River Lew

This article is about two rivers in Devon. For the river in Cornwall, see River Looe.

River Lew close to is confluence with the River Torridge

River Lew near to its confluence with the River Lyd

The River Lew can refer to either of two short rivers that lie close to each other in Devon, England.

The more northerly of the two rises just south of the village of Beaworthy, and flows east, then turns north to run past Hatherleigh before joining the River Torridge about 1 km north of the town. Its name is incorporated into that of the village of Northlew.

The more southerly of the two rises on the northwest corner of Dartmoor, near Sourton, and flows west and somewhat south, through the Lew Valley past Lewtrenchard and south of Lewdown before joining the River Lyd near Marystow. It has in earlier times also been known as Lew Water. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records a battle in 825 in which Devon forces loyal to Egbert of Wessex defeated the Cornish at Gafulford; and this is thought to be Galford on the banks of this river, though some translations render it as Camelford, some 20 miles further west.

At their nearest point the two rivers are not much more than 10 km apart. Domesday Book mentions a Lew Manor in this area, and it may be that both rivers take their name from it. Ekwall enters the southerly river as Lew Water and gives a derivation from British 'Lliw' for both (other river names are known to have the same origin). The manor cannot have been named any earlier than the Anglo-Saxon period^[1]

References

↑ Ekwall, E. (1940) The Concise Dictionary of English Place-names, 2nd ed., 1940, p. 283a

External links

Media related to River Lew (Torridge) at Wikimedia Commons

Media related to River Lew (Lyd) at Wikimedia Commons

Ceremonial county of Devon

Devon Portal

Unitary authorities	Plymouth Torbay

Boroughs or districts	Exeter East Devon Mid Devon North Devon Torridge West Devon South Hams Teignbridge

Major settlements	Ashburton Axminster Bampton Barnstaple Bideford Bovey Tracey Bradninch Brixham Buckfastleigh Budleigh Salterton Chagford Chudleigh Chulmleigh Colyton Crediton Cullompton Dartmouth Dawlish Exeter Exmouth Great Torrington Hartland Hatherleigh Holsworthy Honiton Ilfracombe Ivybridge Kingsbridge Kingsteignton Lynton Modbury Moretonhampstead Newton Abbot North Tawton Northam Okehampton Ottery St Mary Paignton Plymouth Plympton Salcombe Seaton Sidmouth South Brent South Molton Tavistock Teignmouth Tiverton Torquay Totnes See also: List of civil parishes in Devon

Rivers	Ashburn Avon Axe Barle Bovey Bray Burn Clyst Creedy Culm Dart East Dart West Dart Erme Exe Heddon Lemon Lew Lumburn Lyd East Lyn West Lyn Meavy Mole Okement East Okement West Okement Otter Plym Sid Swincombe Tamar Tavy Taw Teign Thrushel Torridge Walkham Wallabrooke East Webburn West Webburn Wolf Yealm

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Coordinates: 50°50′N 4°04′W / 50.833°N 4.067°W / 50.833; -4.067

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