River Frome, Somerset

River Frome
Bridge at Tellisford over the River Frome
Path of the River Frome [1]
Location
CountryEngland
CountySomerset
CityFrome
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationWitham Friary, Mendip, Somerset, England
 • coordinates51°10′05″N 2°22′01″W / 51.16806°N 2.36694°W / 51.16806; -2.36694
MouthRiver Avon
 • location
Freshford, Bath and North East Somerset, Somerset, England
 • coordinates
51°20′17″N 2°17′50″W / 51.33806°N 2.29722°W / 51.33806; -2.29722
Length43 kilometres (27 mi)
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftMells River, Henhambridge Brook
 • rightMaiden Bradley Brook, Rodden Brook

The River Frome is a river in Somerset, England. It rises near Bungalow Farm on Cannwood Lane,[1] south-west of Witham Friary, flows north through Blatchbridge to the town of Frome, and continues in a generally northerly direction passing between the eastern edge of the Mendip Hills and Trowbridge before joining the Bristol Avon at Freshford, below Bradford on Avon.

The river is approximately 43 kilometres (27 mi) in length, comprising 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from its source to the confluence with Maiden Bradley Brook,[2] 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) through Frome to the confluence with the Mells River,[3] and 18 kilometres (11 mi) to the Avon.[4] Below Frome the river passes close to Beckington, Rode, Tellisford, Farleigh Hungerford and Iford Manor.

The name Frome comes from the Old British word ffraw meaning fair, fine or brisk and describing the flow of the river.[5] The name was first recorded in 701 when Pope Sergius gave permission to Bishop Aldhelm to found a monastery "close to the river which is called From" (Latin: "juxta fluvium qui vocatur From").[6]

  1. ^ "River Frome, Somerset". www.somersetrivers.co.uk. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  2. ^ "Frome - source to conf Maiden Bradley Bk". Environment Agency - Catchment Data Explorer. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  3. ^ "Frome - (Maiden Bradley to Mells)". Environment Agency - Catchment Data Explorer. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  4. ^ "Somerset Frome conf with Mells to conf B. Avon". Environment Agency - Catchment Data Explorer. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  5. ^ Belham, Peter (1985). The Making of Frome (2 ed.). Frome society for local study.
  6. ^ Annette Burkitt, Flesh and Bones of Frome Selwood and Wessex, 2017, The Hobnob Press, p341 ISBN 978 1 906978 50 1