Duke of Northumberland's River
Coordinates: 51°28′14″N 0°19′19″W / 51.47056°N 0.32194°W
The Duke of Northumberland's River consists of two sections of artificial waterway in west London, England. The older name: "Isleworth Mill Stream", or River, more accurately describes the economic motivation for their construction.
The western section was constructed during the reign of King Henry VIII to augment the flow supplying existing mills and to supply new mills, a source of revenue for the Duke of Northumberland's estate.
In 1530 an old record lists an increase, probably temporary, of 42 labourers who were working on a new river cut from Longford (probably the Duke of Northumberland's River).
This section diverts water from the River Colne at Longford, flowing eastwards to the River Crane. For a large part of its early course, it flows alongside its younger "twin", the Longford River. The section past Heathrow was diverted south in 1944 when Heathrow Airport was constructed. Both rivers have recently been diverted as part of the Twin Rivers Diversion Scheme associated with the construction of Terminal 5. They skirt the western and southern perimeter of Heathrow Airport then separate at The Two Bridges in Bedfont, southeast of Terminal 4.
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