Draper's Osier Bed Stream

Coordinates: 51°25′54″N 1°04′11″W / 51.431779°N 1.069837°W / 51.431779; -1.069837

Draper's Osier Bed Stream
Stream
Country	England
Counties	Berkshire
Districts / Boroughs	Theale Parish
Source
- location	Kennet and Avon Canal, Sulhamstead Lock, Berkshire, United Kingdom
- coordinates	51°25′33″N 1°05′10″W / 51.425758°N 1.086059°W / 51.425758; -1.086059
Mouth	Kennet and Avon Canal, Holy Brook
- location	Pingewood, Berkshire, United Kingdom
- coordinates	51°25′54″N 1°04′11″W / 51.431779°N 1.069837°W / 51.431779; -1.069837

Draper's Osier Bed Stream is a small stream in southern England, in the county of Berkshire. It is formed at a weir on the Kennet and Avon Canal, and travels east for a while, before merging with the head of the Holy Brook stream. An Osier bed is where historically willows were planted and coppiced to produce withies which were used for basket making, fish-traps, and other purposes. The willow species salix viminalis was typically grown for this purpose. Willow rods (cuttings) would be planted, which root easily in moist ground, and the growth of the willow withies would be cut every one or two years.^[1]

References

1. ^ Gallica, Historical & Archaeological Interpretation: Farming