River Ray

{{Short description|River in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, England}}

{{about|the river in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire|the river in Wiltshire|River Ray, Wiltshire|the fish|Potamotrygonidae}}

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File:The River Ray - geograph.org.uk - 742841.jpg|alt=]]

The River Ray is a tributary of the River Cherwell in south east England. It rises at Quainton Hill, Buckinghamshire and flows west through flat countryside for around {{convert|25|km|mi|abbr=on}} to meet the Cherwell at Islip in Oxfordshire.[http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/PDF/GETH0705BJHS-E-E.pdf The Cherwell Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy]. {{Archive url|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110207070746/http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/PDF/GETH0705BJHS-E-E.pdf|date=2011-02-07}}

File:New River Ray at Oddington - geograph.org.uk - 386616.jpg|alt=]]

The Ray's catchment area is sparsely populated, especially in its lower reaches as it flows through the Otmoor wetlands. In 1815 a channel was cut between Charlton-on-Otmoor and Oddington, known as the New River Ray, to divert much of the water flow around the northern and southern edge of Otmoor.{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=101881 |title=Parishes: Beckley |editor=Mary D. Lobel |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |date=1957 |work=A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 5: Bullingdon hundred |access-date=15 July 2011 }}

File:River Ray, Otmoor - geograph.org.uk - 384485.jpg|alt=]]