River Tas

Tas
The river at Caistor St. Edmund
River Tas is located in Norfolk
River Tas
Location of the river mouth within Norfolk
Location
CountryEngland
RegionNorfolk
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationCarleton Rode
 • coordinates52°29′06″N 1°06′08″E / 52.4849°N 1.1021°E / 52.4849; 1.1021
 • elevation51 m (167 ft)
MouthRiver Yare
 • location
Trowse
 • coordinates
52°36′32″N 1°18′25″E / 52.6089°N 1.3069°E / 52.6089; 1.3069
 • elevation
3 m (9.8 ft)
Basin features
River systemRiver Yare
Tributaries 
 • rightHempnall Beck
The River Tas and its tributaries in South Norfolk.
River Tas
Source near Carleton Rode
B1113
Carleton Fen
Old Hall Bridge
Hall Road
Bridge Road
Low Common Road Ford
Moulton Bridge
Wash Lane
Station Road, Forncett St. Peter
Horsenford Water
Long Lane
Tacolneston tributary
Tharston Mill
The Street
Great Eastern Main Line
Low Tharston
Hempnall Beck
Low Road, Lower Tasburgh
A140, Newton Flotman
Smockmill Common, Saxlingham
Shotesham Park
Shotesham Mill
Shotesham ford
Shotesham tributary
Mill Road, Stoke Holy Cross
Stoke Mill
Venta Icenorum
Markshall Lane, Caistor St Edmund
A47
River Yare

The River Tas is a river which flows northwards through South Norfolk in England - towards Norwich. The area is named the Tas Valley after the river. The name of the river is back-formed from the name of village of Tasburgh.[1]

Tributaries which have their sources at Hempnall and Carleton Rode converge at Tasburgh. The river then flows on through Newton Flotman and Smockmill Common. In Shotesham Park the river splits into two channels which rejoin just above Shotesham ford. The pool here is a popular location in summer time for paddling, swimming and fishing. From Shotesham the river flows northwards through Stoke Holy Cross, Dunston, Caistor St Edmund, Markshall and Arminghall. It joins the River Yare at Trowse - just south of Norwich.[2]

The Tas valley contains many interesting historical sites including: an Iron Age hill fort at Tasburgh, the old Roman settlement of Venta Icenorum (now Caistor St Edmund) and the site of a woodhenge at Arminghall. The mill at Stoke Holy Cross was the first location of the Colman's mustard business.

In Roman times the River Tas was considerably larger and provided a major transport route for the inhabitants of Venta Icenorum. Today it is a small river which winds through farmland.

It contains roach, dace, occasional trout, small pike and some chub. One of the largest roach ever caught in the river was a 2.6 pound specimen landed by local angler Bill Coleman in 1972.[citation needed] The best dace was probably one of 1.2 pounds caught by W. Comer in 1943.[citation needed]

  1. ^ E. Ekwall, 1928, English-River-names, p. 393
  2. ^ Ordnance Survey of Great Britain