The Stour

Lydden

Katy Pritchard , who lives near to the Lydden, writes: "The Lydden rises just east of Buckland Newton; running North into west Pulham. It is joined by several other very small tributaries, and thus widdens at Lydden House, outside East Pulham.

There are no mill along the river that I am aware of but a lot in wild life terms. There are plenty of wild flowers on the banks in summer and there have been sightings of two King fishers flying past in the last year. There are some nearby badgers and lots of birds, from sparrows to buzzards. There
are a few tiny fish and a few fresh water creatures but other wise there's little water life. The main reason for this is the depth as it regularly falls to below 40 cm. However, in winter the river doesn't flood too badly, leaving the road passable, it rises to within a foot of the bank most winters".

Ekwall suggests that the name - along with that of the Lodden - derives from the pre-Saxon 'litano-' (broad). From Ekwall's reasoning we might also apply this to the Leaden Stour.

The picture shows Twofolds Bridge over the Lydden.