O Father Thames!

Today's heavy rain is certainly helping to swell the River Thames! Seven Springs, which is located on the outskirts of Cheltenham, is certainly one of the sources of the River Thames, and is held by many to be the ultimate source.

According to the Friends of the Cotswolds web site "although it is the source of the River Churn, which flows into the Thames at Cricklade, the location of Seven Springs is furthest from the mouth, and adds some 14 miles (23 km) to the length of the river flow. The springs at Seven Springs also flow throughout the year, while those at Thames Head, which is quoted as the official source of the Thames, are only seasonal. The Churn/Thames River may therefore, be regarded as the longest natural river flow in the United Kingdom, beating its nearest rival, the River Severn, by some 9 miles."

The stone plaque you can see in the blip carries the Latin inscription "HIC TUUS O TAMESINE PATER SEPTEMCEMINUS FONS" translating as "Here, O Father Thames, is your sevenfold Spring". Below the inscription are the initials T.S.E, indicating that the words can be attributed to T.S.Eliot although there seems to be some doubt as to the original source for this quotation. So, all in all, doubt about real sources, both literary and fluvial!