Horsbere Brook

Horsbere Brook rises near Great Witcombe in the Cotswolds and flows northwest for about fifteen kilometres to join the River Severn near Gloucester. It starts as a small stream in farmland and soon passes through the village of Brockworth. The brook then enters the built-up edges of Gloucester, running alongside roads and housing estates. The brook’s course has been shaped by centuries of settlement and engineering. Culverts carry it under major routes such as the A40 and A38, while reinforced banks protect parts of Hucclecote and Barnwood. In 2011 the Environment Agency completed a flood alleviation scheme that stores up to 170,000 cubic metres of water in a landscaped basin near Barnwood. This scheme guards more than 350 homes against floods that might otherwise occur once in a hundred years. Visitors can follow the brook along public footpaths and bridges in Longlevens and Hucclecote. Where the water widens near the Severn it carries silt and nutrients downstream, supporting local ecosystems. The flood storage area is open land with grassy banks and informal trails, giving views of the water when it is held back after heavy rain.