The River Fromus; our river, our past, our future.

Thanks to National Lottery Heritage Fund

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Using money raised by National Lottery players we support projects that connect people and communities to heritage. Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. From historic buildings, our industrial legacy and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.

Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage. Our project The River Fromus, Our Future, Our Past is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, our community has been able to enjoy, explore and understand our local River Fromus so that we can all value and protect this important natural heritage.

For more information about The National Lottery Heritage Fund go to their website: www.heritagefund.org.uk/

The Fromus

Over the last few years The Art Station has been focusing on The River Fromus which runs quietly and unnoticed through our town Saxmundham. Now we have spent time exploring it we understand it as a key feature in the history and landscape of the town not merely a minor watercourse. Watch the video we made about tracing the journey of the river.

Ekwall in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names gives the origin of the town’s name as Seismund’s-ham, being the settlement of an otherwise unrecorded Saxon thegn or war lord. Saxmundham is recorded in the Little Domesday Book of 1086 and the reason the town exists is because originally the river would have been used to transport goods including building materials to build the early dwellings and create enclosures for animals. Perhaps Saxmundham was the furthest navigable point along the river and people settled here? There’s evidence of these building materials in the older period buildings all of which must have been transported up the river – presumably in flat bottomed barges when the river was navigable. Artefacts from Neolithic period (around 6,000BC), Anglo Saxon, Roman and Medieval periods have all been found in and around Saxmundham. In 2017 when construction took place to build houses on Church Hill an archeological dig found items from the Iron Age period, with struck flint, pottery, fired clay and a complete loomweight being recovered from pits and ditches. The trenching confirmed the presence of preserved archaeological remains from the Iron Age and Anglo-Saxon periods, believed to relate to settlement activity uncovered during archaeological works on the adjacent site. A settlement along the River Fromus was evidenced by two additional pit clusters of the period previously excavated nearby. For more information about archeological finds in Saxmundham go to Oxford Archeology and put Saxmundham in the search.

Our project funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund was to find out more about our river and to offer access to this knowledge about our local natural heritage. This project is described here so that everyone can learn about the river, its beauty and its value. This focus comes at a key time when all rivers in the UK are under threat through pollution caused by the lack of cohesive policy and infrastructure in place to protect these significant and valuable natural assets and habitats. Our small river which runs into The River Alde is like many other rivers in Suffolk and across the UK and while some details will be specific to the River Fromus many of the challenges and also the potential for our river will also relate to and be significant for all rivers and river habitats.

To find out more about work done by The Rivers Trust to protect our rivers go to The Big River Watch

Flooding & Mapping and the current status of the river.

The river now has acute seasonal fluctuations; almost drying out in the summer and running very high in the winter and spring. In October 2023 the river flooded onto the surrounding land of Fromus Green and the backs of buildings along the high street – flooding the local surgery which was unfortunately built on the floodplain. This was the first time in 74 years that the River Fromus had flooded- which provoked the local community into noticing the river – some for the first time – and the main focus was on stopping the flooding. In our subsequent project and river walks we learnt how the sluice at the mouth of the River Fromus where the river joins the Alde is controlled by RSPB Snape Reserve so that the flow of water and therefore any likely flooding can be controlled and used in a positive way to create the new wetland which now supports a huge variety of birds. Unfortunately in October 2023 the River Alde was high and therefore water from the River Fromus was unable to flow into the larger river – resulting in the flooding in Saxmundham. There’s been an increase in very high tides and surge tides as a result of the increase in extreme weather patterns due to climate change. When there’s no danger of flooding the river is mostly forgotten but fulfilling an essential function acting as a green corridor for wildlife, shrubs and trees through the town which has very limited green space. Water is a valuable natural asset and our use of water is increasing while the supply of water is decreasing and summer droughts are becoming more frequent. Suffolk is one of the driest counties and therefore the river is subject to more extreme weather conditions and also permitted abstraction by farmers along the course of the river. Across the summer its hard for the river to maintain enough water to offer a consistent habitat.

Find out more about how we can all make Suffolk more sustainable including how we can save water and what you can do at home and at work at Sustainable Suffolk

In 2023 Emily Knock and Liz Waugh, artists whose work focuses on the environment, worked together to map the river’s path identifying plant species found on the riverside and borders. They invited local botanist Katie Carr-Tansley and artist Anna Tilsley who is the warden of Benhall Wadd to share their knowledge about each location and identity of species. This activity formed the basis and premise for our project The River Fromus; our river, our past, our future – funded by National Heritage Lottery. We realised that there was a lot of knowledge about the river to be shared.

River Walks

As part of our exploration of the river and its habitats we offered supported walks to all ages in our community. These walks offered participants a unique opportunity to explore the river at various stages of its journey with support from experts and local people with a vast local knowledge of the local natural heritage, trees, plants, animals and birds. The walks took us from its source to the estuary mouth at Snape, passing through both rural and urban locations including our Old Bank riverside Garden site. Throughout these walks, we aimed to deepen the understanding of the river’s ecological significance while engaging participants in creative activities. We recaptured this journey with a small group and Professor Peter Hobson on a short film that you can watch HERE.

