# River Teign > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/River_Teign > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/River_Teign.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Teign > Source revision: 1334994218 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) River in Devon, England "Teign" redirects here; not to be confused with [Teigne](/source/Teigne). River Teign The Teign estuary at sunset Map showing the course and catchment of the Teign. Location within Devon Location Country England County Devon Towns Teignmouth; Newton Abbot; Kingsteignton Physical characteristics Source • coordinates 50°38′19″N 003°57′31″W / 50.63861°N 3.95861°W / 50.63861; -3.95861 • elevation 528 m (1,732 ft) Mouth Lyme Bay • location English Channel • coordinates 50°32′23″N 3°30′2″W / 50.53972°N 3.50056°W / 50.53972; -3.50056 • elevation 0 m (0 ft) Length 31 mi (50 km) Basin features Tributaries • left Blackaton Brook, Fingle Brook, Reedy Brook, Sowton Brook, Bramble Brook, Kate Brook, Well Head Brook • right Beadon Brook, River Bovey, River Lemon, Aller Brook The **River Teign** [/ˈtiːn/](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/English) is a river in the [county](/source/County) of [Devon](/source/Devon), England. It is 31 mi (50 km) long and rises on [Dartmoor](/source/Dartmoor), becomes an estuary just below [Newton Abbot](/source/Newton_Abbot) and reaches the [English Channel](/source/English_Channel) at [Teignmouth](/source/Teignmouth). ## Toponymy The river-name *Teign* is first attested in an [Anglo-Saxon charter](/source/Anglo-Saxon_charters) of 739, where it appears as *Teng*. The name is pre-Roman, related to the [Welsh](/source/Welsh_language) *taen* meaning 'sprinkling', or 'spread out' and means simply 'stream'.[1] The river lends its name to several places, including Teigncombe, [Drewsteignton](/source/Drewsteignton), [Canonteign](/source/Canonteign), [Teigngrace](/source/Teigngrace), [Kingsteignton](/source/Kingsteignton) (at one time, one of England's largest villages), [Bishopsteignton](/source/Bishopsteignton), [Teignharvey](/source/Stokeinteignhead#Teignharvey), and the second largest settlement along its course, [Teignmouth](/source/Teignmouth). However, the villages of [Combeinteignhead](/source/Combeinteignhead) and [Stokeinteignhead](/source/Stokeinteignhead), on the other side of the estuary from Bishopsteignton, are not named after the river.[1] ## Course The River Teign rises on [Dartmoor](/source/Dartmoor), as do many other major Devonian rivers. It has two separate sources: one rises at Teign Head, forming the **North Teign** which flows northeast where it is crossed by a [clapper bridge](/source/Clapper_bridge) near Teigncombe. On its bank near the confluence with the Walla Brook is the [Tolmen Stone](/source/Rock-cut_basin) that is perforated by a large circular hole.[2] The second source rises near [Grey Wethers](/source/Grey_Wethers) and forms the shorter **South Teign** which flows through the Fernworthy Forest and a reservoir of the same name. The two rivers combine at Leigh Bridge near [Chagford](/source/Chagford) to form the Teign, which leaves the moor on its eastern side, flowing beneath [Castle Drogo](/source/Castle_Drogo) in a steep-sided valley. Near [Dunsford](/source/Dunsford) there is a nature reserve on the east bank.[3] It then flows southwards at the east edge of the moor through a steep-sided valley along which ran the [Teign Valley Line](/source/Teign_Valley_Line) providing rail service to the villages in the vicinity until its closure in 1967. Near [Trusham](/source/Trusham) the Beadon Brook joins, bringing overspill from the [Tottiford, Kennick, and Trenchford Reservoirs](/source/Tottiford%2C_Kennick%2C_and_Trenchford_Reservoirs).