River Dever

The River Dever is a chalk stream in Hampshire in the south of England. It rises at West Stratton near Micheldever and flows westwards for to meet the River Test at Wherwell. Course The source is at Above Ordnance Datum (AOD) alongside the A33, the main road north-east from Winchester, of Roman origin, and meanders west through the village of Micheldever, three hamlets: Weston Colley, Stoke Charity and Wonston, then its largest village, Sutton Scotney, followed by Upper and Lower Bullington. The river skirts to the north of Barton Stacey and through the hamlet of Bransbury, meeting the Test on Bransbury Common, opposite the east fields of Wherwell on the multi-channel Test's West Bank at AOD. Etymology From Old English times some records have Myceldefer. The likely first sound-meaning denoted by the scribe is , that means "great", and the latter part, if from the Common Brittonic, "water, river" as in Andover or the Candover Brook nearby. Alternatively the Old Welsh for "bog" is suggested by the earliest-known form, from 862, Mycendefr, not relatively prevalent due to the gradient and alkaline water.