River Irthing

Geobox|River
name = Irthing
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country = United Kingdom
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state = England
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source_location = Paddaburn Moor
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mouth_location = confluence with River Eden
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map_caption = The River Irthing is a river in Cumbria, England and a major tributary of the River Eden.

Rising in the hills around Paddaburn Moor in Border Forest Park, for the first 15 miles of its journey south it defines the border between Northumberland and Cumbria. [Philip's Motorist's Atlas: 2004, Octopus Publishing Group, London, England] After passing Butterburn Flow raised bog, the river flows over the ten-metre high Crammel Linn waterfall in a sandstone gorge. [ [http://www.english-lakes.com/river_irthing.htm English Lakes: River Irthing] ] At Gilsland Spa, a sulphurous spring oozes out of the gorge walls. Chalybeate and petrifying springs are also characteristic of the local geology and are found on the Irthing's banks.

The River Irthing marked an important transition in construction of Hadrian's Wall according to C. Michael Hogan. West of the River Irthing "turf and timber prevailed, while cut stones with limed mortar interstices were used to the east" of the river. [ [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=18177 C.Michael Hogan (2007) "Hadrian's Wall", ed. Andy Burnham, The Megalithic Portal] ] At Gilsland the tributary Poltross Burn flows into the River Irthing. Crossing Hadrian's Wall at Gilsland, its course as it turns west is lined with sites from Roman Britain, including Birdoswald Roman Fort, at the top of another steep gorge carved by the river from the deep till overlying the area.

Passing Brampton it merges with the River Gelt, and soon after meets the River Eden near Warwick Bridge, just north of Wetheral.

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