River Colne, Essex
| Colne | |
|---|---|
The River Colne in Colchester, looking south | |
| Location | |
| Country | England |
| Region | Essex |
| City | Colchester |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | near Cornish Hall End |
| • coordinates | 52°00′52″N 0°26′19″E / 52.0144°N 0.4387°E |
| • elevation | 104 m (341 ft) |
| Mouth | North Sea |
• location | Brightlingsea |
• coordinates | 51°48′03″N 1°00′37″E / 51.8007°N 1.0102°E |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Length | 62 km (39 mi) |
The River Colne ( /koʊn/ or /koʊln/) is a small river that runs through Essex, England and passes through Colchester. It is not a tributary of any other river, instead having an estuary that joins the sea near Brightlingsea. The river's name is of Celtic origin, combining the word for rock "cal" with a remnant of the word "afon", or river, giving the meaning "stony river". However, another authority states that the river's name was originally Colonia Fluvius, the "waterway of the Colonia": a reference to Colchester's status in Roman times. There are two other rivers in the UK that share the same name.