River Wandle

The River Wandle is a river in south-east England. The names of the river and of Wandsworth are thought to have derived from the Old English "Wendlesworth" meaning "Wendle's Settlement". The river runs through southwest London and is about 9 miles (14 km) long. It passes through the London Boroughs of Croydon, Sutton, Merton, and Wandsworth to join the River Thames on the Tideway at Wandsworth. Much of the River is accessible using the Wandle Trail.

Rain falls on the North Downs, filters through the chalk and emerges on the spring line. At the top of the catchment the river is mostly culverted. The river is first visible at Wandle Park in Croydon where it flows in an open channel before returning to a culverted section between the New South Quarter development and Waddon Ponds beside Mill Lane. A second main source, also at about 115 feet (35 m) AOD is formed at Carshalton Ponds, which merges underneath Watermill House in the northern area of Carshalton, The Wrythe.

Other sources include the Norbury Brook/River Graveney tributary which rises near the Lower Addiscombe Road in Croydon and flows through the London Boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth and Merton. Two seasonal streams, the Coulsdon Bourne and the Caterham Bourne, run in wet winters. They join together at Purley, run in a culvert north along the Brighton Road and join the River Wandle at the site of the, now defunct, Swan and Sugarloaf pub in South Croydon.