The River Arun, West Sussex

Flowing by the wetlands of Arundel
Overlooked by a castle up on high
Ptolemy first called it the Trisantonis
Is the River Arun running by

Also known as the Trespasser
A Southern Celtic Brythonic interpretation of the word
An indication of its tendency to flood
For centuries, this has been observed

Part of the Arun, was rumoured to be called the Arnus
Brythonic for run, go, or flow
And that Arundel may mean Arno-Dell
Or where the Dell of the flowing river did go

Remains of Iron-Age forts
To Roman ruins, signs of its' long history
Along with Arundel Castle founded in 1067
Chalk downs rise on either side, but no mystery

At Amberley Church, by Arundels' castle walls
Ghostly sitings of a girl, with golden ringlets in her hair
Hungry Seals sometimes ventured up river
In times long past, mistakenly thinking Mermaids were there!

In the Middle-Ages, the river was known as
River of Arundel, The Arundel River, or The High Stream of Arundel, to confuse
By 1577, the first use of it's modern name was recorded
Although the other names were still often in use

The Rother, The Chilt, and Upper Arun
Tri in Roman, the three tributaries
Although Trisanto, when roughly translated
Could also mean 'one who goes across', perhaps the rivers three

Arundel for many years, served as a port
Ships docking at the Town Quay, formerly Mayors Quay
From the 13th century, coastal and cross channel trading vessels
Also passengers, Catholic priests, and soldiers, were carried across the sea

Yet by the 1840's, use of the river declined
Due to changes in coastal shipping, and the use of railway lines
By the mid 1850's, barges were replaced by coasters
And by 1886, most river traffic, was on the decline

The River Arun has seen much history
all 37 miles of it, from source to the sea
As it rises from a series of Ghylis, or Gills
All part of it'' profound majesty

It's Spring Tides, twice every Lunar month
Allowed larger vessels to venture along her waters
Some built at the Nineveh Shipyard
Such as Hoys, and Sailing Barges, becoming the Aruns' daughters

The River Arun, feeds ancient woodlands
And reedbeds, where dwell Water Voles, Kingfishers, the rare Nene Goose
Along with Bewick Swans, in the cold winter months
Where the yellow, and black, Common Club-Tailed Dragonflies, fly loose

The fast flowing Arun, second fastest in the United Kingdom
The Trespassers waters, has aided humans, and nature throughout
The Arun never crossed borders out of Sussex
And is one of the countries finest rivers, without a doubt
by Jemia