River Croal

Coordinates: 53°33′0″N 2°22′57″W / 53.55°N 2.3825°W / 53.55; -2.3825

River Croal
River
River Croal at Little Lever
Country	England
Source
- location	the confluence of Middle Brook and Deane Church Brook
Mouth
- location	confluence with River Irwell
- coordinates	53°33′0″N 2°22′57″W / 53.55°N 2.3825°W / 53.55; -2.3825
Length	10 mi (16 km)

The River Croal is a river located in Greater Manchester, England. It is a tributary of the River Irwell.

Rising at the confluence of Middle Brook and Deane Church Brook, it flows eastwards through Bolton, collecting Gilnow Brook and the larger River Tonge at Darcy Lever. Most of the river is culverted through Bolton town centre, running under Knowsley Street; Market Place and Bridge Street. Before 1836 the River Croal formed the boundary between the townships of Great and Little Bolton.

The river's name is derived from the Old English croh and wella, the winding stream. It was possibly originally called the Middlebrook along its entire length as early references mention the Mikelbrok, (mycel and broc), the great stream but not the Croal.^[1]

It meets the Irwell at Nob End, Kearsley after a total course of around ten miles.

Tributaries

• River Tonge
  • Bradshaw Brook
  • Astley Brook
  • Eagley Brook

References

Notes

1. ^ Mills 1976, p. 76

Bibliography

• Mills, David (1976), The Placenames of Lancashire, Batsford, ISBN 0 7134 5236 6 

External links

• Bolton Museums, River Croal Photographs