The Stour

Stirchel

The Stirchel (Sturkle or Sturkel) is a short tributary of the Stour which rises in Melbury Abbas, Dorset.

In September 2001, Melbury Abbas and Cann Millennium Group arranged for French Mill Bridge to be given a carved name stone. This was part of Common Ground's 'Naming of Brook and Bridge' project, which aims to put the name of the rivers or brooks on the bridges which cross them, proposing that each river valley should have its own letter form, a kind of signature, so that you can tell which catchment you are in from the lettering on the bridges.

You can read more about this on the Common Ground web-site at www . commonground . org . uk.

Michael Stoate still produces organic stoneground wholemeal flour at Cann Mills (top, right) on the Stirchel . This mill offers courses in traditional bread making. You can learn from Paul Merry a master baker of 25 years about yeast fermentation and flour, take home your produce, and tour the mill with the miller, Michael Stoate. Contact Paul Merry on +44(0)17683 61102 or email panary[at]aol.com for more information on dates from September to December in 2002.

Ekwall suggests the name is an Old English diminutive of Stour, rather like saying 'Stour-ette' 

Following their completion of a Parish Map, the Melbury and Cann Heritage Group have recently produced this river walk leaflet, researched and illustrated by local people. Inside can be found a locally made map of the parish with the river at its heart (left)

Melbury and Cann Heritage Group created an illustrated booklet "Water Ways of the River Stirchel" in 2003. It focussed on the many uses given to the river in the past. "Melbury Abbas - a Narrative History of a Dorset Parish" by Bob Breach (published by the Melbury Press in 1998) contains many references to the river, mills, watercress beds and watermeadows along the river.