London's Lost Rivers - Book and Walking Tours by Paul Talling
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  • London's Lost Rivers
    • River Peck
    • River Effra
    • River Moselle
    • The Black Ditch
    • Bollo Brook
    • The Cock & Pye Ditch
    • Counter's Creek
    • Earl's Sluice
    • Falcon Brook
    • Carbuncle Ditch
    • River Fleet
    • River Neckinger
    • Parr's Ditch
    • Hackney Brook
    • Pudding Mill River
    • Rotherhithe Mill Streams
    • Stamford Brook
    • River Tyburn
    • Tyburn Brook
    • River Walbrook
    • Muswell Stream
    • River Westbourne
  • London's Lost Canals
    • City Canal
    • Croydon Canal
    • Cumberland Arm
    • Grand Surrey Canal
    • Grosvenor Canal
    • Kensington Canal
    • Romford Canal
    • Royal Arsenal Canal
    • The Royal Gunpowder Mills Canals
  • Author's Guided Walks
    • River Fleet Walk
    • River Westbourne Walk
    • River Tyburn Walk
    • Lost Rivers of Hampstead Walk
    • Lost Docks of Wapping Walk
    • Grand Surrey Canal Walk
    • Woolwich - Dockyard & Royal Arsenal Canal Walk
    • Isle of Dogs Canal and Millwall Docks Walk
    • Derelict Limehouse & Poplar Walk
    • Derelict Silvertown walk
    • River Peck/Earl's Sluice
    • Bow Creek
    • River Neckinger walk
    • Croydon Canal Walk
    • Hammersmith Walk
    • East Finchley to Gospel Oak
    • Whitechapel and Bethnal Green walk
    • Minories to Poplar
  • London's Lesser Known Rivers
    • Beverley Brook
    • Bow Backs Rivers
    • River Brent
    • River Ching
    • River Crane
    • River Cray
    • River Darent
    • Dead River
    • Dollis Brook
    • Duke of Northumberland's River
    • River Ember
    • Hogsmill River
    • River Lea
    • River Mole
    • The New River
    • River Pool
    • River Ravensbourne
    • River Roding
    • The Silk Stream
    • River Wandle
    • Yeading Brook
  • Buy The Book Here
    • Sample Chapter
    • Reviews
  • Contact/Mailing List
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  • London's Lost Music Venues
  • Home
  • London's Lost Rivers
    • River Peck
    • River Effra
    • River Moselle
    • The Black Ditch
    • Bollo Brook
    • The Cock & Pye Ditch
    • Counter's Creek
    • Earl's Sluice
    • Falcon Brook
    • Carbuncle Ditch
    • River Fleet
    • River Neckinger
    • Parr's Ditch
    • Hackney Brook
    • Pudding Mill River
    • Rotherhithe Mill Streams
    • Stamford Brook
    • River Tyburn
    • Tyburn Brook
    • River Walbrook
    • Muswell Stream
    • River Westbourne
  • London's Lost Canals
    • City Canal
    • Croydon Canal
    • Cumberland Arm
    • Grand Surrey Canal
    • Grosvenor Canal
    • Kensington Canal
    • Romford Canal
    • Royal Arsenal Canal
    • The Royal Gunpowder Mills Canals
  • Author's Guided Walks
    • River Fleet Walk
    • River Westbourne Walk
    • River Tyburn Walk
    • Lost Rivers of Hampstead Walk
    • Lost Docks of Wapping Walk
    • Grand Surrey Canal Walk
    • Woolwich - Dockyard & Royal Arsenal Canal Walk
    • Isle of Dogs Canal and Millwall Docks Walk
    • Derelict Limehouse & Poplar Walk
    • Derelict Silvertown walk
    • River Peck/Earl's Sluice
    • Bow Creek
    • River Neckinger walk
    • Croydon Canal Walk
    • Hammersmith Walk
    • East Finchley to Gospel Oak
    • Whitechapel and Bethnal Green walk
    • Minories to Poplar
  • London's Lesser Known Rivers
    • Beverley Brook
    • Bow Backs Rivers
    • River Brent
    • River Ching
    • River Crane
    • River Cray
    • River Darent
    • Dead River
    • Dollis Brook
    • Duke of Northumberland's River
    • River Ember
    • Hogsmill River
    • River Lea
    • River Mole
    • The New River
    • River Pool
    • River Ravensbourne
    • River Roding
    • The Silk Stream
    • River Wandle
    • Yeading Brook
  • Buy The Book Here
    • Sample Chapter
    • Reviews
  • Contact/Mailing List
  • Advertising on London's Lost Rivers
  • Privacy Policy/Cookies
  • London's Lost Music Venues
London's Lost Rivers - Book and Walking Tours by Paul Talling
The Carbuncle Ditch

​The Carbuncle Ditch (aka Garbell Ditch)

Carbuncle Passage marks the route of Carbuncle Ditch (aka Garbell Ditch)
Carbuncle Passage in Tottenham runs directly above the course of the Carbuncle Ditch (aka Garbell Ditch). London's Lost Rivers by Paul Talling
Carbuncle Passage runs directly above the course of the Ditch
A brief unculverted stretch of the Carbuncle Ditch in Tottenham
A brief unculverted stretch of the Carbuncle Ditch
Runs from the junction with the River Moselle at Scotland Green, (just south of the Tottenham High Road) in a straight line through Tottenham Marshes into Pymmes Brook.

Created in the early 15th century to alleviate flooding upstream by the River Moselle and the Ditch is basically a continuation of the Moselle. Originally known as The Garbell and then the Carbuncle by the 19th century though I am unable to find any explanation for the origins of these names. One can only assume that as a carbuncle is caused by bacterial infection, this ditch was associated with disease especially as around this period the population of the area increased and the once pure Moselle became heavily polluted. Carbuncle is now also used as a modern day term for something considered  unsympathetic to its surroundings after the Prince of Wales in the 1980s described a planning proposal for an extension to the National Gallery as a "monstrous carbuncle”. Locally to Tottenham this could perhaps apply to the fly-tipping that this vicinity now attracts.

The Carbuncle was partly culverted in 1906, but some parts remained open until after the Second World War. Much of the route now forms the Carbuncle Passage, a wide walkway providing rear access to rows of houses on either side. The gushing outfall at Pymmes Brook can be heard (and smelt) on the far edge of Tottenham Marshes though fencing and dense undergrowth hinder a decent view.
Picture
Carbuncle Passage runs directly above the course of the Ditch
Picture
Carbuncle Passage runs directly above the course of the Ditch
Picture
The Carbuncle Ditch runs (underground) in a straight line through Tottenham Marshes into Pymmes Brook.
London's Lost Rivers by Paul Talling. All images are copyright.