The River Bride is a river in Dorset, England, situated between the towns of Dorchester and Bridport. It is approximately 6.5 miles (10.5 km) long and has a catchment area of 15 square miles (39 km²).[1] It rises at an altitude of 90 metres (300 ft)[2] beneath an artificial lake at Bridehead House, Littlebredy, then flows west to its mouth on the English Channel near Burton Bradstock. It has nine tributaries and descends more than 60 metres (200 ft) in its first three miles.[1] It reaches the coast just west of Burton Bradstock through a break in coastal cliffs at Burton Freshwater; here it meets the western end of Chesil Beach where it "forms itself into a pool and fights to get to the sea intact before sinking into the shingle."[3]

River Bride
Source of the River Bride at Bridehead House, Littlebredy
Location within Dorset
Etymology	Celtic
Location
Country	England
County	Dorset
District	Dorset
Towns and villages	Littlebredy, Burton Bradstock
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Littlebredy, Dorset, England
• elevation	300 ft (91 m)
Mouth
• location	Burton Bradstock, Dorset, England
• coordinates	50.7026°N 2.7405°W / 50.7026; -2.7405
Discharge
• location	Burton Bradstock

The river's name is of Celtic origin. It is derived from Old Welsh Brydi, related to Cornish bredion "to boil", so means "boiling or gushing" stream. The river gives its name to Long Bredy, Littlebredy, Burton Bradstock and probably Bridport.[4]

Notes