The Wogebourne has appeared in records since at least the fourteenth century, and has been known by other names including Woghbourne, Plumstead River, and Wickham Valley Watercourse.

The final part of the river in Thamesmead was previously marshland which was drained in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, where the Wogebourne now completes its course through a man-made lake called Southmere and a purpose-built channel named Crossway Canal which empties into the Thames at Crossness.

[9][10] The river flows northward under this main road, just to the west side of the We Anchor In Hope pub, and BP petrol station in Welling.

[12] From here the river travels northwest for another 300 m (980 ft) in an open channel between the back gardens of Woodbrook Road to the southwest and Bostall Woods to the northeast, from where another short tributary joins, passing beneath a cul-de-sac named Streamdale then returning to another underground culvert.

[2][5] In the early twentieth century and earlier, the section of the river that runs through what is now East Wickham Open Space flowed in a meandering path above ground through the areas of woodland, Bourne Spring Wood, previously called Bowan Spring Wood[9][15] and Hill Grove,[15] and was joined from the south by a short tributary that flowed through a pond,[15] both which no longer exist.

During excavation the underground section of the River Wogebourne was uncovered causing minor flooding and the water was temporarily diverted whilst construction continued.

[3] Initially the contractors thought the river diversion may cost up to £20 million, but managed to complete the work at a lower price.