River Beal

{{Infobox river

| name = River Beal

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| image = Firgrove View.JPG

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| image_caption = River Beal at Firgrove.

| map = River Beal 5.svg

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| subdivision_type1 = Country

| subdivision_name1 = England

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| source1_location = Stoneleigh Park, Derker

| source1_coordinates= {{coord|53|33|14|N|2|5|46|W|display=inline}}

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| mouth =

| mouth_location = River Roch, Belfield

| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|53|37|40.41|N|2|7|55.68|W|display=inline,title}}

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}}{{River Beal|collapse=yes}}

The Beal is a small river in Greater Manchester, England, and is a tributary of the River Roch. It rises in the Beal Valley in green space between Sholver and Royton, before continuing northwards through Shaw and Crompton, Newhey, Milnrow and Belfield.

Course

From its source at Beal Valley, it flows north through Shaw and Crompton in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, where Old Brook and Pencil Brook are tributaries. It continues north through Newhey and Milnrow in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, before joining the River Roch at Belfield.

The river marks part of the boundary between Oldham on one side and Royton and Shaw and Crompton on the other.{{cite book |last=Brownbill|first=J|author2=William Farrer |title=A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5|publisher=Victoria County History|year=1911|pages=92–108|isbn=978-0-7129-1055-2}}

A small part of the course runs perpendicular to the Metrolink line, between Shaw and Crompton and Derker.

History

1212: The Beal valley was recorded as part of the thegnage estate of Kaskenmoor, held on behalf of King John by Roger de Montbegon and William de Nevill.{{cite book |last=Brownbill|first=J|author2=William Farrer |title=A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5|publisher=Victoria County History|year=1911|pages=108–12|isbn=978-0-7129-1055-2}}

1892: Ellenroad Cotton Mill was built on the bank of the Beal, and made fine cotton yarn by mule spinning.{{cite web|url=http://www.ellenroad.org.uk/|title=Ellenroad Steam Museum|publisher=ellenroad.org.uk|access-date=2009-09-14}}

During operation of a bleaching and dying works, discharge to the river of used dyes and waste would cause it to change colour from one day to another.{{cite web|url=http://www.merseybasin.org.uk/page.asp?id=2864|title=Local Action / Action Irk & Roch|author=Mersey Basin Campaign|author-link=Mersey Basin Campaign|access-date=2007-08-15|publisher=merseybasin.org.uk |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070814055616/http://www.merseybasin.org.uk/page.asp?id=2864 |archive-date = 2007-08-14}}

{{circa}} 1997: Littlewoods PLC changed the course of the river slightly to allow development of their Shaw National Distribution Warehouse Centre.

2005: Raw sewage was discharged to the river, killing thousands of fish and raising health fears among local residents.{{cite web|title=Leak turns Beal into dead river|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/168/168174_leak_turns_beal_into_dead_river.html|access-date=2007-08-15|publisher=manchestereveningnews.co.uk|author=Stephen Foster

|date=2005-08-03}}