River Teign
Encyclopedia
The River Teign is a river in the county
of Devon
, England
.
Like many Devon rivers, the Teign rises on Dartmoor
, near Cranmere Pool
. Its course on the moor is crossed by a clapper bridge
near Teigncombe, just below the prehistoric Kestor Settlement. It leaves the moor at its eastern side, flowing beneath Castle Drogo
in a steep-sided valley. It then flows southwards at the east edge of the moor. The river becomes tidal at Newton Abbot
, and reaches the English Channel
at Teignmouth
. Its estuary
is a large ria
.
The river lends its name to several places on the map in its 50 km (31.1 mi) to the English Channel: Teigncombe, Drewsteignton
, Teigngrace, Kingsteignton
(one of England's largest villages), Bishopsteignton
, Teignharvey, and Teignmouth
.
Until 1827 the lowest bridge over the river was Teign Bridge at Teigngrace. When it was being rebuilt in 1815 it became apparent that at least four successive bridges had been erected at various times with or over the remains of the previous constructions. Mr. P. T. Taylor, who investigated the matter at the time, gave as his opinion that:
One end of the Hackney Canal
connected to the river.
The river has been kayaked at least from Leigh Bridge (the confluence of the North and South Teign) at SX 6835 8765 to Steps Bridge at SX 8043 8835, rated as grade 2 to 3. There is also a single high-grade, very technical drop. Near Dunsford
there is a nature reserve on the east bank.
The Teign estuary is one of the UK's premier rivers for flounder
fishing. Other species include grey mullet in the estuary, brown trout
further up the river and some salmon and sea trout throughout. Some coarse fish are caught in the lower reaches of Teign, although it is not officially a coarse fish river. This includes carp
as far as the tidal marshes under the A380 at Newton Abbot.
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Like many Devon rivers, the Teign rises on Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
, near Cranmere Pool
Cranmere Pool
Cranmere Pool is a small depression in the peat set in the northern half of Dartmoor at SX604858. It is approximately 0.5 km north west of the source of the East Dart and is effectively the head of the West Okement which feeds Meldon reservoir...
. Its course on the moor is crossed by a clapper bridge
Clapper bridge
A clapper bridge is an ancient form of bridge found on the moors of Devon and in other upland areas of the United Kingdom including Snowdonia and Anglesey...
near Teigncombe, just below the prehistoric Kestor Settlement. It leaves the moor at its eastern side, flowing beneath Castle Drogo
Castle Drogo
Castle Drogo is a country house near Drewsteignton, Devon, England. It was built in the 1910s and 1920s for Julius Drewe to designs by architect Edwin Lutyens, and is a Grade I listed building...
in a steep-sided valley. It then flows southwards at the east edge of the moor. The river becomes tidal at Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot is a market town and civil parish in the Teignbridge District of Devon, England on the River Teign, with a population of 23,580....
, and reaches the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
at Teignmouth
Teignmouth
Teignmouth is a town and civil parish in Teignbridge in the English county of Devon, situated on the north bank of the estuary mouth of the River Teign about 14 miles south of Exeter. It has a population of 14,413. In 1690, it was the last place in England to be invaded by a foreign power...
. Its estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
is a large ria
Ria
A ria is a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley. It is a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea. Typically, rias have a dendritic, treelike outline although they can be straight and without significant branches. This pattern is inherited from the...
.
The river lends its name to several places on the map in its 50 km (31.1 mi) to the English Channel: Teigncombe, Drewsteignton
Drewsteignton
Drewsteignton is a village and civil parish within the administrative area of West Devon, England, also lying within the Dartmoor National Park. It is located in the Teign valley, west of Exeter and south east of Okehampton...
, Teigngrace, Kingsteignton
Kingsteignton
Kingsteignton is a town and civil parish in South Devon, England. It lies at the head of the Teign Estuary to the west of Teignmouth in the Teignbridge district. It is bypassed by the A380 and is also on the A383, B3193 and B3195....
(one of England's largest villages), Bishopsteignton
Bishopsteignton
Bishopsteignton is a village in South Devon, England between Newton Abbot and Teignmouth, close to the Teign Estuary. The village is on a steep hill, and has a post office, small pharmacy and a small, family-run supermarket...
, Teignharvey, and Teignmouth
Teignmouth
Teignmouth is a town and civil parish in Teignbridge in the English county of Devon, situated on the north bank of the estuary mouth of the River Teign about 14 miles south of Exeter. It has a population of 14,413. In 1690, it was the last place in England to be invaded by a foreign power...
.
Until 1827 the lowest bridge over the river was Teign Bridge at Teigngrace. When it was being rebuilt in 1815 it became apparent that at least four successive bridges had been erected at various times with or over the remains of the previous constructions. Mr. P. T. Taylor, who investigated the matter at the time, gave as his opinion that:
the last or upper work was done in the sixteenth century, and that the red bridge had been built on the salt marsh in the thirteenth century; since which time there has been an accumulation of soil to the depth of ten feet. He supposes the wooden bridge to be old as the Conquest, and the white stone bridge to have been Roman work.
One end of the Hackney Canal
Hackney Canal
The Hackney Canal was a 5/8 mile long canal that ran from the River Teign to the Newton Abbot – Kingsteignton road. Its construction was undertaken by Lord Clifford in order to carry ball clay from the pits in the Bovey Basin. The canal opened on 17 March 1843...
connected to the river.
The river has been kayaked at least from Leigh Bridge (the confluence of the North and South Teign) at SX 6835 8765 to Steps Bridge at SX 8043 8835, rated as grade 2 to 3. There is also a single high-grade, very technical drop. Near Dunsford
Dunsford
Dunsford is a village in Devon, England, just inside the Dartmoor National Park.The village has a number of traditional thatched cottages; a primary school which has a swimming pool, climbing wall and sports field; one village shop and post office; a tea room and a public house. St. Mary's Church,...
there is a nature reserve on the east bank.
Flounder
The flounder is an ocean-dwelling flatfish species that is found in coastal lagoons and estuaries of the Northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.-Taxonomy:There are a number of geographical and taxonomical species to which flounder belong.*Western Atlantic...
fishing. Other species include grey mullet in the estuary, brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
further up the river and some salmon and sea trout throughout. Some coarse fish are caught in the lower reaches of Teign, although it is not officially a coarse fish river. This includes carp
Carp
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
as far as the tidal marshes under the A380 at Newton Abbot.
See also
- Rivers of the United Kingdom
- Haytor Granite TramwayHaytor Granite TramwayThe Haytor Granite Tramway was a unique granite-railed tramway running down from Haytor Down, Dartmoor, Devon. The tramway was built in 1820 to carry Haytor granite, which was of fine grain and high quality, down from the heights of Dartmoor for the construction of houses, bridges and other...
- The Teign and its commercial past. - Rock-cut basinRock-cut basinA rock-cut basin, in this usage of the term, is a natural phenomenon. They are cylindrical depressions cut into stream or river beds, often filled with water. Such plucked-bedrock pits are created by kolks; powerful vortices within the water currents which spin small boulders around, eroding out...
The Tolmen stone on the North Teign