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{{GBdot|Boscastle - Cornwall}}
'''Boscastle''' (Cornish: ''Kastell Boterel'') is a small town on the north coast of [[Cornwall]], in the extreme southwest of [[Britain]]. It has the only natural [[harbour]] for 20 [[mile]]s along the coast, protected by two stone harbour walls built in [[1584]] by Sir [[Richard Grenville]] (of the ''Revenge'').
The oldest parts of the town surround the harbor, which once exported [[slate]], and extend up the valleys of the Rivers [[River Valency|Valency]] and [[River Jordan, Cornwall|Jordan]]. More modern buildings (principally residential) creep up the steep stone banks and hills surrounding the harbour and valleys.
Boscastle has one of the nearest [[youth hostel]]s to the ruins of [[Tintagel Castle]], particularly on foot along approximately five miles of the [[Cornwall coastal path]], part of the much longer [[South West Coast Path|South West Way]] [[Long-distance footpaths in the UK|Long-distance footpath]].
The name of the town derives from Bottreaux Castle, of which few remains survive.
==Flooding in 2004==
On [[August 16]] [[2004]], Boscastle suffered extensive damage when 7.1 [[inch]]es (181 [[millimetre|mm]]) of rain fell over the high ground just inland from the village in 5 hours during the afternoon. At the peak of the downpour, at about 15:45 [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]], 24mm of rain (almost one inch) was recorded at Lesnewth, 2.5 miles (4km) up the valley from Boscastle; in just 15 minutes. In Boscastle itself, 3.5 inches (88mm) of rain was recorded in 60 minutes. The torrential rain led to a 7 [[foot]] (2 [[metre]]) rise in river levels in one [[hour]]. A 10 foot (3 metre) wave — believed to have been triggered by water pooling behind debris caught under a bridge, and then being suddenly released as the bridge collapsed — surged down the main road, travelling at an estimated 40 [[miles per hour]] (65 [[km/h]]). Around 50 cars and 6 buildings were washed into the sea, along with uprooted trees and other debris. Many other buildings were reported unsafe or to have suffered serious flood damage. Most of the [[tourist]] attractions and shops are in the oldest parts of the town, in the areas most affected by the flood at the bottom of the river valleys. The visitor centre was half demolished, and the [[museum]] of [[witchcraft]] was also severely damaged[http://www.museumofwitchcraft.com/].
In an operation lasting from mid-afternoon until 2.30am, a fleet of seven [[helicopter]]s rescued about 150 people clinging to trees and the roofs of buildings and cars. Amazingly no major injuries or loss of life were reported. Following the rescues, emergency services cleared debris that had built up beneath and over the bridge at the centre of the village, and waters receded. Early assessments of the damage caused by the floods have concluded that many buildings may have to be demolished.
The floods were the worst in local memory. The last time Boscastle had suffered notable flooding was in [[1996]] as a result of [[1996 Atlantic hurricane season#Hurricane Lili|Hurricane Lili]].
Fifty-two years earlier, to the day, the town of [[Lynmouth]], a small town some miles further east along the north coast in [[Devon]] near [[Exmoor]], suffered extensive damage in a catastrophic flood, in which 34 people lost their lives.
===Trivia===
''[[Private Eye]]'' revealed that whilst 55 residents were airlifted out by the [[Royal Air Force]] after the flooding, 35 [[BBC]] staff were flown ''in'' by other means.
==See also==
*[[List of natural disasters in the United Kingdom]]
*[[Flash flood]]
==External links==
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/3571844.stm BBC News report of 2004 flooding (17 August 2004)]
*[http://www.museumofwitchcraft.com/ Museum of Witchcraft]
[[Category:Towns in Cornwall]]
[[de:Boscastle]]
[[kw:Kastell Boterel]]
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