River Erme

The River Erme rises near the centre of southern Dartmoor and flows south-east for its first mile before turning south. It passes archaeological remains such as Erme Pound, the largest Bronze Age enclosure on the moor, and Downing’s House, a preserved tinner’s hut. The Upper Erme stone row, stretching 3,320 metres, crosses the river near The Meadow. Piles Copse, one of Dartmoor’s few ancient woodlands, lies on the river’s eastern bank. The valley floor was shaped by tin-streaming between the 4th and 14th centuries, leaving deep pits and altered landscapes.

Below the moor, the river passes Harford and enters Long Timber Woods, a popular spot for kayaking. Near Ivybridge, the river powered mills and inspired J. M. W. Turner’s painting *The Ivy Bridge* in 1813. The village of Ermington has a crooked church spire and Flete House, a Grade I listed building. The river’s flow averages 1.95 cubic metres per second near Ermington, measured since 1973. Stone walls line the banks here, unlike the hedgebanks of the South Hams.

As the Erme nears the coast it becomes a ria, with salt marshes exposed at low tide. The estuary meets the English Channel between Mothecombe and Kingston, where beaches like Wonwell and Mothecombe lie. The Flete Estate surrounds the estuary, covering 5,000 acres. Tin ingots dating from 500 BC to 600 AD were found near West Mary Reef, showing early mining activity. Ruined lime kilns and a silted canal mark the area’s industrial past, while Wonwell beach once supported a fishing community.