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| 'Where on earth is it?', many will ask, for it cannot be seen. The Cane Brook enters the River Arrow just above Coughton Court and throughout history divided the manors of Coughton and Sambourne. The brook runs under the A 435 (from.' Studley to Alcester). which is the line of the Roman Icknild. Street. In the Throckmorton family papers the stream is called 'Kanonesbrok' in 1348 and this gives a clue to the origin of the name: the canon of the Priory of Studley received the advowson of Coughton church when their house was founded in the 12th century, so the link between Coughton and Studley Priory is an old one and suggests that 'Cane Brook' has been known as such for a very long time. Throughout the Middle Ages and up to turnpiking of the road in' 1753 some form of small bridge to cross the brook would have been essential (though an early ford there in Roman times seems likely), with, undoubtedly the local manor courts being responsible for maintenance. Now, the channel beneath the road needs no maintenance. The old bridge is not mentioned in Quarter Sessions but in 1666 the Coughton Court Leet enjoins 'the inhabitants to repair Can Bridge' -- apparently this is done, as it is not mentioned again. Larger rivers, such as the Avon and the Arrow needed large bridges: smaller streams also crossed roads and needed crossing places; we cross them daily in our low-lying area with little thought. Cane Brook has been chosen as a representative of them all. |
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© G.E. Saville
