Sigma River Yealm, the river that currently belies its name

grebeman

Old Codgers Group
Yealm, an Anglo Saxon word meaning kind, peaceful or tranquil, depending on the source consulted. Following our recent rain the river is far from peaceful at the moment. A short river, just some 12 miles in length rising on southern Dartmoor at about 1400 feet above sea level, here it is photographed less than a mile from where it enters the river estuary, somewhere known to me all my life. Given that it is a short river it tends to rise quickly and fall quickly and it was evident that the river had been several feet higher than recored here. In July of last year several houses in Yealmpton, just upstream were flooded and a road bridge was threatened with collapse, a situation just avoided this time. The images are in order going downstream over a few hundred yards.

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All on a DP1M


Barrie
 
A friend of mine lives in the village of Yealmpton, with the River Yealm running at the bottom of his garden (and probably halfway up it at present).

I'll ask him how things are this year - last year his family were on the local TV news.

-R
 
Barrie, I think you should give a phonetic pronunciation of Yealm and Yealmpton for the benefit of your non-Devonian readers ...

Lets see, the river would be Yellmm if you're trying to be posh, but perhaps Yam might be closer, although there should still be a hint of the "l" in there, the village would be Yampton, at least in my brand of Devonian, us be a funny lot down ye're (please no flame wars over this interpretation). Launceston (on the Devon/Cornwall border) is another good one, try Lawnson and as for Woolfardisworthy, well thats Woolsery obviously :D

Barrie
 
Lets see, the river would be Yellmm if you're trying to be posh, but perhaps Yam might be closer, although there should still be a hint of the "l" in there, the village would be Yampton, at least in my brand of Devonian, us be a funny lot down ye're (please no flame wars over this interpretation). Launceston (on the Devon/Cornwall border) is another good one, try Lawnson and as for Woolfardisworthy, well thats Woolsery obviously :D

Barrie

I just pray I hear places mentioned before I see them spelled when I travel in England!
 
I'm so bad that when a church or street is named for an Anglo Saxon saint, I have to tell his/her story! "It's on the lane named for that bishop who wouldn't allow himself to be ransomed and was killed by Vikings." Luckily, my husband understands!

Sent from my MB865 using SeriousCompacts mobile app
 
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