The creative river walks are enriched by the expertise shared by Professor Peter Hobson, Emeritus Professor in Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainability at Anglia Ruskin University; local botanist Katie Carr-Tansley, RSPB warden Katie Fairhurst, RSPB Sites manager Aaron Howe and Saxmundham Blue Spaces lead and teacher Laura Bonnett. These experts and those with local knowledge offer valuable insights into the river’s natural beauty and ecological importance, helping participants to better understand the river’s role in the local ecosystem. Their knowledge of the flora and fauna that surround the river provides a deeper context for the creative activities and helps participants recognize the intricate relationship between nature and art. Together, creativity and nature come together in these walks, forming a unique exploration of the river’s diverse environments and ecosystems.

The river's journey

The journey of the River Fromus

Rotten End – the source of the river is North of Saxmundham in an arable field surrounded by deciduous woodland including alder(alnus glutinosa) a tree that loves water. The alder’s natural habitat is moist ground near rivers, ponds and lakes and it thrives in damp, cool areas such as marshes, wet woodland and streams where its roots help to prevent soil erosion. Learn more about the alder and its importance in our river and wet woodland landscapes. The source of the river might originally have been created by an ancient subterranean spring line that emerged at different parts across the site to form a delta formation that coalesced to eventually form the beginnings of the main channel of the river. Where there were springs the ground would have been difficult to cultivate so would have been left as woodland and also valued as a source of fresh water for farmsteads and dwellings.

Simpson’s Fromus Nature Reserve was the next stop for our river walks. Located just outside of Kelsale and now a protected nature reserve of 27 acres including species rich flower meadows managed by a trust this is a beautifully preserved wildlife site in the Fromus valley with meadows, woodland, ancient trees and ponds. The river Fromus, runs through a wooded gulley cutting a deep gorge out into the meadows, through the length of the reserve. Many of our walkers had never been here although its within walking distance of Saxmundham. Entry is for members only – via the Suffolk Flora Trust or on public open days. The Art Station became a guardian member with the aim of offering volunteer days during the year. The reserve which now supports 50 bird species was once at the centre of the siteof Kelsale mediaeval park: a 500-acre landscaped historical feature that probably dates to the 12th century. The park was one of many across Suffolk held by the Earls and Dukes of Norfolk (including the Bigods, the principal builders of Framlingham Castle) and which were created and used during the 12th to 16th centuries. In addition to deer, there may have been dovecotes, fishponds, grazing livestock, woodland managed for timber and firewood production, and salting facilities for preservation of venison and fish. There are several medieval sources that mention Kelsale Park, deer and its fishpond. In order to keep the water flowing into the pond(s) the river was diverted and a dam constructued in the 17th century which meant literally moving it fifty metres with pick, shovel and spade. Walking around the site Professor Hobson identified 300 year old trees within the woodland which indicated when the land and trees at this point were last managed. Peter pointed out how our rural landscapes have been created through a long heritage of working the land in different ways.

Source: For more info on Simpsons Fromus Reserve go to the Suffolk Flora Trust.

Fromus River in Saxmundham

Saxmundham

The Fromus River is hardly visible in the town – just seen from two small bridges that lead from the main shopping high street to Fromus Green – a large green space, it looks like a polluted, littered stream, especially during the summer when water levels are low or the river is almost dry. The river has been canalised and is hemmed in by high banks and brick walls. Along the river bank trees and shrubs have grown up to create a green corridor that protects birds and small mammals and provides a habitat by the river. Blue Spaces Saxmundham have carried out river fly testing along the river at various points and have enabled our community to learn about the importance of riverflies. Riverflies are invertebrates that spend most of their life cycle in a river, stream, pond or lake. Along with other freshwater invertebrates, they are at the heart of the freshwater ecosystem and are a vital link in the aquatic food chain. Their common characteristics of limited mobility, relatively long life cycle, presence throughout the year and specific tolerances to changes in environmental conditions make them useful indicators of water quality, pollution, siltation and low flows. For further info and to find out how to get involved with riverfly testing go to the Riverfly Partnership.

Because the river runs straight and is canalised, when the water is high following heavy rainfall, the water speeds up and this is when flooding is most likely to occur. The river needs to be allowed to flow outwards onto a water meadow as part of a natural flood plain outside of the town rather than racing along a straight channel and flooding onto the high street and into buildings. This approach would create valuable seasonal water meadow habitats and reduce flooding in the town and is being piloted across the country. Learn more about Natural Flood Management.

