River Culm
Encyclopedia
The River Culm flows through Devon
, England
. It rises in the Blackdown Hills
at a spring - see OS map - near Culmhead and flows west through Hemyock
, then Culmstock
(in the Culm Valley) to Uffculme
. The river turns south, through Cullompton
(and alongside the M5 motorway
), skirting the northern boundary of Killerton
Park to join the River Exe
on the north-western outskirts of Exeter
. The name of the river is thought to mean 'knot' or 'tie', in reference to the river's twists and loops.
The River Culm begins in a marshy field near Culmhead (picture 2). Four and a half miles from its source the river crosses a road (OS ST17501455). At this point the river is 1.5m wide (picture 3). At Gladhayes the river passes under a two-arched bridge (picture 4). About one half of a mile further the river is joined (from the south) by the waters of Madaford River. From here the river flows on and reaches Culmstock
, a village built on both sides of the river. The river is shallower here (picture 5). At Uffculme
the river flows in a straight course and flows more slowly (picture 6). The Spratford Steam, whose waters have flowed in a southerly direction, meets the Culm near Willand, and thereafter the river shares its valley with the present main railway line (former Great Western Railway
) from Taunton
to Exeter
. The M5 motorway
runs beside the railway, and all three continue past the market town of Cullompton
. The river meander
s a lot here and is prone to flooding. Shortly prior to reaching Hele - near Kensham House - the small River Weaver flows into the Culm from the east. It passes under a paper mill at Hele
(picture 7). North of Stoke Canon
the river has many meanders (picture 8).
Shedding the motorway to the south of Hele
, the river and the railway continue together into Exeter, although by then the Culm has joined the River Exe
- just below Stoke Canon
(picture 9).
.
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...
. It rises in the Blackdown Hills
Blackdown Hills
The Blackdown Hills are a range of hills along the Somerset-Devon border in south-western England, which were designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1991....
at a spring - see OS map - near Culmhead and flows west through Hemyock
Hemyock
Hemyock is a village in Devon, England. It is located approximately five miles from the Somerset town of Wellington. The River Culm flows through Hemyock...
, then Culmstock
Culmstock
thumb|Old stone bridge with pedestrian refuges over River Culm at CulmstockCulmstock is a picturesque parish village in east Devon, about 5 miles from Tiverton and 7 or so miles NE of Cullompton. It is laid out on both sides of the River Culm; the village is joined by a single old narrow stone...
(in the Culm Valley) to Uffculme
Uffculme
Uffculme is a village located in the Mid Devon district, of Devon, England.-History:Situated in the Blackdown Hills on the B3440, close to the M5 motorway, near Cullompton Uffculme is on the upper reaches of the River Culm. Historically, it was a parish in Bampton Hundred, under the Peculiar...
. The river turns south, through Cullompton
Cullompton
Cullompton is a civil parish and town in Devon, England, locally known as Cully. It is miles north-north-east of Exeter and lies on the River Culm. In 2010 it had a population of 8,639 and is growing rapidly....
(and alongside the M5 motorway
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
), skirting the northern boundary of Killerton
Killerton
Killerton is an 18th-century house in Broadclyst, Exeter, Devon, England, which, with its hillside garden and estate, has been owned by the National Trust since 1944 and is open to the public...
Park to join the River Exe
River Exe
The River Exe in England rises near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon. It reaches the sea at a substantial ria, the Exe Estuary, on the south coast of Devon...
on the north-western outskirts of Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
. The name of the river is thought to mean 'knot' or 'tie', in reference to the river's twists and loops.
The River Culm begins in a marshy field near Culmhead (picture 2). Four and a half miles from its source the river crosses a road (OS ST17501455). At this point the river is 1.5m wide (picture 3). At Gladhayes the river passes under a two-arched bridge (picture 4). About one half of a mile further the river is joined (from the south) by the waters of Madaford River. From here the river flows on and reaches Culmstock
Culmstock
thumb|Old stone bridge with pedestrian refuges over River Culm at CulmstockCulmstock is a picturesque parish village in east Devon, about 5 miles from Tiverton and 7 or so miles NE of Cullompton. It is laid out on both sides of the River Culm; the village is joined by a single old narrow stone...
, a village built on both sides of the river. The river is shallower here (picture 5). At Uffculme
Uffculme
Uffculme is a village located in the Mid Devon district, of Devon, England.-History:Situated in the Blackdown Hills on the B3440, close to the M5 motorway, near Cullompton Uffculme is on the upper reaches of the River Culm. Historically, it was a parish in Bampton Hundred, under the Peculiar...
the river flows in a straight course and flows more slowly (picture 6). The Spratford Steam, whose waters have flowed in a southerly direction, meets the Culm near Willand, and thereafter the river shares its valley with the present main railway line (former Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
) from Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
to Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
. The M5 motorway
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
runs beside the railway, and all three continue past the market town of Cullompton
Cullompton
Cullompton is a civil parish and town in Devon, England, locally known as Cully. It is miles north-north-east of Exeter and lies on the River Culm. In 2010 it had a population of 8,639 and is growing rapidly....
. The river meander
Meander
A meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternately eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...
s a lot here and is prone to flooding. Shortly prior to reaching Hele - near Kensham House - the small River Weaver flows into the Culm from the east. It passes under a paper mill at Hele
Hele
Hele is a village in Devon, England, lying about one mile SSW of Bradninch and 10 miles NNE of Exeter. The village is home to a paper mill once belonging to the company Wiggins Teape, now part of the multinational company Arjo Wiggins....
(picture 7). North of Stoke Canon
Stoke Canon
Stoke Canon is a small village near the confluence of the rivers Exe and Culm on the main A396 between Exeter and Tiverton in the County of Devon, England.There is a pub, The Stoke Canon Inn, and a post office & general stores in the centre of the village....
the river has many meanders (picture 8).
Shedding the motorway to the south of Hele
Hele
Hele is a village in Devon, England, lying about one mile SSW of Bradninch and 10 miles NNE of Exeter. The village is home to a paper mill once belonging to the company Wiggins Teape, now part of the multinational company Arjo Wiggins....
, the river and the railway continue together into Exeter, although by then the Culm has joined the River Exe
EXE
EXE is the common filename extension denoting an executable file in the DOS, OpenVMS, Microsoft Windows, Symbian, and OS/2 operating systems....
- just below Stoke Canon
Stoke Canon
Stoke Canon is a small village near the confluence of the rivers Exe and Culm on the main A396 between Exeter and Tiverton in the County of Devon, England.There is a pub, The Stoke Canon Inn, and a post office & general stores in the centre of the village....
(picture 9).
.