The South Winterbourne River

The South Winterbourne River 

More of a stream than a river ! It is actually classified as a "watercourse". It is a "winter born" stream that can disappear completely in some areas during the summer only to be born again in the winter. It rises from springs to the west of Winterbourne Abbas (to the west of the parish). It then flows through man made channels eastward until it broadens out in the water meadows to the west of the parish.

Martinstown specifically had suffered the heaviest recorded rainfall of 12.4" in a 24 Hour period on 18th July 1955. This national record has only just be beaten in 2014 by a area in Cumbria.

The old village area of Steepleton is approximately 92 metres above sea level and the river falls some 6 metres by the time that it enters Martinstown.  It is hard to think that this small river joins the Frome east of Dorchester and flows to Wareham and finally out to sea in Poole harbour.