The River Horner, also known as Horner Water, rises near Luccombe on Exmoor, Somerset, and flows past Porlock into Porlock Bay near Hurlstone Point on the Bristol Channel.[1][2] Most of the river's course flows through the National Trust Holnicote Estate.[3]
| River Horner / Horner Water | |
|---|---|
 River Horner at Bossington | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | England |
| County | Somerset |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | near Luccombe, Somerset, England |
| • coordinates | 51°11′08″N 3°34′45″W / 51.18556°N 3.57917°W |
| Mouth | Porlock Bay, Bristol Channel |
• location | near Hurlestone Point, Somerset, England |
• coordinates | 51°13′31″N 3°35′10″W / 51.22528°N 3.58611°W |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | West Luccombe |
| • average | 0.46 m3/s (16 cu ft/s) |
| • minimum | 0.02 m3/s (0.71 cu ft/s)23 August 1976 |
| • maximum | 11.3 m3/s (400 cu ft/s)18 December 1993 |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • right | River Aller |
The river flows into the sea though a shingle ridge at Bossington beach, where it forms part of the Porlock Ridge and Saltmarsh Site of Special Scientific Interest.[4] When the river level is very high, flood water builds up behind the ridge, causing it to breach.[5]
History
editEvidence that the river was previously diverted to power iron workings has been found. The remains of an iron hammer mill and 55m long, breached, embankment dam were excavated alongside the river in 1996.[6][7]
Horner Wood
editThe upper reaches of the river flow through Horner Wood, one of Britain's largest ancient oak woodlands of about 800 acres (320 ha) which includes trees at least 500 years old.[8][9] A renowned oak tree, one of the largest and oldest oaks on Exmoor, is 'The General' (51°10′50″N 3°34′36″W / 51.18054°N 3.57672°W).[10][11] The wood is within the Dunkery and Horner Woods National Nature Reserve, with that area considered an important site for mosses, liverworts, lichens and ferns.[12]
References
edit- ↑ "Horner Water". Somerset Rivers. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ↑ "River Horner". Exmoor Waters. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ↑ "Holnicote Estate" (PDF). National Trust. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
- ↑ "Landscape Character Assessment of Exmoor" (pdf). Exmoor National Park Authority. p. 120. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ↑ "Volume of water proves too much for pebble ridge". West Somerset Free Press. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ↑ Naomi Cudmore (12 June 2014). "Past Times: Horner Woods". Exmoor Magazine. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ↑ "MSO7424 - Medieval and post-medieval iron working site and iron hammer mill in Horner Wood (Monument)". The Historic Environment Record for Exmoor National Park. Exmoor National Park Authority. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ↑ Leadbeater, Chris (25 April 2026). "Britain's most enchanting woodland – according to 10 experts". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
- ↑ "Horner Wood". National Trust. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
- ↑ "Mighty Oaks Under Threat". The Exmoor Society. 3 December 2025. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ↑ "Horner Wood ancient trees walk" (PDF). National Trust. 30 May 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ↑ "Dunkery & Horner Woods NNR". Special Sites. Natural England. Archived from the original on 5 June 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
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