River Erme

In 1991 and 1992 some 42 tin ingots were found in the mouth of the estuary on the north side of the West Mary Reef. These date from between 500 BC and 600 AD. Tin mining was in existence on Dartmoor from an early date. Dartmoor tin-mining would have been a major part of the South Devon economy throughout its history. There is an Iron Age hill fort at Holbury near Holbeton overlooking the estuary from the west and evidence of a very early 11th Century fort and settlement just a little way inland at Oldaport. In the 1950s and again in the 1990s a variety of fragments of "Dark Ages" and Roman pots were discovered on Mothecombe beach. There are four ruined lime kilns in the estuary; all are in…

As it passes to the east of the village of Holbeton the Erme becomes a ria with extensive areas of salt marsh and mud that are uncovered at low tide. The geology of the area is mostly slate from the Devonian period. The river enters the English Channel near the villages of Kingston to the east and Mothecombe and Holbeton to the west and at the mouth of the estuary lie the beaches of Wonwell and Mothecombe. The estuary is surrounded by the 5,000 acre Flete Estate.

The estuary is now designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and an Erme Estuary Management Plan has been produced. The South West Coast Path crosses between the slipways on the Wonwell (eastern) and Mothecombe (western) sides of the estuary, but crossing is only possible at low tide - and even then walkers are very likely to get their knees wet. The alternative route by road is some 9 miles around the estuary. The 1947 Ordnance Survey map show this as a vehicular ford between the slipways. There is another ford marked on the 1947 map between Saltercrease and Efford, but this is now said to be too deep to cross.