54 
THE ANKER VALLEY AND ITS FLORA. 
NOTES ON THE ANKER VALLEY AND ITS FLORA. 
BY JAMES E. BAGrNALL, A.L.S. 
During tlie past year (1885) much of my leisure time lias 
been employed in investigating the Warwickshire portion of 
the Anker valley and working up its flora, and as there are 
many peculiarities connected with this, it may possibly interest 
some of the readers of the “ Midland Naturalist ” to see my 
record. 
This district, to which I have been unable before to give 
time, forms the north-eastern border of Warwickshire, and is 
bounded on the north by Staffordshire, on the east by 
Leicestershire, on the south and south-west by the Sow 
Valley (a tributary to the Avon), and on the north-west by a 
portion of the Tame Valley proper. 
The Anker originates from a confluence of small streams, 
the main stream rising in Ryton Dorse, near Bulkington, 
a stream rising in a pasture a little below Wolvey, which is 
also joined by one rising on Wolvey Heath ; these streams 
unite near Wolvers Hill, and the amalgamated stream takes 
a northerly direction past Anker Bridge and Burton Hastings 
to Sunnyfields. Here its course becomes westerly through 
Attleborough fields and under both the Trent Valley and 
Coventry Railways. Near to the latter it receives on its left 
bank Griff Brook, a stream rising near Shilton Village and 
draining part of Bulkington, Bedworth, Griff Hollows, part of 
Arbury Park, and Chilvers Coton. Besides this, minor streams 
rising near Wigliam and Hinckley in Leicestershire have 
entered its east bank. After its confluence with Griff Brook, 
the Anker runs through Nuneaton, where it is joined by a 
stream formed by the union of several brooklets draining 
Stockingford, Nuneaton, Gulley Common, and Ansley coal¬ 
field. The Anker now takes a north-westerly sinuous course 
through Weddington, Caldecote, Mancetter, and Wetherley 
to Fielden Bridge, near Atherstone, receiving on its left bank 
streams from Hartsliill Hayes and Oldbury, and on its right 
bank a Leicestershire stream rising near Fenny Drayton, and 
a little above Wetherley its most important feeder, the River 
Sence. The Sence is entirely a Leicestershire stream rising 
in Charnwood Forest, near Bardon Hill, having a course of 
about twenty-three miles, and draining a wide extent of the 
flat land of Leicestershire, including part of Charnwood 
Forest, Gopsall Park, Twycross, Cadeby, Market Bosworth, 
and running through Shcepy to its confluence with the Anker, 
near Wetherley. By the courtesy of Mr. Mott of Leicester, 
