50°05′N5°17′W / 50.083°N 5.283°W /50.083; -5.283
| River Cober | |
|---|---|
 The Cober near Helston | |
 | |
| Native name | Dowr Kohar (Cornish) |
| Location | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Region | Cornwall |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Nine Maidens Downs |
| Mouth | Loe Pool |
• location | Mount's Bay |
TheRiver Cober (Cornish:Dowr Kohar)[1] is a short river in westCornwall, England,United Kingdom. The river runs to the west ofHelston intoThe Loe, Cornwall's largest natural lake.
It rises inNine Maidens Downs, directly betweenHangman's Barrow to the west and theNine Maidensstone circle to the east, in the formerKerrier District and runs to the west of the town ofHelston before entering the largest natural lake in Cornwall – Loe Pool.[2] The water is impounded by the natural barrier, Loe Bar, and the river system can be traced several kilometres out intoMount's Bay.[3] Mining activity of over one hundred years in the river catchment, ceased in 1938, in theWendron and Porkellis mining districts; and the engine house ofCastle Wary (also known asWheal Pool), nearNansloe can still be seen on the east side of the river below Helston. The lower reaches of the river werecanalised in 1946 and a causeway built over Loe Marsh in 1987.[4] The meaning of the name is uncertain, but two of the earliest records are: "in 1260 we find, 'Chohor' [alternately known as in non-unifiedCornish:Dowr Coghar, meaning 'scarlet river'], due to its earlier colour from mining waste and a few years later, 'Coffar'".[5] The present name 'Cober' is unlikely to be derived from 'Coffar', since it was known as the 'River Loe or River Looe' around four hundred years ago, in Carew's time, according to the map ofPowder Hundred.[6]
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 formedLoe Bar and createdLoe Pool.[7] Loe Bar was most likely created byeustatic sea level rise after thelast ice age. The rising sea level pushed a large amount of sediment into the mouth of the river, blocking it and creating abarrier beach.[8] Loe Bar consists mainly offlint, a rock not found in Cornwall; the nearest onshore source is in east Devon, 120 miles (190 km) away.[4] 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 theEnglish Channel.[8]
In the 1870s, a total of £3000 was spent by the ″Porkellis-moor-adventure″ on the exploration ofchina clay deposits onPorkellis Moor. A bakehouse-flue and large tanks were built, but in 1879 the adventurers sold by auction their holdings and by 1884 the works were derelict.[9][10]
TheHelston branch railway (which closed in 1962) ran along part of the valley into Helston.[11] The Railway line crosses the main River on the 5-arch Cober Viaduct.
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