. Its a pleasant walk along the contour around Woodberry Down with Manor House never far away. There are good views to the north beyond Seven Sisters bridge, and this is the sole surviving example of what the New River must have looked before its lengthy loops were truncated
This photographic survey of the New River was begun in the summer of 2002. This section was covered in the late autumn of 2002, explaining the misty weather conditions. Its amazing how long some tasks can take to complete! At this time of writing (April 2008) the old loop at Myddleton Park and the short section between Hoddesdon and Broxbourne had still not been covered. The quality of digitall photography has also improved over time and it explains the rather lower quality images seen on this page
1) View looking from Pumping station across Green Lanes. New houses on site of filter beds 2) Short bit of New River by Green Lanes
1) Dry bed of New River adjacent to pumping station car park 2) Watered section of New River(non-flow) by Western Reservoir
1) Watered section (non-flow) 2) Lordship Road - start of the New River proper!
1) The New River's waters enters the Western Reservoir (and ultimately the London Ring) 2) More New River this time by the Eastern Reservoir
1) & 2) New River scenes by Newnton Close
1) The New River by Amhurst Road as it approaches Seven Sisters Road. Seven Sisters bridge can be seen. Bus is on 253 route. 2) Seven Sisters bridge! Its very wide carriageway deck is possibly the widest on the whole of the New River
1) & 2) Section by northern side of Woodberry Down estate
1) Contour stretch near Green lanes with views to the north 2) By Green Lanes bridge
