On Fri, 20 Aug 2004 08:49:49 +0100, "Martin Rowley"
wrote:

1957
"In 1957 there was a terrible flood. There had been continuous
torrential rain which came down the Valency River from the moors and
hills. The power of the water damaged the top bridge [in Boscastle] and
flooded surrounding cottages and shops. People were trapped and had to
be rescued from their homes. Charlie Berryman, the local bandmaster,
drowned when he fell in trying to retrieve a chair. "The first warning
was given by Mrs Elizabeth Whitehouse who was riding her horse up the
valley, saw the rivers coming and galloped to give advance warning. It
came with such a rush, like a huge wave, that no-one had a chance to get
furniture out of their rooms. Miss Rachel Beadon was in the call box at
the end of the bridge ringing Norman Webber to ask for help, the flood
came on so fast that she could not get out...and two of the young
fishermen crawled across on the parapet of the bridge with a rope and
rescued her. The river overflowed into the whole of the Valency Valley ,
over the lawns and into cottages, shops and garage, many household items
and furniture were washed into the sea."

The Times reports this in its issue of June 4 1958 (rather than 1957).
It describes the water in the Valency rising 15 feet in 20 minutes,
after a cloudburst in the North Cornwall moors.


--
Paul