XVII. 

 NOTES ON THE UPPER POETION OF THE RIVER RIB AND ITS 



AFFLUENT THE QUIN. 



By R. P. Greg, F.S.A., F.G.S., F.E.A.S., and 

 R. B. Ceoft, R.N., F.L.S., F.R.M.S. 



Read at Ware, SOth March, 1882, 



The River Rib rises as far north as Kelshal Woods, near Therficld, 

 and another of its head-waters can be traced to Reed End. Ther- 

 field Hill, on the water-parting of the basins of the Thames and 

 Great Ouse, is nearly 550 feet above sea-level. 



From the junction of its head-waters the Rib flows through 

 Chipping and Corneybury, but in summer is often dry as far as 

 the latter place, and thence to Buntingford (301 feet), where its 

 stream formerly worked a small water-mill. During the summer 

 of 1874, for the first time in the memory of living man, the body 

 of the stream was entirely dry as far as Westmill railway-station, 

 more than a mile below this town, and in 1879 occurred the 

 greatest flood ever remembered, 3-2 inches of rain falling at Bunt- 

 ingford in four hours, and very much damage being done. 



Buntingford, according to local tradition, received its name from 

 one Bunt, or Bunting, a smith, whose house was near the ford over 

 the Rib, but it is worthy of speculation whether, considering that 

 the town is very near the boundary of the hundreds of Braughing 

 and Edwinstree, its name may not formerly have been Bounding- 

 ford, i.e. the ford bounding or dividing the hundreds. It is also 

 situated at the junctiou of three parishes. The first notice we 

 have of the town is the 21st of Edward the Third, when a market 

 and fair were granted. 



Below Buntingford the Rib is increased by a small stream from 

 Tannis and Wakeley farms, often dry in summer, which passes 

 through Aspenden village near Aspenden Hall, the seat of Sir 

 Henry Lushington, which is prettily situated at the head of a little 

 glen. Below this junction the scenery is of a very pleasing character. 

 The first village through which the river runs is Westmill, and here 

 it receives a considerable addition to its stream from various peren- 

 nial springs which rise in a meadow on the farm of Westmill Buiy ; 

 below this, as above stated, the river is never dry. The next place 

 of interest is Coles Park ; here are vestiges of two water-mills ; and 

 from Domesday we learn that in Westmele (Westmill) there were 

 three such mills. It is curious to note that although the water in the 

 park is slightly dammed back, yet it has hardly ever been known 

 to fi'eeze, probably on account of the amoi;nt of spring- water re- 

 ceived at Westmill. The Rib next flows through Hamels. The 

 mansion, described by Chauncy as "glorying on the western hill," 

 is on the right bank, and a very fine avenue of elms and limes 

 extends therefrom to the river near Hamels Mill. An old man, 