[4] Passing [Chudleigh](/source/Chudleigh) and [Chudleigh Knighton](/source/Chudleigh_Knighton), the river flows through the [Bovey Basin](/source/Bovey_Basin) where [ball clay](/source/Ball_clay) is extracted, then between Kingsteignton and [Newton Abbot](/source/Newton_Abbot), where, during its operation from 1898 to 1974, the [Newton Abbot power station](/source/Newton_Abbot_power_station) drew its cooling water from the river, discharging it back into the [River Lemon](/source/River_Lemon), which joins the Teign downstream. Below Newton Abbot the river turns abruptly to the east and becomes tidal, widening to form the Teign Estuary, a large [ria](/source/Ria) that reaches the [English Channel](/source/English_Channel) at Teignmouth. ## Crossings [Fingle Bridge](/source/Fingle_Bridge) is a Grade II* [listed structure](/source/Listed_building) that crosses the river near Drewsteignton on Dartmoor. Until 1827 the most downstream bridge was [Teign Bridge](/source/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.[5] In 1976 a viaduct was built across the top of the estuary just below Newton Abbot to carry the newly diverted [A380 road](/source/A380_road). The viaduct is about 550 m (0.34 mi) long and has eleven spans.[6] Since 1827 the lowest road crossing has been [Shaldon Bridge](/source/Teignmouth) that now carries the [A379](/source/A379) near the mouth of the estuary. A passenger ferry between Teignmouth and [Shaldon](/source/Shaldon) operates a little lower down. ## Navigability The Teign near [Fingle Bridge](/source/Fingle_Bridge) and [Castle Drogo](/source/Castle_Drogo), with a kayaker in the background ### Ships and barges The [port of Teignmouth](/source/Teignmouth), just inside the mouth of the estuary, is visited by ships mostly handling clay, timber and grain. The lower reaches of the river are navigable up to [Newton Abbot](/source/Newton_Abbot), although now only to shallow draft boats and those less than 2.9 metres high due to the Shaldon Bridge.[7] The tidal Whitelake Channel of the river connects it to two disused short canals that were both built to serve the [ball clay](/source/Ball_clay) trade in the area. The [Stover Canal](/source/Stover_Canal) heads to Teigngrace (with the River Teign also supplying the header pond); it was built to serve [ball clay](/source/Ball_clay) operations, but later it was the terminus of the [Haytor Granite Tramway](/source/Haytor_Granite_Tramway), carrying granite. The second connection was to the [Hackney Canal](/source/Hackney_Canal), only 0.6 miles long, that connected the river to a ball clay quarry at Hackney Clay Cellars in [Kingsteignton](/source/Kingsteignton) (now the site of a retail park), through what is now [Newton Abbot Racecourse](/source/Newton_Abbot_Racecourse). ### Personal watercraft The river has been kayaked at least from Leigh Bridge (the confluence of the North and South Teign) at [SX68358765](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=River_Teign¶ms=50.673574_N_3.864499_W_region:GB_scale:25000) to Steps Bridge at [SX80438835](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=River_Teign¶ms=50.682479_N_3.693851_W_region:GB_scale:25000),[8] rated as grade 2 to 3. There is also a single high-grade, very technical drop. ## Fishing The Teign estuary is known for [flounder](/source/Flounder) fishing; a British record specimen was caught here in 1994.[9] Other species include [grey mullet](/source/Grey_mullet) in the estuary, [brown trout](/source/Brown_trout) further up the river and some salmon and [sea trout](/source/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](/source/Carp) as far as the tidal marshes under the A380 at Newton Abbot.[10] ## See also - [Rivers of the United Kingdom](/source/Rivers_of_the_United_Kingdom) - [Haytor Granite Tramway](/source/Haytor_Granite_Tramway) – The Teign and its commercial past. - [Teign Valley Railway](/source/Teign_Valley_Line) ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-EE_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-EE_1-1) [Eilert Ekwall](/source/Eilert_Ekwall), *The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names*, p.462. