River Croco

File:Sunlit stream (geograph 1946219).jpg

The River Croco ({{IPAc-en|k|ɹ|əʊ|.|k|əʊ}}) is a small river in Cheshire in England. It starts as lowland field drainage west of Congleton, flows along the south edge of Holmes Chapel, and joins the River Dane at Middlewich.{{coord|53.1993|-2.4564|display=inline|region:GB_scale:5000}} It is about {{convert|8|mi|km}} long.

According to an historical account, dating back to 1585,{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/stream/DictionaryOfNationalBiographyVolume53#page/n154|title=Dictionary Of National Biography Volume 53|last=Sidney Lee|date=1898|publisher=MacMillan and Co., New York|others=University of Michigan|pages=142|language=en}} the course of the River Croco{{Cite book|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=gri.ark:/13960/t2t44313t;view=1up;seq=48|title=The Vale-Royall of England. Or, The county palatine of Chester illustrated.|last=Smith|first=William|publisher=King, Daniel|year=1656|location=London|pages=26}} begins west of Bag Mere, Brereton cum Smethwick:{{cite web|url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getoutside/local/bag-mere-cheshire-east|title=Bag Mere, Cheshire East - area information, map, walks and more}}

:That which they call the Croco is a small Brook, which cometh out of Bagmer-mere, and passeth by Brereton church and hall (the ancient house of the surname of Breretons) through Brereton park, Kinderton park, through Middlewich, and not far from thence, falleth into the Dane at Croxton, near the same place, where the Wheelock falleth in also.

The Place-Names of England and Wales (1915) suggests that the name Croco may be Celtic or even earlier.{{cite book |first=James B., Rev. |last=Johnson |title=The Place-Names of England and Wales |publisher=John Murray |location=Abermarle Street, London |date=1915 |url=https://archive.org/stream/placenamesofengl00john#page/6/search/croco |pages=7, 19, 553}}

Historical maps{{Cite web|url=http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=14&lat=53.1574&lon=-2.2770&layers=10&right=156|title=National Library of Scotland Map images|access-date=18 July 2017}} show the source of the river to be the lowland field drainage system to the northeast of Brookhouse Green.{{cite web|url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getoutside/local/brookhouse-green-cheshire-east|title=Brookhouse Green, Cheshire East - area information, map, walks and more}} From here, the river heads north past the hamlet of Illidge Green{{cite web|url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getoutside/local/illidge-green-cheshire-east|title=Illidge Green, Cheshire East - area information, map, walks and more}} and then northwest via Brereton Hall, where a weir and boathouse were created to the west of Saint Oswald's Church. The river flows northwest towards Parkmill Farm, where again a weir was constructed to form [https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getoutside/local/brereton-pool-cheshire-east Brereton Pool]. It then heads towards Holmes Chapel before turning west and passing under London Road (A50) at Alum Bridge. The river continues this westward course, passing under the M6 and Poolford Lane near Cinderhill{{cite web|url=http://maps.nls.uk/view/102341083#zoom=5&lat=4165&lon=1786&layers=BT|title=View: Cheshire XLII (includes: Brereton; Church Hulme; Cranage; Swettenham; Twemlow.) - Ordnance Survey Six-inch England and Wales, 1842-1952|website=maps.nls.uk}} and then Brereton Lane, north of Dockbank Farm at Sproston. The river continues its westward journey via Fender Wood,{{cite web|url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getoutside/local/fender-wood-cheshire-west-and-chester|title=Fender Wood, Cheshire West and Chester - area information, map, walks and more}} winding its way north of Kinderton Lodge towards Middlewich, where it is joined by [https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/375854 Sanderson's Brook] southeast of the town, near Brooks Lane. It then heads northwest on the right-hand side of the Trent and Mersey Canal until it joins the River Dane at the northwest corner of [https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1008460 Harbutt's Field].

File:River Croco on the Business Park (geograph 3525580).jpg

Back in Fender Wood,{{cite web|url=http://maps.nls.uk/view/101599033#zoom=4&lat=4805&lon=6607&layers=BT|title=View: Cheshire XLI.SE (includes: Middlewich; Sproston; Stanthorne; Tetton; Wimboldsley... - Ordnance Survey Six-inch England and Wales, 1842-1952|website=maps.nls.uk}} a weir feeds a channel of water to supply a historical mill race; this watercourse follows the field boundaries, past what was Brookhouse Farm,{{cite web|url=http://maps.nls.uk/view/101599033#zoom=4&lat=4572&lon=5891&layers=BT|title=View: Cheshire XLI.SE (includes: Middlewich; Sproston; Stanthorne; Tetton; Wimboldsley... - Ordnance Survey Six-inch England and Wales, 1842-1952|website=maps.nls.uk}} then under Pochin Way (historically the start of Lodge Lane), through Midpoint 18{{cite web|url=http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/business/employment_sites_and_premises/employment_sites/midpoint_18.aspx|title=Midpoint 18|website=www.cheshireeast.gov.uk}} business park and under Holmes Chapel Road, before running through the garden of the bungalow to the east of the Old Station House.{{cite web|url=https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.1941398,-2.4393895,3a,75y,300.73h,82.43t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s9XwfhAhPLkhL6zFva0GI8Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656|title=Google Maps|website=Google Maps}} Here, it disappears through a culvert towards the railway embankment. Historically, this watercourse would have fed the mill pond{{Cite web|url=http://middlewichdiary.com/2011/06/moretons-farmhouse-1970.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504110632/http://middlewichdiary.com/2011/06/moretons-farmhouse-1970.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=4 May 2017|title=The Middlewich Diary: Moreton's Farmhouse|last=Roberts|first=Dave|date=10 June 2011|website=The Middlewich Diary|access-date=19 July 2017}} that powered the Kinderton Corn Mill,{{NHLE|num=1229548|desc=Kinderton Mill, Middlewich |access-date=2017-07-19}} as shown in the 1882 Ordnance Survey map.{{cite web|url=http://maps.nls.uk/view/102341080#zoom=6&lat=4075&lon=10748&layers=BT|title=View: Cheshire XLI (includes: Bostock; Byley; Middlewich; Stanthorne; Whatcroft; Winsf... - Ordnance Survey Six-inch England and Wales, 1842-1952|website=maps.nls.uk}}

The elevation of the River Croco is about 85 m (280 ft) at source, falling to 27 m (89 ft) at the point where it flows into the River Dane.{{Cite web|url=http://en-gb.topographic-map.com/places/River-Croco-351095/|title=Topographic maps: River Croco|website=topographic-map.com|access-date=19 July 2017}}

References

Croco

2Croco