Sutton Brook in Sutton, St.Helens

SUTTON BROOK flows throughout Sutton and ultimately into the St.Helens / Sankey Canal. The brook has been in existence for hundreds of years and attained notoriety during the mid-nineteenth century when it was colloqially referred to as the Stygian brook (i.e. dark and dismal). At this time Sutton was at its industrial peak and the brook became the dumping ground for much industrial and chemical waste. Like the other brooks in St.Helens, Sutton Brook also acted as a sewer. Mr. Dromgoole of the St.Helens Newspaper complained in his editorials of:

The brooks which flow through our midst and which for
miles are perfect pests and horrible stinking cesspools.

Early in the twentieth century part of Sutton Brook was dug as a relief channel to help prevent the Sutton Manor Colliery from flooding.

The upper reaches of Sutton Brook are known as Pendlebury Brook which flows under Prescot, Whiston and Rainhill and enters Sutton under a bridge at Walkers Lane. It then traverses Sutton Manor park (aka King George V playing fields) and flows across Brickfields, adjacent to Ibstock's Brickworks.

The exact point of delineation between Pendlebury Brook and Sutton Brook is a matter for debate. However the stream is certainly Sutton Brook when it passes by and under Chester Lane and Clock Face Road (pictured left when snowbound - photographed on 12/3/06) and into the Sutton Mill Dam Wildlife Park. Here it forms a lake behind the dam measuring 360 metres in length. Leaving Sutton Mill Dam as a waterfall, Sutton Brook flows adjacent to the Wheatsheaf public house and then under Mill Lane.

The waterfall at Sutton Mill Dam connects to Sutton Brook

The stream continues its journey under the Liverpool to Manchester railway line and into the Gerards Lane adventure playground for children. Much of the land and streams between the Mill Dam and the Reservoir Dam was originally bought by the London and Manchester Plate Glass company in order to supply their works with a regular supply of water.

The stream then flows under Robins Lane and Ellamsbridge Road and then along Worsley Brow by the side of the old Sutton National School.

From here it traverses under Watery Lane - near the Bowling Green public house - and turns from flowing north to flowing back east (pictured left), before turning north again in the area of Jackson Street where it is joined by the Hardshaw Brook.

At the point where the Hardshaw Brook joins the Sutton Brook, the water becomes the Sankey Brook. As it flows through Parr and Broad Oak, it's joined by the Rainford Brook and the Black Brook. This area is the Sankey Valley and flows via the Sankey Canal through Earlestown, Newton, Winwick, Penketh and Great Sankey.

Other Photos On This Page:
Header: Sutton Brook in Feb. 2007 as it approaches Mill Lane by the Wheatsheaf

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