River Beult

The Beult has several sources west of Ashford, including one at Woodchurch. It then flows through Headcorn. At Hunton, above Yalding, it is joined by the major stream of the River Teise. Town bridge lies from Allington, it is the longest mediaeval bridge in Kent. The river enters the Medway at Yalding. The River Beult is crossed by the railway between Headcorn and Staplehurst. The bridge was the scene of the Staplehurst rail crash in 1865 in which Charles Dickens was involved. The Beult was subject to a Land Drainage Improvement Scheme in the 1930s. This led to the river being widened, deepened and straightened from Smarden to Yalding. Despite this action the river is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is one of the few clay rivers in England and Wales to retain much of its characteristic flora. It hasn't been heavily embanked like most clay rivers found in the midlands, although the majority of trees were removed. The lack of shade coupled with retained areas of grazing means there are many wildlife-rich margins to the river, with nearly 100 different species of aquatic and marginal plants recorded. The river is subject to significant agricultural run off and flows from wastewater treatment works. Hence despite recent improvements, it still suffers water quality problems. At one time, the river had been noteworthy for its cleanliness, with waters being "crystal clear" as one account put it. However, due to the aforementioned industries, the water quality had taken a heavy toll on the previous pristine description. Upstream of Smarden, the river retains its natural meandering morphology, although it is still subject to water level management (raising water levels in the summer, and dropping them in the winter). The vegetation communities are not so interesting here as the river is smaller, heavily tree lined and a greater proportion of riverside land is in arable cultivation. ==Water quality==

The Environment Agency measure water quality of the river systems in England. Each is given an overall ecological status, which may be one of five levels: high, good, moderate, poor and bad. There are several components that are used to determine this, including biological status, which looks at the quantity and varieties of invertebrates, angiosperms and fish. Chemical status, which compares the concentrations of various chemicals against known safe concentrations, is rated good or fail. Water quality of the River Beult in 2016: ==Site of Special Scientific Interest==

River Beult between Hadman's Bridge, west of Smarden, and the junction with the River Medway is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest. The river has a varied clay river flora, with nearly 100 recorded species. There are floating plants such as yellow water-lily in the channel and flora on the banks include amphibious bistort and celery-leaved buttercup. ==Watermills==

The River Beult and its tributaries powered a number of watermills. From source to mouth these were:- Cheveney Mill, Hunton TQ 708 496 This was a corn mill, latterly converted to generate electricity c.1900. The waterwheel was replaced by a turbine made by Messrs Drake & Fletcher of Maidstone. During the Second World War, Italian Prisoners of War were billeted in the mill building. The building survives today, converted into a house. Yalding mill A Domesday site, the mill was still in existence in 1336. ==Watermills on the tributaries==

The River Beult is unusual in that the majority of its watermills were not on the main river itself, but on the tributaries. Angley Brook A stream rises at Angley Woods, Cranbrook and flows into the Beult at Frittenden. It powered these mills:- Pin Pond Mill, Cranbrook This may have been a fulling mill. Spratsbourne Mill, Cranbrook The miller here was Edmund Luckhurst in 1656 and 1660. Dog Kennel Mill, Cranbrook An old fulling mill site. Paley (Hawkridge) Mill, Cranbrook TQ 777 400 The mill building was standing in April 1974, devoid of machinery. Lovehurst Mill, Staplehurst This was a corn mill. John Foreman, farmer, of Horsmonden hired the mill for 14 years in November 1854. Maplehurst Mill, Frittenden TQ 803 416 This is an old, established corn mill site. The mill survives and retains most of its machinery. It has a cast-iron overshot wheel driving three pairs of millstones. On 18 June 1557 the miller, William Allin and his wife Katherine were burned at the stake at Fairmeadow, Maidstone, along with five other Protestants. The Allins had fed the poor, sold corn at half price and read scriptures to people. The earliest surviving part of the mill is dated 1756, David Papillon being the then owner. The mill was extended c. 1890, when a steam engine was installed. The original mill building having a peg tile roof with the extension being roofed in slate. The cast-iron waterwheel is diameter and wide, mounted on a wooden axle, driving a cast-iron pit wheel with 92 wooden cogs. The cast-iron wallower has 32 teeth and is carried on a wooden upright shaft, driving a cast-iron Great Spur Wheel with 120 cogs. This drove three pairs of millstones. The stones are two pairs of Peak stones and one pair of French Burr stones by Hughes of Dover & London. The Crown Wheel is cast iron, with 18 teeth, it drove a total four layshafts which drove several machines, including a smutter and a Feltons Patent American Grist Mill. The mill stands on the parish boundary of Frittenden and Staplehurst, with the majority of the mill in the former parish. It was working until the winter of 1947–8, when the machinery was damaged through being iced up. Cherry Tree Farm, Frittenden Tributary of the Angley Brook A tributary of the above stream flows into the pond of Hartridge mill. It powered a mill downstream of Mad Dog Shaw. Bettenham Mill The site of this mill was marked by Mill Field and Millpond Field on the 1840 tithe map. Further tributary of the Crane Brook A tributary of the Crane Brook flows through the town. It powered:- Hatmill, Cranbrook John Tooth bought a house in Stone Street, Cranbrook in the late eighteenth century. he built a small factory at the back of this house in which he made hats. It was powered by a small waterwheel. The building survives today as a private house. Stream at Chart Sutton A stream rises at Chart Sutton and flows into the Beult at Cross At Hand. It powered a watermill. Chart Mill, Chart Sutton TQ 794 493 This mill is a timber framed mill on a single storey brick base. The waterwheel was some diameter and wide, it was removed during World War Two. The cast iron axle is square, and bears the legend "WEEKS & SON, MAIDSTONE 1875" on one face. No other machinery is known to exist in the mill, the lower floor having been filled with concrete when the mill was converted, the upper floors being used as an office. ==See also==