The elusive source of the Thames

Old Father Thames keeps rolling along, 

down to the mighty sea. 

Here it is, rolling along through Kingston-upon-Thames on a beautiful, warm September morning, but where does it roll from? On a recent journey home from Kingston, I thought it would be fun to seek out the source of Old Father Thames, which I knew to be at the appropriately named Thames Head, near Cirencester.  Or rather, I thought I knew.  Read on...

The source of the great river is marked with this splendid stone, upon which is written (rather faintly):

THE CONSERVATORS OF THE RIVER THAMES

1857-1974

THIS STONE WAS PLACED HERE TO MARK THE

SOURCE OF THE RIVER THAMES

Unfortunately, the site lacked one important feature... water!  This came as no surprise as I'd already read that the 'source' is often dry – and it had been a very dry summer. 

Having got here, I happily posed for a photograph, added a stone to the little cairn, then set off down the Thames Path, in search of flowing water.  Where would the source be today?

Soon I arrived at the Foss Way. Ah, water!.. but not the flowing kind. Just a big puddle.

A mile from the source stone I came to this bridge, just outside Kemble. It's reputed to be the first bridge on the Thames.

An information board informed me that "Although the Thames rises to the north-west of Kemble, the water is more usually seen rising here..."  Not today, it wasn't.

I was now 1½ miles from the 'source'. Another puddle here and evidence that, at times, the water must flow quite quickly. Rather than the intended stroll, this was turning into a serious walk, but I was in no mind to give up. On I pressed, into the village of Ewan, then over yet another 'dry' bridge.

What is this? Another puddle?  I stopped for a closer look and, yes, the water here really was flowing. I had found the source of the River Thames!

50 yards further on, and now there was no doubt about it.  On Sunday 2nd September the River Thames rose just south of Ewan, 3 miles from its official source... 

... or did it? There are those who would dispute that the Thames rises anywhere near Thames Head.

HIC TUUS 

O TAMESINE PATER 

SEPTEMGEMINUS FONS

Here O Father Thames is your seven-fold spring

This is Seven Springs, in the parish of Coberley, south of Cheltenham and many miles from Thames Head. Officially, it's the source of the River Churn, which flows into the Thames at Cricklade. But this tributary is 14 miles longer than the 'real' Thames between Thames Head and Cricklade, so surely (so it is claimed) this should have been the Thames.  And unlike its cousin in the chalky fields of Thames Head, this source never dries up.

The good folk of Coberley Parish Council proudly call it The Ultimate Source of the River Thames. Were it so, this would make the Thames the longest river in the United Kingdom, beating the River Severn by about 9 miles – or 12 on a warm September day.

What, longer than the Severn? As a proud Severn-Sider I object. That will never do. Long live the River Churn and may Thames folk be content to take their inferior place behind the glorious Severn!