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The Bourne Eau A NEGLECTED RIVER Written and photographed by REX NEEDLE
THERE WAS A TIME when the Bourne Eau was an attractive watercourse, when people walked its banks on Sunday afternoons and anglers fished there, and on special occasions, decorated gondolas gave visitors pleasure trips to courting couples. But none of this happens today. The banks are overgrown, there are few fish and boats would have great difficulty in navigating any distance. This a river of which we should be proud because it is part of our heritage. Around this water source sprang up the communities that have lived here over the centuries when it gave vital supplies to the Romans and Saxons, the Danes and the Normans, and now the people who live here today. The very name Bourne stems from this water supply because St Peter's Pool, which lies at its source, is possibly one of the most ancient of artesian wells in the country and has figured prominently in the development of the town. The pool and the river now form part of the War Memorial Gardens and it is this spring, or the stream that flows from it, that gives Bourne its name from the Old English word burna which was common in the early Anglo-Saxon period and is found in its modern form, particularly in Scotland, as burn meaning stream or spring. Many other English place names have a similar derivation with burn, borne or bourne as an ending to denote a river or stream in the vicinity. The river is therefore part of Bourne's history and it is our duty to look after what has been handed down to us. Instead, it is neglected and rarely maintained, choked with algae and littered with rubbish, discarded beer cans, plastic bottles and fast food cartons floating on the surface. In short, the Bourne Eau has become a mess. The blame lies with those responsible for its upkeep, whether they are riparian owners such as Bourne United Charities or a utility such as Anglian Water, which is only interested in the water produced, yet it is up to them to honour their commitments and keep this waterway in good order, not only for the benefit of the community but also as a matter of good housekeeping. These photographs were taken at various points along the river and it is obvious that what was once a delightful feature has become an eyesore and, regrettably, the prospect of some improvement appears to be most unlikely.
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