River Cober
Encyclopedia
The River Cober is a short river in west Cornwall
, United Kingdom
. It rises near Porkellis
Moor in the former Kerrier District
and runs to the west of the town of Helston
before entering the largest natural lake in Cornwall – Loe Pool. The water is impounded by the natural barrier, Loe Bar, and the river system can be traced several kilometres out into Mount’s Bay. Mining activity of over one hundred years in the river catchment, ceased in 1938, in the Wendron
and Porkellis mining districts; and the engine house of Castle Wary (also known as Wheal Pool), near Nansloe can still be seen on the east side of the river below Helston. The lower reaches of river was canalised in 1946 and a causeway built over Loe Marsh in 1987.
A common belief is that until the 13th century the River Cober ran directly to sea, until its mouth became blocked by a deposition of sand which formed Loe Bar and created Loe Pool
. Loe Bar was more likely created by eustatic sea level rise after the last ice age. The rising sea level pushed a large amount of sediment into the mouth of the river, blocking it and creating a barrier beach. Loe Bar consists mainly of flint, a rock not found in Cornwall; the nearest onshore source is in east Devon, 120 miles away. The most likely source of flint is found offshore; the drowned terraces of a former river that flowed between England and France and is now under the English Channel
. There is no evidence that Helston was a sea port.
The Helston branch railway (which closed in 1962) ran along the valley into Helston.
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It rises near Porkellis
Porkellis
Porkellis is a village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately three and a half miles north east of Helston, and is located in the heart of the old Wendron mining district....
Moor in the former Kerrier District
Kerrier
Kerrier was a local government district in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It was the most southerly district in the United Kingdom, other than the Isles of Scilly. Its council was based in Camborne ....
and runs to the west of the town of Helston
Helston
Helston is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated at the northern end of the Lizard Peninsula approximately 12 miles east of Penzance and nine miles southwest of Falmouth. Helston is the most southerly town in the UK and is around further south than...
before entering the largest natural lake in Cornwall – Loe Pool. The water is impounded by the natural barrier, Loe Bar, and the river system can be traced several kilometres out into Mount’s Bay. Mining activity of over one hundred years in the river catchment, ceased in 1938, in the Wendron
Wendron
Wendron is a village and civil parish in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated three miles north of Helston.The Revd G. H. Doble served for almost twenty years as the Vicar of Wendron . Langdon recorded the existence of eight stone crosses in the parish, including two at Merther Uny...
and Porkellis mining districts; and the engine house of Castle Wary (also known as Wheal Pool), near Nansloe can still be seen on the east side of the river below Helston. The lower reaches of river was canalised in 1946 and a causeway built over Loe Marsh in 1987.
A common belief is that until the 13th century the River Cober ran directly to sea, until its mouth became blocked by a deposition of sand which formed Loe Bar and created Loe Pool
The Loe
The Loe , also known as Loe Pool, is the largest natural freshwater lake in Cornwall, United Kingdom. Situated between Porthleven and Gunwalloe and downstream of Helston it is separated from the sea by the shingle bank of Loe Bar...
. Loe Bar was more likely created by eustatic sea level rise after the last ice age. The rising sea level pushed a large amount of sediment into the mouth of the river, blocking it and creating a barrier beach. Loe Bar consists mainly of flint, a rock not found in Cornwall; the nearest onshore source is in east Devon, 120 miles away. The most likely source of flint is found offshore; the drowned terraces of a former river that flowed between England and France and is now under the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. There is no evidence that Helston was a sea port.
The Helston branch railway (which closed in 1962) ran along the valley into Helston.