Gypsey Race
River in the East Riding, Yorkshire, England
title: "Gypsey Race" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["rivers-of-north-yorkshire", "rivers-of-the-east-riding-of-yorkshire", "yorkshire-wolds"] description: "River in the East Riding, Yorkshire, England" topic_path: "general/rivers-of-north-yorkshire" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsey_Race" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary River in the East Riding, Yorkshire, England ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox river"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Gypsey Race |
| image | Gypsey Race (stream), Boynton - geograph.org.uk - 6336899.jpg |
| image_caption | The Gypsey Race at Boynton |
| image_alt | A narrow beck, curving between two fields |
| source1_location | Duggleby |
| source1_coordinates | |
| mouth_location | North Sea at Bridlington |
| mouth_coordinates | |
| pushpin_map | East Riding of Yorkshire |
| pushpin_map_caption | Location of the mouth shown within the East Riding of Yorkshire |
| subdivision_type1 | Country |
| subdivision_name1 | England |
| length | 41.4 km |
| source1_elevation | 114 m |
| basin_size | 265.5 km2 |
| :: |
| name = Gypsey Race | image = Gypsey Race (stream), Boynton - geograph.org.uk - 6336899.jpg | image_caption = The Gypsey Race at Boynton | image_alt = A narrow beck, curving between two fields | source1_location = Duggleby | source1_coordinates= | mouth_location = North Sea at Bridlington | mouth_coordinates = | pushpin_map = East Riding of Yorkshire | pushpin_map_caption= Location of the mouth shown within the East Riding of Yorkshire | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = England | length = 41.4 km | source1_elevation = 114 m | discharge1_avg = | basin_size = 265.5 km2
The Gypsey Race is a winterbourne stream in the Yorkshire Wolds. It rises to the east of Wharram-le-Street and flows through the villages of Duggleby, Kirby Grindalythe, West Lutton, East Lutton, Helperthorpe, Weaverthorpe, Butterwick, Foxholes, Wold Newton, Burton Fleming, Rudston and Boynton before emptying into the North Sea at Bridlington Harbour. It is the most northerly of the Yorkshire chalk streams.
The Gypsey Race rises in the Great Wold Valley through a series of springs and flows intermittently between Duggleby and West Lutton, where it runs underground in the chalk aquifer before re-surfacing in Rudston. It has been known during very wet conditions for the stream to reappear at Wold Newton, some 7 km north-west of Rudston. Water from the aquifer running between West Lutton and Wold Newton also heads south to reappear at Elmswell, feeding West Beck and the River Hull.
According to folklore, when the Gypsey Race is flowing in flood (the Woe Waters), bad fortune is at hand. |last = Cooper |first = A. N. |title = The Curiosities of East Yorkshire |publisher = E. T. W. Dennis |location = Scarborough |year = 1921 |oclc=19825990}} It was in flood in the year before the Great Plague of 1665–66, the restoration of Charles II (1660) and the landing of William of Orange (1688), before both World War One and World War Two, plus the bad winters of 1947 and 1962.
The stream also badly flooded the village of Burton Fleming in 2012, when the water was 2 ft deep in places.
Villagers in Boynton have an annual duck race on the stream in May. Hundreds of yellow plastic ducks are paid for and race the Race in aid of funds for the village hall.
Pictures
File:The Gypsey Race beside Thwing Road, Burton Fleming - geograph.org.uk - 6467500.jpg|The bed of the Gypsey Race during a dry spell File:Bridge over the Gypsey Race, Burton Fleming - geograph.org.uk - 6398906.jpg|The same view in wet weather File:Gypsey Race Burton Fleming 5 (Nigel Coates).jpg|The stream in flood at Burton Fleming File:Boat crane, Bridlington Harbour - geograph.org.uk - 7716309.jpg|The stream entering Bridlington Harbour
Notes
References
References
- "Gypsey Race from Source to North Sea". Environment Agency.
- Smith, A. H.. (1937). "The Place-Names of the East Riding of Yorkshire and York". Cambridge University Press.
- (April 2008). "Gypsey race". East Yorkshire Chalk Rivers Trust.
- "Great Wold Valley Heritage Trail". Ryedale District Council.
- "Gypsey Race – Summary". Environment Agency.
- (2006). "Scarborough & Bridlington". Ordnance Survey.
- Hulbert, Linda. (21 May 2008). "Origin of the Gypsey Race". Bridlington Free Press.
- (27 December 2012). "Burton Fleming residents bailing out after floodwater enters homes". Hull Daily Mail.
- (6 May 2010). "Bottoms up at Boynton". Bridlington Free Press.
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