Falconbrook

The Falconbrook is a subterranean river that flows under Balham and Battersea where it enters the River Thames.

Course

The Falconbrook is underground along its entire length, but is reflected by the naming of several local features (including the Falcon Road, the Falcons estate, and the Falconbrook school), and the significant valley under Northcote Road in Battersea. The source of the Falconbrook is in Streatham Hill, above Tooting Bec Common, South West London. The springs are in the foundations of the parade of shops on Streatham High Road between the top of Drewstead Road and Broadlands Avenue. During the building of the shops, extra access space was built below the basement floors to accommodate the springs when in full spate. The river flows underneath Drewstead Road, where it may be heard under a manhole above the junction with Woodfield Road, before going to the Common.

Flooding

Thames Water carried out work at the end of 2006 to alleviate flooding of the Falconbrook in Balham, involving a series of road closures.

In July 2007 the Falconbrook burst out of the pavement in several places and flooded the Falcon Road near Clapham Junction, during the 2007 floods.

See also

• Tributaries of the River Thames
• Subterranean rivers of London
• List of rivers in England

References

• Clapham Junction Conservation Area Character Statement A reference to ponding of the Falcon Brook in 1745

Next confluence upstream	River Thames	Next confluence downstream
River Westbourne (north)	Falconbrook	Tyburn (stream) (north)