The River Lemon is a 16-km-long river in the county 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...

 in south-west 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 on the south-east side of 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 Haytor, joins with the River Sig and the Langworthy Brook at Sigford

Sigford

Sigford is a small hamlet in the Parish of Ilsington, on the eastern edge of Dartmoor, Devon, England. It is situated at the confluence of three rivers, although the name of the settlement refers to just one of these, the River Sig...

, then passes the village of Bickington

Bickington

Bickington is a village and civil parish in the Teignbridge district of Devon, England, on the edge of the Dartmoor National Park. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 311. The village is about five miles west of Newton Abbot, on the River Lemon. The church is 15th century; its...

. Lower down, it is joined by the Kestor Brook and it then flows through the woods in Bradley Valley, past the manor house of Bradley

Bradley (house)

Bradley is small medieval manor house located amongst woodland and meadows in the valley of the River Lemon about a half mile to the west of Newton Abbot, Devon, England. The house is now in the ownership of the National Trust....

, and through the town of 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....

 where it flows through a 400-metre-long tunnel below the town centre. Just below the town, the river joins the River Teign

River Teign

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...

near the head of its estuary.

The river has several times caused major flooding in Newton Abbot, most notably on 19 December 1853, 14 November 1894, 6 August 1938, and 27 December 1979. To prevent further occurrences, a flood-control reservoir and dam were built in 1982, just below the confluence with the Kestor Brook at Holbeam. As of February 2011, the river has caused no further floods in the town.

The name Lemon is a derivative of a Celtic word meaning elm.