Creative Activities such as charcoal drawing, poetry, and mud painting encourage artistic engagement with the landscape and allow individuals to express their connection to the natural surroundings. Using our hands and art materials and getting down with paper and paint into our natural surroundings provides a very different way of being engaged. Lots of people were resistant to these activities but once they realised there wasn’t an expectation for “serious art” to be made they were happy to take part and they really enjoyed each activity. Jevan Watkins Jones artist gardener brought texts and poetry to create a moment to pause, reflect and listen.

Benhall Wadd & Benhall Ford; Gromford Ford

At Benhall the river crosses the road as a shallow ford where its easy to slip if you’re on foot or a bicycle! The river now looks like a small stream or mini river again here. A few minutes walk away is Benhall Wadd a managed wetland meadow landscape. When we visited it was just being cut for the first time in three years. Cutting and removing the tops reduces the nutrients in the soil which encourages wetland plants and flowers to continue to grow there. Artist Anna Islely is the Warden of the Wadd – a role she takes seriously in making sure The Wadd remains a distinct and beautiful habitat. The Wadd is surrounded by the Alder Carr – a wetland of Alder trees. A fine network of rivulets and streams which eventually join the river keep this wetland area wet! Peter Hobson’s focus was on the gallery forest next to the Wadd – a very much untouched area of woodland which grows either side of a river courseway. This woodland is very special as it hasn’t been coppiced or pollarded and grows straight up to the light with a high crown and sits on the alluvial peat beds. The gallery forest is essential for cooling the surrounding landscape and the water quality of the river depends on there being a substantial gallery forest. We’ve learnt that so many of the local habitats including the river depend on each other and need to co-exist in a balanced way. You have to start thinking differently and view the whole environment as vitally interrelated and how together they create the richest and most beneficial biodiversity.

At Gromford Ford the river was running slowly again and at the small footbridge it was almost static where the river had become blocked. The presence of specific plants and weeds indicated high levels of phosphates and nitrates – decreasing the opportunity of invertebrates and amphibians to thrive there.

Snape RSPB Reserve

At Snape Reserve the RSPB working with the Environment agency have created a wetland and reed beds and freshwater marshes from low lying pasture land. This extensive wetland now supports bitterns, marsh harriers and will benefit wildlife such as otters, water voles, kingfishers, and dragonflies. Access to this area is restricted in order to protect all the newly created habitats and wildlife so The Art Station was delighted to be allowed a special tour with Aaron Howe, RSPB site manager. The river looks like a ‘proper river’ here, incredibly beautiful and the landscape is made up of an abundance of trees, reeds, wildflowers and birds. What if all rivers could be like this? What can we do as individuals and a community to support the river to return to a rich biodiverse habitat with clean water that supports our local species to thrive and provides an opportunity for us to improve our quality of life through enjoying nature and our river landscape.

The Mouth of the River Fromus where it joins the River Alde

The River Fromus flows into the River Alde within the Snape Reserve looked after by RSPB Snape. The Environment Agency maintain a tide flap at the mouth of the river so they can control the flow of water. Normally the River Fromus gently trickles into the River Alde through the tide flap. When the River Alde is too full then the tide flap seals itself off to prevent more water flowing through from the River Fromus. It’s then necessary to wait for the water in the River Alde to subside before the gate can open again to allow free flowing from the River Fromus. If both rivers become full then there’s a risk of flooding as the water is limited in where it can go so will travel sideways onto roads and riversides along the flood plain. From this point the Alde flows past Snape Maltings, an important cultural landmark for our community, and then out into The Estuary and towards the sea.

A new project called the Four Rivers Recovery Project is bringing people together to make positive changes for our four main rivers in East Suffolk: The Alde and The Ore, The Deben, The Waveney, and The Blyth. The Art Station hope to be part of that project as The Fromus feeds into The Alde – and all tributaries will have a role to play in creating a better landscape and improving the quality of water. Go to Four Rivers Recovery Project to get involved.

Is there a future for our river?

Challenges for us and our river

Looking at the river in Saxmundham – it looks very sad and when people see it there – it’s hard to be hopeful about its future. However even in Saxmundham we see birds such as kingfishers darting along the river and occasional sightings of a little egrets.

Unfortunately the river is polluted, with high levels of nitrates and phosphates and heavy metals. Pollution is caused by the run off from farmland, effluent from the local car wash, sewage spilling into the river during heavy rainfall because older combined sewer systems are designed to carry both wastewater and rainwater in the same pipes and the added volume of rainwater overwhelms the system. Rubbish is a constant challenge for the river – litter and debris being thrown in the river deliberately – the classic shopping trolley issue or litter from the supermarket car parks which slowly makes its way into the river.

Let’s come together through groups like Blue Spaces Saxmundham and the new Saxmundham and Kelsale Biodiversity Group to support the river to become a vital habitat and a key part of our local biodiversity and landscape here in East Suffolk. The Art Station will be looking for support and funding to continue our work focusing on our environment, the river and our local river habitat including the Old Bank Riverside garden. Please be welcome to join us. More info here on our website or on instagram @the_artstation or get in touch via info@theartstation.uk or call 07927770421