River Wissey

River Wissey
The river at Hilgay
Location
Country	England
County	Norfolk
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Shipdham
• coordinates	52°38′17″N 0°53′24″E / 52.6381°N 0.8900°E / 52.6381; 0.8900
• elevation	70 m (230 ft)
Mouth	River Great Ouse
• location	Fordham
• coordinates	52°33′58″N 0°20′37″E / 52.5661°N 0.3436°E / 52.5661; 0.3436
• elevation	4 m (13 ft)
Length	31 mi (50 km)

v t e River Wissey
Legend
River Great Ouse (to Denver) Cut-off Channel Ely to Kings Lynn Railway bridge (from Littleport)  A10  Hilgay bypass bridge Hilgay Old Bridge Catsholme Pumping Stn Cornerways Pumping Stn Wissington Light Railway Wissington Sugar Beet Factory Island  B1160  Wissington bridge Lake Methwold Lode Wretton Fen Pumping Stn Cut-off Channel Sluices (only one open) Pumping Stn for treatment works Stoke Ferry Bridge  A134  road bridge Whittington Stringside Drain (Head of navigation) Northwold Bridge Whittington Wharf weir  A1065  Mundford Bridge Stanford Water  B1108  Bodney Bridge Great Cressingham Bridge  B1077  South Pickenham to source

The River Wissey is a river in Norfolk, eastern England. It rises near Bradenham, and flows for nearly 31 miles (50 km) to join the River Great Ouse at Fordham. The lower 11.2 miles (18.0 km) are navigable. The upper reaches are notable for a number of buildings of historic interest, which are close to the banks. The river passes through the parkland of the Arts and Crafts Pickenham Hall, and further downstream, flows through the Army's Stanford Training Area (STANTA), which was created in 1942 by evacuating six villages. The water provided power for at least two mills, at Hilborough and Northwold. At Whittington, the river becomes navigable, and is surrounded by fenland. A number of pumping stations pump water from drainage ditches into the higher river channel.

Although navigation is known to have taken place since at least the time of the Domesday Book, there is less documentary evidence than for other neighbouring rivers, as there was no centre of population at the head of the navigation. A sugar-beet factory was built on the banks in 1925 at Wissington, which could only be accessed by river or railway, and started a period of relative prosperity, which ended in 1943, when the first road to reach the factory was built. All use of the river is now by pleasure craft.