Partial collapse of 'centuries old' Cornish cob building after rain in Lostwithiel

  • People in the town suspect the recent heavy rain may have caused the wall to partly collapse.

The side of an old Cornish building has partially collapsed into a street in the town of Lostwithiel.Firefighters were called to Church Lane on the evening of 17 February after the old cob wall fell away from the building leaving a pile of rubble in its wake.The remains have led to several road closures blocking one of the main routes through the town centre.

It's not thought that anyone was hurt when the building, which houses Foodies Cafe, came away but it has attracted a few people to speculate if the wet weather was the cause.

The building is opposite the town church and has caused several road closures over the weekend.

Cob is a building material made typically from soil, sand, clay, water, and fibrous organic material such as straw.

A lot of traditional old homes in Cornwall are made from Cob and if treated well it can last for several generations.

According to The Cob Specialist, a historic building specialist based in St Austell, erosion can happen from Cornwall's "inevitable wind-driven rain" to the exposed corners of a cob building.