LYNMOUTH & LYNTON

 Lynmouth is the port for the town of Lynton, 500 feet above the harbour, and the two are connected by a water driven funicular railway. Water from the West Lyn River feeds a tank under the upper car, while water is released from the lower car until the top car outweighs it and begins its descent.

The harbour has been formed by dividing the mouth of the river, where it flows into the sea.

On 15th. August 1952, the village suffered the worst river flood in English history. It was estimated that 90 million tons of rain fell in North Devon and West Somerset on that day.

This rainfall flooded into the many tributaries of the East and West Lyn rivers and, consequently, many tons of water, soil, boulders and vegetation descended through the narrow valleys (or coombes) of Exmoor from 500 metres up on the moor to meet at sea level in Lynmouth itself. On its way, various bridges blocked the flow until they collapsed and subsequently a wall of water and rubble hit Lynmouth in the late evening.

The West Lyn river rose 60 feet (18.25 meters) above the normal level at its highest point; 34 people in the wider area lost their lives – 28 in the Lynmouth/Barbrook area alone.

It was calculated that the water that fell in that one day would supply the water needs of Lynmouth’s total population for 108 years. 

Following the devastation, 114,000 tons of rubble was cleared from the village, some of it being used to extend the Esplanade Car Park, but most of it being dumped into the channel and dispersed by tidal motion.

It took nearly six years to rebuild and remodel Lynmouth, and the design of the flood overflow area above the Maybridge is calculated to take one and a half times the amount of water that flowed through the village on the day, so it is hoped that such a disaster could never happen again.

This is the Rhennish Tower, the lighthouse at the mouth of the harbour.