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Tolmen Stone | Legendary Dartmoor"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160408100220/http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/Tolmen.htm). *Legendary Dartmoor*. Archived from [the original](http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/tolmen.htm) on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Dunsford Nature Reserve"](http://www.devonwildlifetrust.org/index.php?section=places:reserves&reserveid=26). *www.devonwildlifetrust.org*. Retrieved 17 April 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Beadon Brook Water Body"](https://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/WaterBody/GB108046008500). *Environment Agency*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Jusserand, J.J. (1891). *English Wayfaring Life in the Middle Ages.* Pub. T. Fisher Unwin, London. P. 69. Available online at [www.archive.org](https://archive.org/details/englishwayfaring00jussuoft). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Hawkins, Michael (1988). *Devon Roads – an illustrated survey of the development and management of Devon's highway network*. Exeter: Devon Books. p. 85. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-86114-817-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-86114-817-7). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Navigation and Safety"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150205064926/http://www.teignmouthharbour.com/navigation-and-safety). Teignmouth Harbour Commission. Archived from [the original](http://www.teignmouthharbour.com/navigation-and-safety) on 5 February 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [UK Rivers Guidebook – South West England](http://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/swengland.htm) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Flounder | Britishseafishing.co.uk"](http://britishseafishing.co.uk/flounder/). *britishseafishing.co.uk*. Retrieved 17 April 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["River Teign"](http://www.carpinfo.co.uk/clubdet.php?wc_id=8157). Carp Info. Retrieved 9 July 2016. ## Further reading - Hemery, Eric (1983). *High Dartmoor*. London: Robert Hale. pp. 746–821. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7091-8859-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7091-8859-5). ## External links - [\[1\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-l7M-2C1uc) Video footage of the Teignmouth - Shaldon Ferry during the Shaldon Regatta v t e Ceremonial county of Devon Devon Portal Unitary authorities Plymouth Torbay Boroughs or districts East Devon Exeter Mid Devon North Devon South Hams Teignbridge Torridge West Devon Major settlements (cities in italics) Ashburton Axminster Bampton Barnstaple Bideford Bovey Tracey Brixham Buckfastleigh Budleigh Salterton Chagford Chudleigh Chulmleigh Colyton Crediton Cullompton Dartmouth Dawlish Exeter Exmouth Great Torrington Hatherleigh Holsworthy Honiton Ilfracombe Ivybridge Kingsbridge Kingsteignton Lynton Moretonhampstead Newton Abbot North Tawton Northam Okehampton Ottery St Mary Paignton Plymouth Plympton Plymstock Salcombe Seaton Sidmouth South Molton Tavistock Teignmouth Tiverton Topsham Torquay Totnes See also: List of civil parishes in Devon Rivers Ashburn Avon Axe Barle Bovey Bray Burn Clyst Creedy Culm Dart East Dart West Dart Erme Exe Heddon Lemon Lew Lumburn Lyd East Lyn West Lyn Meavy Mole Okement East Okement West Okement Otter Plym Sid Swincombe Tamar Tavy Taw Teign Thrushel Torridge Walkham Wallabrooke East Webburn West Webburn Wolf Yealm Topics Flag Devon County Council Parliamentary constituencies Economy Places Towns by population SSSIs Country houses Grade I listed buildings Grade II* listed buildings Scheduled monuments Bridges History Schools Museums Lord Lieutenants High Sheriffs Notable people Dartmoor Exmoor South Devon AONB Tamar Valley AONB Jurassic Coast South West Coast Path Two Moors Way North Devon's Biosphere Reserve v t e Rivers of Dartmoor, Devon, England Ashburn Avon Bovey Dart East Dart West Dart East Okement East Webburn Erme Jordan Lemon Lyd Meavy Plym Swincombe Tavy Taw Teign Walkham West Okement West Webburn Yealm Authority control databases International VIAF National United States Israel --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [River Teign](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Teign) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Teign?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.