What happened in the flood of 2009 in Cockermouth?
Cockermouth suffered badly in the nationwide flood on 19 and 20 November 2009. Over 200 people needed to be rescued, with helicopters from RAF Valley, RAF Boulmer and RAF Leconfield retrieving about 50 and the remainder being rescued by boats, including those of the RNLI.
Will life return to normal after Cockermouth floods?
For some, life after the floods has still not returned to normal. Michelle Lockett and her daughter Claire now live in Carlisle after their house, behind Main Street in Cockermouth, was flooded.
What happened to the old Cockermouth fire station?
The site is now occupied by Cockermouth Mountain Rescue and the town's fire station, operated by Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service. The old trackbed is now a public walkway, with the nearest railway stations now being Maryport on the Cumbrian Coast Line, and Penrith and Carlisle, the latter two located on the West Coast Main Line .
What is the history of Cockermouth?
Cockermouth owes its existence to the confluence of the rivers Cocker and Derwent, being the lowest point, historically, at which the resultant fast flowing river powered by the Lake District could be bridged. Cockermouth is situated a few minutes travelling distance from lakes such as Buttermere, Crummock Water, Loweswater, and Bassenthwaite .
See more
When was the last time Cockermouth flooded?
The town, at the confluence of the Rivers Cocker and Derwent, is prone to flooding due to the natural topography of the area. Flooding occurred most recently in 2005, 2008 and 2009.
When was Cockermouth flooded?
November 19 2009On the afternoon of November 19 2009 both the Rivers Derwent and Cocker swept through thousands of homes and businesses in the town centre of Cockermouth.
Why did Cockermouth flood in 2009?
Unprecedented rainfall caused rivers and streams to spill into hundreds of homes and businesses. The town was one of the worst flood-hit areas in the county with an estimated 900 properties and 1,400 people affected.
Are there floods in Cockermouth?
There are no flood warnings or alerts in this area.
When did the Cumbria floods happen 2009?
November 2009In November 2009, over 31 cm of rain fell in a 24-hour period. This is a record amount of daily rainfall for the UK. This led to the flooding of the town of Cockermouth.
What is Cockermouth famous for?
Cockermouth is famous for its association with various historical people - notably the poet William Wordsworth and the mutineer Fletcher Christian, both of whom were born in or near the town.
Why did the Cumbria floods happen 2015?
Warm air from the mid-Atlantic moved towards land due to the prevailing wind. The warm air was forced upwards by the Cumbrian Mountains. As the air cooled, it condensed to form heavy rain. The weather front stopped over Cumbria and this heavy rain fell on land that had already been saturated.
When was flooding in Cumbria?
Over the weekend of Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December, Storm Desmond swept across the North of England, affecting many of our places in the Lake District. The met office confirmed a record rainfall in Cumbria with 341.4mm of rain in just 24 hours.
Where does the name Cockermouth come from?
Etymology. Cockermouth, is "the mouth of the River Cocker"; the river takes its name from the Brythonic Celtic word kukrā, meaning 'the crooked one'. It has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names.
Where are floods in Cumbria?
Rivers Greta, St Johns Beck and Bassenthwaite Lake. Rivers Kent and Bela. Rivers Lowther and Eamont. Upper River Derwent, Stonethwaite Beck and Derwent Water.
What river runs through Cockermouth?
Cockermouth grew up at the junction of the two most important rivers in the area. Here the River Cocker, flowing out of the lakes Buttermere, Crummock and Loweswater meets the River Derwent on its journey from lakes Derwent and Bassenthwaite to the sea at Workington.
What is the climate of Cockermouth?
Cockermouth has a temperate climate that is influenced by the Irish Sea and its low-lying elevation. Cockermouth receives slightly below average rainfall compared with the UK average. Temperatures are also round about average compared with other parts of the UK.
What was Cockermouth known for?
Built as a market town, close to a fast-flowing river in a farming area with a tradition of cloth weaving Cockermouth became a hub for spinning and weaving. Records show that the town had a fulling mill by 1156 and by the mid-19th century there were over forty industrial sites; mills (wool, linen, cotton), hat factories, tanneries and smaller concerns making chairs, churns, mangle rollers, nails and farm machinery.
What railway station was in Cockermouth?
The Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway served the town. The original Cockermouth & Workington Railway station was replaced on a new alignment when the Cockermouth railway station opened to passenger traffic on 2 January 1865. The station was immortalised in 1964 in the song " Slow Train " by Flanders and Swann.
Where is Cockermouth Cricket Club?
Cockermouth Cricket Club is one of the town's most successful and best supported sports teams. They play their home games at the Sandair Ground, located just off Gote Road. The First XI play in the North Lancashire and Cumbria League Premier Division, Second XI in the third tier of the same league.
What does the name Cockermouth mean?
