| Roman River | |
|---|---|
 The Roman River above the former tide mill and granary at Fingringhoe | |
  Location of the river mouth within Essex | |
| Location | |
| Country | England |
| County | Essex |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | west of Great Tey |
| • coordinates | 51°53′42″N 0°42′15″E / 51.8951°N 0.7041°E |
| • elevation | 58 m (190 ft) |
| Mouth | River Colne |
• location | opposite Wivenhoe |
• coordinates | 51°51′13″N 0°57′15″E / 51.8537°N 0.9541°E |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | River Colne |
| Tributaries | |
| • right | Birch Hall Brook, Layer Brook |
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The Roman River is a river that flows entirely through the English county of Essex. It is a tributary of the River Colne, flowing into its tidal estuary below Colchester. The lower end of the Roman River is also tidal, with tidal water flowing upstream to just above Fingringhoe.
In the past, the river was important for milling. There was a tide mill at Fingringhoe, which was used between about 1520 and 1893, when it was replaced by a steam roller mill. Further upstream, Layer de la Haye Mill was a conventional watermill with a longer history, as the first mill on the site was mentioned in the Domesday book. It was a corn mill, but finished its working days grinding product for a mushroom farm, built nearby. There were two further mills on the river, of which all trace has gone.
The Roman River has two major tributaries, the Birch Hall Brook and Layer Brook. The latter used to supply some of the water for Abberton Reservoir, through which it flowed. However, work to extend it began in 2009, and water from the upper Layer Brook is now pumped into the reservoir, because its level has been raised by 10.5 feet (3.2 m). The reservoir is of international importance for wildlife, and has several conservation designations to protect its status. The Essex Wildlife Trust operate a visitor centre near the raised dam, which enables visitors to see the large bird populations.