On Christmas Day in 2015 torrential rain engulfed Summerseat. It continued throughout the night and into Boxing Day.
Approximately 110 mm of rain fell in just 24 hours.
37 of 44 gauges in the River Irwell, Roch and Croal catchments recorded their highest ever levels. The river level for the River Roch on Boxing Day, at its downstream confluence with the Irwell, was 1.1m higher than anything recorded in its 64 year history.
The River Irwell runs through the village, and on the morning of the 26th December residents became concerned about the rising water level.
The Waterside, a 200 year old listed building, spanned the river. Originally part of the cotton mill on the River Irwell, the Waterside was once a canteen for the mill’s workforce.
Many villagers have fond memories of The Waterside, which later became a pub and restaurant.
At 9.12 am on December 26th 2015 The Waterside collapsed under the strain of the rushing water.
This also caused the partial collapse and subsequent closure of the associated masonry arch bridge. Fortunately, no one was in the building or on the bridge at the time.
Many residents reported seeing beer barrels and other debris from the pub floating past on the excessively swollen river as it was gradually swept away.
Summerseat made the national news, with some channels showing incredible drone footage of the damage.
The bridge was closed after the collapse. It was rebuilt and re-opened in June 2021. You can find out more about the reconstruction of the bridge in our article here.
There are now plans to build apartments at the site.
Summerseat Village Collective 