The Catchment
The River Evenlode and the surrounding area
About the environment
The River Evenlode rises out of the limestone that underlies the Cotswolds, flowing south-east towards the clay vales of the River Thames. The catchment contains 16 river water bodies including the Evenlode, and major tributaries the Glyme and Dorn. The landscape in this catchment is some of the finest in the county, forming part of the Cotswold National Landscape, the remains of the ancient Royal Hunting Forest of Wychwood and the World Heritage Site of Blenheim Palace. There are many historic market towns such as Chipping Norton, Moreton-in-Marsh and Woodstock.
Habitats in the catchment
Habitats include oak-ash woodland, limestone grasslands, lowland meadows and fen, which support a wide range of wildlife. Priority species present in the catchment include remnant populations of our nationally endangered native crayfish, water voles and rare plant species including fen violet and downy woundwort.
Quick Facts
Size of the catchment: 430 km2
Largest town is Chipping Norton with a population of 7,250 in 2021
Map of the Evenlode catchment
