River Deben from source to sea

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Recognised Source of the River Deben is west of Ulveston Hall, Mickfield. It is either named after Debenham or Debenham is named after it; nobody is really sure.
Another alternative source runs south from the parish of Bedingfield. The river, which is just over 33 miles long, passes through Woodbridge, where it becomes a tidal estuary before emptying into the North Sea between Felixstowe Ferry and Bawdsey at Harwich Haven.
Along its length there are over thirteen road bridges, four fords, and seven watermills that are still standing, though only the Tide Mill at Woodbridge is still working. For much of its meanderings it is hidden from view by high hedges and other features on the landscape. These are just some of the places it can be seen.
Byng Brook is a short tributary which rises in Bredfield and joins the Deben at Ufford.
The River Fynn is a tributary which rises at Witnesham and joins the Deben from Martlesham Creek.
The River Lark is a short river which rises in Otley and links with the River Fynn before it joins the Deben.
Mill River which rises at Rushmere Heath and flows for roughly eight miles and as its name might suggest has a former watermill on its bank. It joins the Deben at Kirton Creek.
The River Deben frequently suffers from low flows during the summer months having a harmful effect on fish and other aquatic wildlife. Eutrophication is another major problem causing a dense growth of plant life in some areas and occasional algal blooms.

The Source of the River Deben

Ford in Stony Lane (aka Derrybrook Lane) Debenham

The river alongside and under the streets of Debenham

The ford in Water Lane, where the water flows along the road before crossing it

Under the bridge at Cross Green

Beneath the bridge on Winston Road x Kenton Road, junction

Under the bridge on Kenton Road

Passing under the bridge on farm drive, at Barley House Farm, Ashfield

And under the busy A1120

Having been joined by a small tributary from south west of Pettistree it now runs alongside the road at Ashfield

Under when the river is low and over the ford when high, near Dove’s Farm

Passing under the Street at Cretingham.

After leaving Cretingham and just before Brandeston Bridge the Deben is joined by another unnamed tributary rising from Kenton and which flows south east to Earl Soham before heading south to meet the Deben.

Under Brandeston Bridge

before the farm bridge south of Brandeston church

Under the footbridge and across the ford on Ford Lane

Kettleburgh Mill the first from the source, stood upstream from Mill Lane bridge and was demolished in 1937

Kettleburgh watermill. The mill, was the first watermill after the source, constructed along the River Deben. It was a small mill which had an undershot wheel with three pairs of under-drift French bur stones. The river at this point had little power in the summer months and the smock mill at Tuddenham was run in conjunction and supplemented the times when the river was particularly low. When the mill was demolished in 1937 the iron and timber waterwheel was taken to Shottisham mill Link and utilised there as an overshot wheel.
A photograph of the mill as it was in 1910 can be seen by following the link in this image Link --I apologise for the lack of photograph on this page but the CC rules apparently forbid the use of photographs which are out of copyright on Geograph except by this obscure route.

Then flowing under Kettleburgh Bridge in Mill Lane

Meandering through newly created woodland before reaching Sanctuary Bridge, Letheringham

Before encountering the race of the former Letheringham Mill

Bridge past Letheringham Mill

Under the former Glevering Mill

Flowing beneath Glevering Bridge

Through the former Deben Mills at Wickham Market

Under the A12 bridge at Wickham Market

Footbridge and weir at Campsea Ash

Campsea Ash former Watermill also known as Loudham Mill

At one time there was a mill at Eyke, north of Mill End Farm but nothing remains

Farm bridge upstream of Ufford Watermill

The former Ufford Watermill

Ufford Bridges

The former Melton Watermill

From here on the river is tidal --- Continue >>>>>>>>

Next page: Click to go to next page - Wilford Bridge to the sea...

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KML

  Images used on this page, © Copyright Adrian S Pye; licensed for re-use under a Creative Commons Licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Great Britain 1:50 000 Scale Colour Raster Mapping Extracts © Crown copyright Ordnance Survey. All Rights Reserved. Educational licence 100045616.

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