Rodge Brook is one of the Newtown Rivers. It rises in Parkhurst Forest winding its way down through farm land, runs under Whitehouse Road and is joined by a tributary that divides the lands of Vittlefields Farm and Colemans Farm. It then flows through more farm land, running behind the houses in New Road (known previously as Dirty Lane) and out through an arm of Clamerkin Lake to the Solent.
Much of Rodge Brook appears to be unmodified, following the same course it has for centuries. The brook has been known to flood to 80-foot-wide in places after a very heavy winter rainfall, then will dry into muddy pools in hot summers.
Further Reading
Local resident Carole Jewett has produced a wonderful essay about Rodge Brook and the surrounding area, detailing how the rivers relates to a deeply historic landscape. You can read Carole’s story here.
Explore
Three IW Steams – Caul Bourne, Lukely, Rodge Brook Observation on Fauna and Water Quality 1987 – 1989