Editing Little Stour (section)

==Course==

===Nailbourne===
[[File:Ethelburga's Well on Well Road - geograph.org.uk - 960720.jpg|Ethelburga's Well|thumb]]
The Nailbourne flows from [[Lyminge]], through the [[Elham Valley]] until it joins the Little Stour at [[Bekesbourne]].

The Nailbourne bubbles up beneath St Ethelburga's Well in Tayne Field in the centre of Lyminge. Whilst the stream often holds a plentiful supply of water from Lyminge to [[Elham, Kent|Elham]] throughout the year, it rarely holds any water from Elham to Bishopsbourne even in the winter months. However, in wet years the normally dry ditch can turn into a fast flowing torrent, flooding roads, fields and houses. An example of this was in 2001 when there was extensive flooding throughout the Elham Valley.

There are a number of minor tributaries that flow into the Nailbourne throughout the Elham Valley. Most are nameless although Ordnance Survey maps do mark a stream known as the East Brooke which runs from [[Etchinghill, Kent|Etchinghill]] and joins the Nailbourne at Lyminge.

===Little Stour===
[[File:Nailbourne 1.jpg|thumb|The Nailbourne near [[Bishopsbourne]] on 22 July 2006. Even when there is no water in the stream it is still a haven for wildlife.]]

The Little Stour starts at the springs near Well Chapel, Bekesbourne, after the watercress beds the Nailbourne joins the Little Stour (when it is running) and then joins with the [[River Stour, Kent|Great Stour]] at [[Plucks Gutter]] near [[West Stourmouth]]. The merged river is usually known as the [[River Stour, Kent|River Stour]].