River Tame, West Midlands
The
River Tame flows from the
Black Country, through north
Birmingham, past
Tamworth (which takes its name from the river), and into the
River Trent near
Alrewas. The name derives from the
Celtic language, and is usually thought to mean "dark" or "slow moving",although the precise meaning is uncertain.
The river is susceptible to spectacular flooding at the village of
Hopwas between
Tamworth and
Lichfield during periods of heavy autumnal rain, attested by the
Anglo-Saxon meaning of the village's name:-
hop - nook of land,
was - watery.
There is also a substantial bend in the course of the river between Hopwas and Elford, giving rise to the name of the area of Tamhorn.
The river is non-navigable. However clean-up operations in a notoriously polluted stretch of the river in the
Witton area of
Birmingham have meant that aquatic
wildfowl such as ducks and swans have settled on that stretch of the river.
In
2005 the river's alignment through
Perry Hall Park in
Perry Barr, Birmingham was remodelled to slow the flow, alleviate flooding and create improved
habitats for
wildlife, as part of the
SMURF (Sustainable Management of Urban Rivers and Floodplains) project.
The Tame passes several
nature reserves, including (moving downstream):
*
RSPB Sandwell Valley*the
West Midland Bird Club's
Ladywalk Reserve*
Croxall Lakes (
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust)
* The
National Memorial ArboretumThe river is crossed by many
bridges, including, at
Perry Barr the
Zig Zag bridge of
1711 and its
1932,
art deco, replacement, carrying the Aldridge Road.
See
tributary*
River Blythe**
River Cole*
River Rea*
River Anker*
Brookvale Park Lake*
Witton Lakes*
Tame Valley*
River Tame, Yorkshire*
Rivers of the United Kingdom*
SMURF*
Management of the Lower River Tame
