Beverley Brook
Beverley Brook comes from Beaver’s Ley, which means place where Beavers rest, an indication that this very urban river was once home to this now rare, keystone species.
About the river
The Beverley Brook is nine miles in length and has two tributaries, the Pyl Brook and the East Pyl. The South East Rivers Trust hosts the Catchment Partnership. Read our Storymap for the most up to date catchment management plan.
The headwaters of the Beverley Brook would have originally risen from the natural chalk springs of the North Downs. Today, the river rises in Cuddington Park in Stoneleigh and from there heads north through south west London, passing through New Malden, Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park. It then joins the Thames at Barnes.
You can walk the majority of the Brook by following the Beverley Brook walk – a great way to explore the river and its surrounding habitats.
Beverley Brook after restoration: © South East Rivers Trust 
Beverley Brook after restoration: © South East Rivers Trust What makes it special?
The Beverley Brook flows through some very special green spaces and provides habitat for some amazing local wildlife.
After leaving the urban sprawl of Worcester Park and New Malden, the Brook passes through Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park. Both are Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). Richmond Park is also a National Nature Reserve. These green spaces provide spectacular scenery for a riverside walk along the Brook and are a haven for wildlife. Covering more than 3500 acres, they provide a mix of habitats such as acid grassland, heathland, bog and woodland which support a huge number of fungi, birds, beetles, bats, grasses and wildflowers.
Recent restoration works to the Brook through both Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park have created a more diverse and natural flow, with improved riverside habitats and cleaner gravels for fish.
Richmond Park Deer Issues
How Healthy is the Beverley Brook?
We host the Beverley Brook Catchment Partnership - bringing together key stakeholders and organisations who have an impact on the health of the river to work together to help the river thrive again. Visit the Partnership website to learn more about the Beverley Brook, the issues it is facing and the work of partners to restore the river for people and wildlife.
Click to find out more