River Teme
The
River Teme rises in mid-
Wales south of
Newtown, Powys and flows through
Ludlow in
Shropshire, then between
Tenbury Wells,
Worcestershire and Burford,
Shropshire on its way to join the
River Severn south of
Worcester. The whole of the River Teme was designated as an
SSSI, by
English Nature, in 1996.
The river source is in the
Kerry Hills south of Newtown, Mid-Wales. It flows across the border into England close to
Knighton. From there to its confluence with the River Severn, at Worcester (about 60 miles/100 km downstream) it flows through Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire. The upper reaches of the river are usually steep with fast flowing but relatively shallow waters. There are some mills, and a number of weirs, including several at Ludlow. Below Tenbury the river is more tranquil but still quite shallow, with strong cross currents. Water levels in the Teme are highly variable, something which has been made worse in recent years through increases in water extraction for agriculture use.
[Wendy Thompson Improving access for canoeing on inland waterways: A study of the feasibility of access agreements for the Countryside Agency September 2003]The
River Clun flows into the Teme at
Leintwardine,
Herefordshire. The Ledwyche Brook flows into the Teme at
Burford, Shropshire. The Kyre Brook flows into the Teme at
Tenbury Wells. The
River Rea flows into the Teme at Newnham Bridge,
Worcestershire, a few miles south of
Cleobury Mortimer,
Shropshire .
Canoeing
A
Countryside Agency report in September 2003 entitled
Improving access for canoeing on inland waterways: A study of the feasibility of access agreements stated:
There are no formal access agreements for canoeing on the Teme. However, unlawful canoeing does occur and there are many claims about the resulting conflict. As a result of its character, the demand for canoeing is seasonal, when there is enough water in the river, and is more in the upper reaches where the faster water can be found. However, this part of the river is also the most valuable for fishing, with riparian owners keen to protect their interests and prevent canoeing, on the grounds that the Teme is not suited to canoeing under any circumstances. While there is probably less conflict below Tenbury, there is also less interest in canoeing, and probably less opportunity, given the water levels.Information on canoeing on the Teme in the Ludlow area is available at http://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/teme.htm - information on the Tenbury Wells to Broadwas area is available at http://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/temetenbury.htm
Fishing
Fishing is popular on many stretches of the Teme, with its
barbel fishing being particularly noted.
Coracles
Leintwardine held its 11th annual
coracle regatta in June 2005. For 2006 the event moved to Mortimer's Cross. An account of the 2005 event, with pictures, is available at http://www.coracle-fishing.net/leintwardine-2005/index.htm
Boating
Rowing boats are available for hire from The Linney Park,
Ludlow - see http://www.visitsouthshropshire.co.uk/ludlow.htm - which includes a picture of boating on the Teme.
Whether the river Teme was navigable has been controversial. The BBC on its Shropshire website
[Where I live in Shropshire: Nature] at one time reported that "The Teme had been an essential transport route since before Roman times - valuable gold, silver and lead mined on hills near Leintwardine would be ferried downriver for processing." But Hadfield
[C. Hadfield, Canals of the West Midlands (1969), 58-9. ] provided no evidence that the river Teme has been generally navigable (except by canoes and such like). The exception to this is the final 1.5 miles from
Powick Mill to its confluence with the river Severn. There was a
coal wharf near Powick Bridge, belonging with the mill, whose owner had the right to use a towing path to the river Severn. In the 18th century,
pig iron was brought up the river to Powick
forge (as the mill then was).
[H. Lloyd, The Quaker LLoyds in the Industrial Revolution (1975), 148-50.] William Sandys (who improved the
Avon) was also authorised to improve the Teme, but there is no evidence that he did so. From 1662 Sir William Sandys and his son undertook work on the Wye and Lugg.
[I. Cohen 'The non-tidal Wye and its navigation' Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists Field Club 34 (1955), 83-101; P. King, 'The River Teme and Other Midlands Navigations' Journal of Railway and Canal Historical Society 35(5) (July 2006), 350-1. ] About the only indication of commercial use of vessels above Powick is a single reference to the miller at
Stanford on Teme having a boat capable of carrying 10 tons in 1750.
[ Hadfield, loc. cit. ] Unless locks had been installed, this could not have operated over any great distance, as it would have been unable to pass mill
weirs. Other evidence that has been offered in support of navigation above Powick consists of certain paintings (thought to date from c.1830) which show a river with boats.
[ A painting allegedly of Dinham Bridge, Ludlow.] It is not clear if these paintings show Ludlow as it actually was, or if they were at least partly derived from the artist's imagination. Undoubtedly, small boats have long been used on the river. For example, at Tenbury Wells in 1886, people were rescued during floods using a boat that had broken loose from its mooring so there must have been at least one boat on the river at that time.
[ F. Wayland Joyce Tenbury - Some Record of its History (1931)] Nevertheless, the evidence for the commercial use of the river as a navigable waterway above Powick is vanishingly thin.
[ P. King, op. cit. 35(5) (July 2006), 348-55, where the issue is examined at length. For the arguments to the contrary see P. Jones 'Navigation on the river Teme' Journal of Railway and Canal Historical Society 35(4) (Mar. 2006), 293-300. ]*
Rivers of the United Kingdom*
Teme valley project*
Teme Valley towns
