River Culm

River Culm
River Culm at Culmstock
Map of the River Culm and its catchment in Devon and Somerset, UK, with the inset showing the location in Devon.
Location
CountryEngland
CountyDevon
TownCullompton
Physical characteristics
SourceCulmhead
 • coordinates50°56′16″N 3°06′35″W / 50.93778°N 3.109821°W / 50.93778; -3.109821
 • elevation800 ft (240 m)
MouthRiver Exe
 • coordinates
50°45′45″N 3°30′54″W / 50.7625°N 3.515°W / 50.7625; -3.515
Length17 mi (27 km)
Discharge 
 • locationWood Mill[1]
 • average3.77 m3/s (133 cu ft/s)[1]

The River Culm flows through the Devon Redlands[2] in Devon, England and is the longest tributary of the River Exe.[3] It rises in the Blackdown Hills at a spring near RAF Culmhead in Somerset, 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.[4] The name of the river is thought to mean 'knot' or 'tie', in reference to the river's twists and loops.[5]

  1. ^ a b "45003 - Culm at Wood Mill". The National River Flow Archive. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  2. ^ Devon Redlands (PDF), Natural England, retrieved 8 September 2013
  3. ^ Taylor, Anthony (1987). Culm Valley Album. Callington, Cornwall: Penwell Ltd. p. 7. ISBN 0-951261002.
  4. ^ Taylor, Anthony (1987). Culm Valley Album. Callington, Cornwall: Penwell Ltd. p. 8. ISBN 0-951261002.
  5. ^ Hesketh, Robert (2008). Devon Placenames. Launceston: Bossiney Books. ISBN 978-1-899383-98-6.