The River Chew has always played a prominent part in my life. I was born within sight of it, have lived near it for most of my life, and as a youth I spent many days attempting to catch fish from its peaceful waters.

When I took up photography in 2002, the River Chew and its picturesque valley became the main subject of my work as I wandered through the fields and pastures.

In 2005, I acquired the www.riverchew.co.uk domain name, with a view to displaying some of my images. This idea soon grew into a fully-fledged research project.

Books were borrowed from the local library and many miles of river bank were walked in an attempt to construct a concise yet detailed account of the river and its valley.

The website has been revised several times since the original version was published, and continues to attract a healthy number of visitors to this day. You can view the River Chew website at www.riverchew.co.uk.