At Hunton, 7 furlongs (1.4 km) above Yalding, it is joined by the major stream of the River Teise.

The bridge was the scene of the Staplehurst rail crash in 1865 in which Charles Dickens was involved.

It hasn't been heavily embanked like most clay rivers found in the midlands, although the majority of trees were removed.

The river is subject to significant agricultural run off and flows from wastewater treatment works.

At one time, the river had been noteworthy for its cleanliness, with waters being "crystal clear" as one account put it.

However, due to the aforementioned industries, the water quality had taken a heavy toll on the previous pristine description.

The vegetation communities are not so interesting here as the river is smaller, heavily tree lined and a greater proportion of riverside land is in arable cultivation.

The Environment Agency measure water quality of the river systems in England.

Each is given an overall ecological status, which may be one of five levels: high, good, moderate, poor and bad.

There are several components that are used to determine this, including biological status, which looks at the quantity and varieties of invertebrates, angiosperms and fish.

There are floating plants such as yellow water-lily in the channel and flora on the banks include amphibious bistort and celery-leaved buttercup.

The waterwheel was replaced by a turbine made by Messrs Drake & Fletcher of Maidstone.

A stream rises at Angley Woods, Cranbrook and flows into the Beult at Frittenden.

In the mid nineteenth century it was worked in conjunction with the Union Mill, the miller being Mr Russell.

John Foreman, farmer, of Horsmonden hired the mill for 14 years in November 1854.

On 18 June 1557 the miller, William Allin and his wife Katherine were burned at the stake at Fairmeadow, Maidstone, along with five other Protestants.

The Allins had fed the poor, sold corn at half price and read scriptures to people.

[14] The earliest surviving part of the mill is dated 1756, David Papillon being the then owner.

This drove a cast-iron wallower with 28 teeth mounted on a wooden upright shaft.

The cast-iron Great Spur Wheel has 128 cogs and drove four pairs of millstone at one time.

it runs for 7 miles (11 km) passing through Sissinghurst and Frittenden and then joins the River Beult at Headcorn.

[11] The Crane Brook rises at Hartley, it powered a number of mills before joining the Hammer Stream at Biddenden.

The Upper Pond is mentioned in 1503, and in 1545 Thomas Roberts granted a lease to Thomas Burgess of Cranbrooke of the "uppermost mmyll ponde" - information given in the lease suggests that the Upper Mill was a fulling mill then.

It powered:- John Tooth bought a house in Stone Street, Cranbrook in the late eighteenth century.

The cast iron axle is 9 inches (230 mm) square, and bears the legend "WEEKS & SON, MAIDSTONE 1875" on one face.