The Sherbourne Valley Project

Connecting the people of Coventry with the River Sherbourne

We’re bringing back the source of our city. For people, for wildlife, for the future.

Led by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, the project is working with partner organisations and local communities to re-write the future of Coventry’s River Sherbourne by establishing an urban living landscape in which people, nature and culture can thrive.

Flowing downstream from Corley Moor, right under and through the heart of Coventry city centre and out to Whitley Abbey, this 10-mile waterway is rich in built, natural and cultural heritage; from scheduled monuments to precious natural habitats and unique histories. It is a river with many a story to tell across the centuries.Having been long-overlooked and partly hidden for decades, together we are working to reconnect people to this special river and the surrounding valley, by making it more accessible along its length and offering immersive interpretation experiences to ignite imaginations.

We are telling the story of the architectural gems and fascinating feats of engineering that sit along its banks, take action to improve the river for wildlife – ensuring a greater biodiversity, and educate local people and schools, empowering them to protect this heritage for all to enjoy.

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Project Area

The project will focus on the River Sherbourne, its tributaries, the green spaces along its length and the wider catchment area of the river in and around Coventry. The total scheme area is 60 square kilometres and is a sub-catchment of the wider Warwickshire Avon river catchment, which is one of a number of river catchments that form the River Severn Basin.

The River Sherbourne is 9 miles (14km) in length and starts its life outside the city boundary in Corley Moor. It flows through some of the more affluent, and also some of the most disadvantaged communities in Coventry. It is also lost, almost entirely hidden from view in the city centre, as it was diverted through a pipe to allow for the city’s significant growth in the 1960s. Only a very small stretch of the river is now visible in the city centre, and it is tucked away behind buildings down the little-explored Palmer Lane.

Going back in time the city really owes its location, and in many ways its growth to the River Sherbourne. In medieval times the river provided water and food for communities. During the industrial era it helped to power mills and provide a source of water to industry. Indeed, it is said that Coventry blue (the colour which is reflected in so much of the city’s culture) was due to the chemical composition of the river’s water mixed with the dying agents.

Learn more about our Area Action Plan

The Sherbourne Valley Project has 6 key aims:

1. The people of Coventry feel connected to the River Sherbourne and the surrounding green spaces
2. The river and its associated habitat are improved for wildlife
3. The river is more accessible to people along its length
4. The built heritage is better preserved and celebrated
5. The local community is empowered to take ownership of their river
6. Local communities are provided with information and learning opportunities about their river