page_title: River Teme
section_title: Geography
hierarchical_section_title: River Teme / Geography
caption_attribution_description: English: Source of Teme
context_page_description: The River Teme rises in Mid Wales, south of Newtown, and flows southeast roughly forming the border between England and Wales for several miles through Knighton before becoming fully English in the vicinity of Bucknell and continuing east to Ludlow in Shropshire, then to the north of Tenbury Wells on the Shropshire/Worcestershire border there, 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 is crossed by a number of historic bridges including one at Tenbury Wells that was rebuilt by Thomas Telford following flood damage in 1795. It is also crossed, several times, by the Elan aqueduct.
context_section_description: The river source is in Mid Wales on the western side of Bryn Coch in the Kerry Hills near Dolfor, south of Newtown, Powys. Two other rivers - the River Ithon and the River Mule - rise within 500 metres. It is roughly coincident with the border between England and Wales for several miles downstream from the Powys village of Felindre, passing Beguildy, Lloyney and Knucklas on the Powys side and Llanfair Waterdine on the Shropshire side before flowing past the small Powys town of Knighton. It continues to shadow the border eastwards as far as the vicinity of Bucknell and Brampton Bryan. It is joined by the River Clun at Leintwardine in north Herefordshire then embarks on a circuitous course southeast then northeast to Bromfield where it is joined by the River Onny. From there to its confluence with the River Severn, at Worcester (about 40 miles/65 km downstream) it flows through the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire. The upper reaches of the river are usually steep with fast flowing but relatively shallow waters. There are some water mills, and a number of weirs, including several at the historic town of Ludlow. Below Tenbury Wells the river is more tranquil but still 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.
  During its journey the river flows over Upper Ludlow shales and Devonian sandstones.
  The River Corve flows into the Teme just outside Ludlow and the Ledwyche Brook flows into the Teme at Burford, close to the Herefordshire/Shropshire/Worcestershire tripoint. The Kyre Brook flows into the Teme at Tenbury Wells, and the River Rea flows into the Teme at Newnham Bridge, Worcestershire, a few miles south of Cleobury Mortimer, a small Shropshire town.
  The river is the 16th longest river in the United Kingdom. It falls from a height of about 450 metres above sea level at its source to just 14 metres above sea-level at its confluence with the River Severn.
  The Teme has in recent times often bursts its banks. June and July 2007 saw serious floods in a number of areas, including Leintwardine, Tenbury Wells and Ludlow although the watercourse that flooded the last location was a tributary, the River Corve. However, the upper reaches are also prone to drying out, noted by the Environment Agency to occur every three years in the past 20 years.
caption: 'The Ring', one mile below the source of the River Teme
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