The River Isle (also known as the River Ile) flows from its source near Combe St Nicholas, through

Somerset Somerset ( , ; Archaism, archaically Somersetshire , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, county in South West England which borders Gloucestershire and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east and Devon to the so ...

, England and discharges into the

River Parrett The River Parrett flows through the counties of Dorset and Somerset in South West England, from its source in the Thorney Mills springs in the hills around Chedington in Dorset. Flowing northwest through Somerset and the Somerset Levels to ...

south of

Langport Langport is a small town and civil parish in Somerset, England, west of Somerton in the South Somerset district. The parish, which covers only part of the town, has a population of 1,081. Langport is contiguous with Huish Episcopi, a separa ...

near Midelney. Several small springs merge into the river near Wadeford it then flows north past

Donyatt Donyatt is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at the source of the River Isle north of Chard in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 347. The parish includes the hamlet of Peasmarsh. History The vi ...

Ilminster Ilminster is a minster town and civil parish in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England, with a population of 5,808. Bypassed in 1988, the town now lies just east of the junction of the A303 (London to Exeter) and the A358 (Taunton to C ...

, Puckington, and

Isle Abbotts Isle Abbots (also spelled Isle Abbotts) is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, around south-east of Taunton in the South Somerset district. The village had a population of 205 at the 2011 census. History The name of the village come ...

, before joining the Parrett. The first section of the river falls in and then falls less steeply falling during the subsequent . As a result, several mills were built on the upper reaches of the river. At least one mill was in existence at the time of the

Domesday Book Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...

in 1086. These mills were an important part of the local economy connecting with the wool trade. The road bridge over the river at Knowle St Giles is a Grade II

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

. A lock was built at the junction with the River Parrett, to maintain water levels, when the

Westport Canal The Westport Canal was built in the late 1830s to link Westport and Langport in Somerset, England. It was part of a larger scheme involving improvements to the River Parrett above Burrow Bridge. Langport is the point at which the River Yeo joi ...

was built in the 1830s. The canal joins the river approximately before the confluence with the Parrett.

Chard Reservoir Chard Reservoir is a reservoir north east of Chard Somerset, England. It is owned and managed by South Somerset District Council and is a recipient of the Green Flag Award. It was built on the river Isle in 1842 to provide water for the Chard C ...

was built by damming the river in the 1840s to provide water for the Chard Canal.

References

{{authority control Isle, River 1Isle