Etymology. Cockermouth, is "the mouth of the River Cocker"; the river takes its name from the Brythonic Celtic word kukrā, meaning 'the crooked one.'. It has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names.
When was the first rugby league game played in Cockermouth?
Cockermouth Rugby Football Club is based at the former Cockermouth Grammar School site and in 1987 played the first ever rugby union league match when they played Kirkby Lonsdale when the Rugby Union formed national and regional leagues, the precursors of what have now become the national and premier leagues.
When was the first electric light installed in Cockermouth?
Cockermouth lays claim to be the first town in Britain to have piloted electric lighting. In 1881 six powerful electric lamps were set up to light the town, together with gas oil lamps in the back streets. Service proved intermittent, and there was afterwards a return to gas lighting.
How many homes were flooded in Cumbria in 2015?
In 2015, more than 50,000 homes in Cumbria were flooded or had severe impacts from flooding. While the loss of life was relatively small, the damage to local people is still being felt in many areas. Similarly, floods in 2009 left thousands of people displaced from their homes, which took years to be resolved. ...
Why does flooding leave sediment?
Flooding leaves much coarser sediment than normal deposits, because it washes in large amounts of material from the surrounding hills and streams. That left researchers with a much easier task in sorting out which layers came from particular events.
How many homes in Cockermouth remain without power?
But the defences were a cruel deception. On Monday afternoon 218 homes in Cockermouth remained without power, according to Electricity North West. Many residents were angry, some blaming the gate operators at Thirlmere reservoir, others directing their ire at the Environment Agency.
What is the flooding in Carlisle?
Carlisle flooding brings volunteers – and fears of looters. The floods that have wrought devastation on houses in the centre of Carlisle appear to have brought out the best and worst in people, as locals warned of looters targeting evacuated homes near the town’s partially submerged football ground.
What happened to the Derwentside Gardens?
Two days after the river Derwent breached flood defences the residents of Derwentside Gardens in Cockermouth were finally allowed back into their homes on Monday. The flood waters had receded, leaving a dirty layer of mud and silt across lovingly laid oak floors, carpets and rugs. With no electricity or running water, few planned to stay long.
What disease did Storm Desmond's son have?
Her son, who has a muscle wasting disease, was limping up a muddy path on crutches on Monday. He said he nearly came a cropper on Saturday when their street turned into a river. Storm Desmond: army aids rescue effort as communities struggle after floods.
Was Andessa's jewellery shop flooded?
In town, her jewellery shop, Andessa, had also been flooded, the filthy water seeping into the safe where she had stored her most expensive products. Many residents thought they would be OK this time, having installed blue floodguards on their front doors when they were evacuated on Saturday afternoon. They weren’t.
Overview
Present
The centre of Cockermouth retains much of its historic character and the renovation of Market Place has been completed, now with an artistic and community focus. The Kirkgate Centre is the town's major cultural focus and offers regular historical displays by the Cockermouth Heritage Group in addition to holding major cultural events including theatre, international music and worl…
Etymology
Cockermouth, is "the mouth of the River Cocker"; the river takes its name from the Brythonic Celtic word kukrā, meaning 'the crooked one'. It has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names.
Geography
Cockermouth owes its existence to the confluence of the rivers Cocker and Derwent, being the lowest point, historically, at which the resultant fast flowing river powered by the Lake District could be bridged. Cockermouth is situated a few minutes travelling distance from lakes such as Buttermere, Crummock Water, Loweswater, and Bassenthwaite.
Governance
The town is part of the parliamentary constituency of Workington. In the December 2019 general election, the Tory candidate for Workington, Mark Jenkinson, was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP), overturning a 9.4 per cent Labour majority from the 2017 election to eject shadow environment secretary Sue Hayman by a margin of 4,136 votes. Until the December 2019 general election The Labour Party has won the seat in the constituency in every general election …
Climate
Cockermouth has a temperate climate that is influenced by the Irish Sea and its low-lying elevation. Cockermouth receives slightly below average rainfall compared with the UK average. Temperatures are also round about average compared with other parts of the UK. The nearest weather station for which online records are available is Aspatria, about 7 miles (11 kilometres) north-northeast of the town centre.
History
The Romans built a fort at Derventio Carvetiorum, now the adjoining village of Papcastle, to protect the river crossing on a major route for troops heading towards Hadrian's Wall.
The main town developed under the Normans who, after occupying the former Roman fort, built Cockermouth Castle closer to the river crossing: little remains …
Landmarks
Cockermouth Castle is a sizeable but partly ruined Norman castle, formerly the home of the late Pamela, The Dowager Lady Egremont. Built at the confluence of the Rivers Cocker and Derwent, the castle has a tilting tower which hangs Pisa-like over Jennings Brewery. The castle, with its preserved dungeons, is only opened to the public once a year during the annual town festival.
Wordsworth House, the birthplace of William Wordsworth, has been restored following extensiv…