History of the River East Lyn

The River East Lyn and the town of Lynmouth became known throughout the world when disaster struck in August 1952. Much of Exmoor is drained via the East and West Lyn rivers – which join at Lynmouth to flow through a steep cleft in the cliffs. On August 16th, after a day of continuous rain, the river swelled and flooded the coastal town, bringing 40,000 tonnes of boulders and tree trunks onto the unsuspecting inhabitants.

Flood protection measures are now in place to ensure an accident of this scale does not happen again, and the area surrounding the East Lyn can revel in happier historic associations. During the Napoleonic Wars, Lynton and Lynmouth became the holiday destination of choice for many ‘Grand Tourists', among them Coleridge, Wordsworth, Gainsborough and Shelley who brought Exmoor, Devon and the East Lyn lasting literary and artistic acclaim.