The flood in Cockermouth, Cumbria, 19th November 2009

The flood in Cockermouth, 19th-20th November 2009

Location : Cockermouth
Map - Google
Map - Ordnance Survey - NY 122308

On thursday 19th November, the rivers Cocker and Derwent, which join in Cockermouth, rose to a level that flooded much of central Cockermouth, leaving huge amounts of destruction, and most of the shops, restaurants and pubs in the town completely wrecked.

At midday the river was high, but the Main Street was dry. By three pm - the water was a foot deep in the Main Street. By midnight a raging torrent was flowing down the Main Street and some of the side streets, including South St and Challoner St - about 5 feet deep, and up to 8 feet deep in places.

The pictures below give a brief idea of the mess the town was left in after this evening of excessive rain.

Some businesses have temporarily relocated - but most are just having to wait until their properties are repaired before they can start trading again.

Thursday afternoon about 3.00 pm, as the floods start to rise. Photo by Gavin Doran.

Looking down South St to the River Cocker. Thursday afternoon about 3.00 pm.

1.00 am on friday morning - a raging torrent rushing down Main St - now about 5 feet deep. Photo by Vanessa Morrison.

Friday morning - Looking down Station Rd to Main St. Photographer David Stephenson captured by photographer Jon Sharp.

Friday morning - Looking down Station Rd to Main St. Photo by Jon Sharp.

Friday morning - residents being rescued by boat. Photo by Jon Sharp.

Friday morning - Looking along Market Place to the Cocker Bridge. Photo by Jon Sharp.

Friday morning - Market Place. Photo by Jon Sharp.

Friday afternoon - looking along the Main St from the Cocker Bridge. Photo by David Stephenson.

Friday morning - looking along the Main St from the Cocker Bridge. Photo by David Stephenson.

Friday morning - Riverside car park, off Market Place. Photo by Jon Sharp.

Friday morning - Rescue in Main St. Photo by Jon Sharp.

Friday morning - outside Wordsworth House. Photo by David Stephenson.

Friday morning - outside Wordsworth House. Photo by Jon Sharp.

Friday afternoon - looking across the Gote bridge to Gote Rd. Photo by David Stephenson.

Friday afternoon - looking along the Main St with the Trout Hotel on the left. Photo by David Stephenson.

Friday afternoon - looking along the Main St (close up of the picture above). Photo by David Stephenson.

Monday morning - 3 days later- shop owners and residents waiting to be let in to see their property.
Every move followed by police and TV camera crews.

Monday 3 days later - inside Boots the chemist. Photo by David Stephenson.

Kings Arms Lane. Photo by David Stephenson.

Outside the New Bookshop on Main St - skips full of sodden books. Photo by David Stephenson.

Many shops have lost their windows, and every shop has a skip outside. Photo by David Stephenson.

The Brewery bridge with its missing and bent barriers. Photo by Jon Sharp.

Memorial bridge. Many road and foot bridges are either damaged and unsafe, or destroyed. Photo by David Stephenson.

A tree which damaged the Cocker bridge is removed. Photo by Jon Sharp.

The Tithe House at Cockermouth - temporary home to several businesses The Tithe House on Station Rd - temporary home to several businesses

Mitchells old warehouse on Lorton St is converted into a 'market' - a temporary home to several businesses.
Photo by David Stephenson.

Sign outside Sainsburys showing what is open in Cockermouth.

The centre of Cockermouth, with Main St, Wordsworth House at the bottom centre, and the Jennings Brewery top left.
All of this area was severely damaged by the flood. Top left - the River Cocker joins the River Derwent.

The Gote bridge - linking the two sides of Cockermouth - closed to motor traffic since the floods, but recently opened to pedestrians.

The footbridge from Main St to Memorial Gardens - with the damaged half now removed from the river.

Aerial photos by Simon Ledingham.