The River Trent, and other rivers, were important
places for settlements in the past. Many places by the Trent have grown because of one or
more of the following reasons:
People need to have a water supply. They need water
to drink and for industry.
The River was used for transport and communication,
the River was very important in times when roads were poor and before the railway was
invented.
People would want to live where there was a bridge
so that they could cross the River. For example, Newark. Settlers would charge travellers
a tax to use the bridge.
Towns grew around castles. Castles were often built
by rivers for defensive reasons. The inside of a bend on a river is a good defensive
position. There are castles in Nottingham and Newark.
Have you noticed how some of the places along the
River have 'Trent' in their name? For example, Stoke-on-Trent and Burton-upon-Trent.
