Stories from the Store: A Tale of Woe

The Bourne gutter, or brook, is one of many transient chalk streams that come from springs and run into the River Bulbourne. Joining the river at Bourne End, the bed of the brook is usually dry, with water running when rain fall has been high.

Mr. John Evans read a paper to the Watford Natural History Society and Hertfordshire Field Club on 8th June 1876 about this phenomenon.

“Although historical records thus appear to be wanting, the valley of the Bourne furnishes evidence, in the extensive denudation which has resulted in its formation, of the existence of a stream most probably long before historic times. For five miles from the point of where it flows into the Bulbourne, this stream, in its occasional appearance above the surface, has cut a valley of considerable depth and at least a mile in width, through the glacial gravel and sand and the clay with flints into the Chalk which forms its bed. That it ran in olden times is also proved by its now forming a county boundary for a considerable part of its course."

According to local tradition the Bourne Gutter was called the woe water and when it flowed it was a sure sign of impending disease, disaster or war. This unusual phenomenon has become shrouded in local folklore and mystery for many years as it was thought that it had no relation to recent rainfall.

Some have even narrowed this superstition to signify that war will affect the UK, and others still see a more significant global consequence.

So does it predict death, war, disease, famine?

Let’s look at times when it’s flooded

1665 – the Great plague (& fire) of London

1912 – The sinking of Titanic

1914 – the out break of WW1

1916 – The Battle of Jutland – the largest naval battle

1939-1946 – every year of WW2 (when this photo was taken)

1982 – the Falklands War

2003 – start of the Iraq war

But as much as the myth sounds believable, there have been a number of years when the river flooded, with no clear link to disastrous events either nationally or globally.

In fact, scientific research has shown that it’s due to the time it takes for rainwater to percolate the chalky ground that delays the water’s flow.

Although the idea that the Bourne Gutter was connected with impending doom was dismissed a century ago … its still discussed locally to day.

And so a light hearted end to this tale of woe is this excerpt from the Berkhamsted Gazette when the Bourne Gutter was in full flow in the early 2000s as gravel extraction damned the Bourne causing Bottom Farm to flood. The children wasted little time putting this woe water to happy use.

The Woe Waters have been flowing again so let’s hope that the superstition has truly been set to rest.