Wheatley flooded 23 September 2024

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Archive Notes:

The brook that runs through the village is known as the 'Common Brook'. Record 2432 notes that ''between 1595 and 1611 the Common Brook was constantly dumped with rubbish.

Wheatley was flooded on 23 September 2024 as a result of more than 10cm of very heavy rain falling in just 12 hours, far more than the expected monthly average of 6cm). Radcliffe Meteorological Station in September 2024 recorded 193.3 mm of rainfall, Oxford’s wettest month since 1774 and the second wettest of any month since rainfall records began in 1767. The majority of the month’s rain fell on Sunday September 22 (77.1 mm) and Monday September 23 (41.8 mm), which combined is the highest two-day total in the station’s history.

The first image shows the original line of the stream. It follows the line of the High Street until it turns west (left on the map) to avoid a small incline just before the parade of shops (now built on the blank site) and then running behind the houses before turning east (right on the map) at the bottom of the High Street.

Over 100 years ago, by the end of 1858, the stream had been culverted down the entire length of the High Street. See record 0920

Reportedly +10cm of rain (1 month's rainfall) fell overnight 22/23 September falling onto the much higher Shotover Plain way to the top of the map in the first image and continuing through much of the day. The ‘stream’ starts on this Plain.

The water cascaded from Shotover Plain arriving in the High Street at about 7.30, and became a ‘raging torrent’. Many houses and businesses at this western end and further down the High Street towards Bell Lane were flooded, with several properties in Bell Lane also flooded, with water surging up from any drains and invading from within the house or at its rear.. The water rose up the incline adjacent the parade of shops in the High Street up to the east end of Wheatley Estates but, in the area behind the shops (along the original stream line) later built up to a depth of at least 1 metre, flooding several premises from behind. Food storage in two garages was destroyed and many parked vehicles were flooded out and even floating. This water continued to follow the original stream route behind the High Street houses. There was so much water that this found its way into the 'square' which is part of Farm Close Road, flooding 12 houses, numbers 64-84, while the water did not rise above the doorstep of number 62. This is believed to be unprecedented and had not occurred during the floods of 2008, see records 1757 and 2318, or 2012, see record 2859. The owner of 38 High Street and parents have owned the house since 1950 and it has never had any water ingress from a flood during this time.

The houses in the lower part of the High Street (where the stream used to run), suffered the most serious damage. The huge volume of water was so great that a huge lake must have formed behind these houses and then invaded the houses (many with basements or cellars) before flowing out into the High Street. Most, if not all of houses from No. 80 to the URC, appear to have been very badly affected with owners having to move out. In Crown Square, the flood broke through the tarmac after, presumably, entering the drainage system.

The first picture of the three-part image, shows that the only water in the High Street starts just below 90 High Street with this water flowing from behind the houses through a gap in the properties between numbers 90 and 92 High Street. The second picture shows this gap with the video showing the volume of water. The third picture looks east down the High Street where this first flow is joined by other flows from behind the houses such that, at the bottom of High Street, the entire width of the road is covered by water. However, the raised kerb prevented the water entering Cromwell House, 100 High Street, despite its front being some 0.75 metres below the level of the High Street.

The volume of water was exacerbated by the blocking of drains in Church Road which led to additional flows down Holloway Road and Friday Lane.

While the total number of houses affected is not known, it was probably upwards of some 45 in the main village with five houses in Kiln Lane flooded, upwards of some 37 businesses and houses in High Street, two in Crown Square, five in Bell Lane, 12 in Farm Close Road, and one property (built at a lower level and adjacent the line of the old stream) in Farm Close Lane. Houses in the Keydale area and in Littleworth were also affected.

Residents, whose homes were not affected by the deluge, and the fire brigade performed magnificently helping those whose homes were invaded with the water.

At the Parish Council meeting on 7 October, Wheatley residents and official views were sought leading to the following comment and analysis. The flood water that came down overnight and early morning on 23 September was of ‘biblical’ proportions (probably the worst Wheatley flood since 1910). The volume was too great to enter the culvert adjacent to an oft-flooded house, whose occupiers ensure that this entry is kept clear. The excess water then flooded down the High Street, as it did in 2012, 2008 and several times in the second half of the 20^th century. Reaching the parade of shops, where there is a very steep incline, the flood water then took the old line of the stream behind the shops. It built up to a depth of at least 1 metre, being unable to quickly disperse because of a wall on the east side of the passageway from the east end of the parade of shops into Farm Close Road, instead exiting into the Farm Close ‘square’ adjacent number 84, flooding 12 houses. The water then ‘found’ the original stream course to the rear of 88 High Street.

Several observers noted that, in the early afternoon, the build-up of water suddenly reduced as if a ‘plug had been pulled out’. No one knew exactly why this was with theories that the fire brigade had unblocked the culvert and that, on its route east, the trapped water behind the High Street houses at the east end had eventually demolished at least two walls between back gardens. The flooding was considerably exacerbated by the (foul) drainage system being overwhelmed and backing up to the rear of the houses on the south side of the High Street, resulting in most being flooded from the rear rather than their frontage. This was particularly the case east and downstream from the parade of shops.

One resident reported on a walkabout during the flood that the stream beyond Crown Square was insufficient in size and/or maintenance to take the volume of water. This opinion was backed up by the Parish Council from recent observations from walks with other council officials, these taking in the route of the stream between Crown Road (just before Jackie’s Lane) and Ambrose Rise. The problems of dispersal then continued downstream. It was considered that insufficient maintenance and dredging of this stream had taken place with it now badly silted up and in need of urgent attention. Regular maintenance of the culvert had not taken place.

Separately, 38 Farm Close Road and two neighbours (shown by red circle) were flooded on 23 September 2024. Betty Brown's Spring shown on current OS map as a thin blue line crossing from south to north over the ‘W’ of Wheatley. Where the stream meets the housing, it is culverted, but the Authorities have no idea of the route of this. See also record 2614. But the flooding was caused by run off from the playground as shown below.

Officials, including Wheatley’s flood officer, Roger Bettess, opined on a possible attenuation scheme to create a large overflow pit, which could take this flood water. Such a scheme had been under discussion for several years but had failed to make any progress. Two sites had been offered. The best siting of the land offered by the owners of Shotover appeared to be compromised by this adversely affecting the farm tenancy, leaving the land adjacent to the Primary School (after cascading down Old Road the water then makes it way north via this land and thence to the culvert entry) which was now under serious consideration. However, Roger Bettess warned that, because of the number of official parties involved (County Council, District Council, Thames Water, Environment Agency and others) no resolution was likely anytime soon. Councillor Bearder, on behalf of the County Council, explained in detail the budgetary plight of this Council. Officials urged all those affected to report details of their flood on the relevant website so that the County Council was aware of all the damage caused, so that this could be factored into forthcoming discussions. Wheatley Parish Council advised that, while they would ‘shout and scream’ on behalf of residents, they had no power to help resolve this matter.

For historical records of dates that the culvert was created and other matters see record 2663.