River Marden

This section of the River Marden is in the centre of Calne, where it has been diverted more than once from its natural course to make way for the once-dominant Harris sausage factory in the town centre. Its most recent landscaping occurred after the demolition of the factory.

A tributary of the River Avon,  it rises near the valley of Ranscombe Bottom near Calstone Wellington, and by the time it reaches Calne has been joined by Rivers Brook and the Abberd Brook. It goes under the A4 just west of this picture and briefly joins the defunct Wilts and Berks Canal at the Wharf on the other side of the road. Before it runs into the Avon near Chippenham, some seven miles from its source, the overspill from Bowood Lake and the combined Fishers and Cowage brooks flow into it.

I photographed it because of the autumn leaf caught in it.

Lozarhythm Of The Day:
Erma Franklin - Open up your soul (1968)
Erma Franklin was one of Aretha's two sisters who sang on many of her bigh singles in the sixties, notably on Respect. Erma made a number of singles as a solo artist from 1961 onwards, most notably with Piece Of My Heart, produced by Bert Berns. This was the follow up single, though it was less successful, perhaps because it was a little too similar. Like Piece Of My Heart it was written for her by Bert Berns and Jerry Ragovoy. It came out over here on London but I had never come across it until it came up on this week's Sounds Of The Sixties on Radio Two.