The Storm

At Barrington, about 2 miles North of this Town, there was blown down above eight-score Trees, being of an extraordinary height, at the Lady Strouds.

As we shall not crow'd our Relation with many Letters from the same places, so it cannot be amiss to let the World have, at least, one Authentick Account from most of those Places where any Capital Damages have been sustain'd and to summ up the rest in a general Head at the end of this Chapter.

From Wiltshire we have the following Account from the Reverend the Minister of Upper Donhead near Shaftsbury; to which the Reader is referr'd as follows.

SIR,

As the Undertaking you are engag'd in, to preserve the Remembrance of the late dreadful Tempest, is very commendable in it self, and may in several respects be serviceable not only to the present Age, but also to Posterity; so it merits a suitable Encouragement, and, 'tis hop'd, it will meet with such, from all that have either a true sense of Religion, or have had any sensible share of the care of Providence over them, or of the goodness of God unto them in the Land of the Living, upon that occasion. There are doubtless vast numbers of People in all Parts (where the Tempest raged) that have the greatest reason (as the Author of this Paper for one hath) to bless God for their wonderful preservation, and to tell it to the Generation following. But to detain you no longer with Preliminaries, I shall give you a faithful Account of what occurr'd in my Neighbourhood (according to the Conditions mention'd in the Advertisement in the Gazette) worthy, at least, of my notice, if not of the Undertakers; and I can assure you, that the several Particulars were either such as I can vouch-for on my own certain Knowledge and Observation, or else such as I am satisfy'd of the truth of by the Testimony of others, whose Integrity I have no reason to suspect. I will say no more than this in general, concerning the Storm, that, at its height, it seem'd, for some hours, to be a perfect Hurrican, the Wind raging from every Quarter, especially from all the Points of the Compass, from N.E. to the N.W. as the dismal Effects of it in these Parts do evidently demonstrate, in the demolishing of Buildings (or impairing 'em at best) and in the throwing up vast numbers of Trees by the Roots, or snapping them off in their Bodies, or larger Limbs. But as to some remarkable Particulars, you may take these following, viz.

1. The Parish-Church receiv'd little damage, tho' it stands high, the chief was in some of the Windows on the N. side, and in the fall of the Top-stone of one of the Pinnacles, which fell on a House adjoining to the Tower with little hurt to the Roof, from which glancing it rested on the Leads of the South-Isle of the Church. At the fall of it an aged Woman living in the said House on which the Stone fell, heard horrible Scrieches (as she constantly averrs) in the Air, but none before nor afterwards.

2. Two stone Chimney-tops were thrown down, and 2 broad Stones of each of them lay at even poize on the respective ridges of both the Houses, and tho' the Wind sat full against one of them to have thrown it off, (and then it had fallen over a Door, in and out at which several People were passing during the Storm) and tho' the other fell against the Wind, yet neither of the said Stones stirr'd.

3. A Stone of near 400 Weight, having lain about 7 Years under a Bank, defended from the Wind as it then sat, tho' it lay so long as to be fix'd in the ground, and was as much out of the Wind, as could be, being fenced by the Bank, and a low Stone-wall upon the Bank, none of which was demolish'd, tho' 2 small Holms standing in the Bank between the Wall, and the Stone, at the foot of the Bank were blown up by the roots; I say, this Stone, tho' thus fenced from the Storm, was carried from the place where it lay, into an hollow-way beneath, at least seven Yards from the place, where it was known to have lain for 7 Years before.

4. A Widdow-woman living in one part of an House by her self, kept her Bed till the House over her was uncover'd, and she expected the fall of the Timber and Walls; but getting below Stairs in the dark, and opening the Door to fly for shelter, the Wind was so strong in the Door, that she could neither get out at it, tho' she attempted to go out on her knees and hands, nor could she shut the Door again with all her strength, but was forced to sit alone for several hours ('till the Storm slacken'd), fearing every Gust would have buried her in the Ruins; and yet it pleas'd God to preserve her, for the House (tho' a feeble one) stood over the Storm.

5. Another, who made Malt in his Barn, had been turning his Malt sometime before the Storm was at its height, and another of the Family being desirous to go again into the said Barn sometime after, was disswaded from it, and immediately thereupon the said Barn was thrown down by the Storm.

6. But a much narrower Escape had one, for whose safety the Collector of these Passages has the greatest reason to bless and praise the great Preserver of Men, who was twice in his Bed that dismal Night (tho' he had warning sufficient to deter him the first time by the falling of some of the Seiling on his Back and Shoulders, as he was preparing to go to Bed) and was altogether insensible of the great danger he was in, 'till the next morning after the Day-light appear'd, when he found the Tiles, on the side of the House opposite to the main Stress of the Weather, blown up in two places, one of which was over his Beds-head (about 9 foot above it) in which 2 or 3 Laths being broken, let down a Square of 8 or 10 Stone Tiles upon one single Lath, where they hung dropping inward a little, and bended the Lath like a Bow, but fell not: What the consequence of their Fall had been, was obvious to as many as saw it, and none has more reason to magnify God's great Goodness, in this rescue of his Providence, than the Relater.

7. A young Man of the same Parish, who was sent abroad to look after some black Cattle and Sheep that fed in an Inclosure, in, or near to which there were some Stacks of Corn blown down, reports, That tho' he had much difficulty to find the Inclosure in the dark, and to get thither by reason of the Tempest then raging in the height of its fury; yet being there, he saw a mighty Body of Fire on an high ridge of Hills, about 3 parts of a Mile from the said Inclosure, which gave so clear a Light into the Valley below, as that by it the said young Man could distinctly descry all the Sheep and Cattle in the said Pasture, so as to perceive there was not one wanting.

8. At Ashegrove, in the same Parish (where many tall Trees were standing on the steep side of an Hill) there were two Trees of considerable bigness blown up against the side of the Hill, which seems somewhat strange, to such as have seen how many are blown, at the same place, a quite contrary way, i. e. down the Hill; and to fall downwards was to fall with the Wind, as upward, was to fall against it.

9. One in this Neighbourhood had a Poplar in his Back-side of near 16 Yards high blown down, which standing near a small Current of Water, the Roots brought up near a Tun of Earth with them, and there the Tree lay for some days after the Storm; but when the Top or Head of the Tree was saw'd off from the Body (tho' the Boughs were nothing to the weight of the But End, yet) the Tree mounted, and fell back into it's place, and stood as upright without its Head, as ever it had done with it. And the same happen'd at the Lady Banks her House near Shaftsbury, where a Wall-nut-Tree was thrown down in a place that declin'd somewhat, and after the greater Limbs had been cut off in the day time, went back in the Night following, of it self, and now stands in the same place and posture it stood in before it was blown down. I saw it standing the 14th of this Instant, and could hardly perceive any Token of its having been Down, so very exactly it fell back into its place. This is somewhat the more remarkable, because the Ground (as I said) was declining, and consequently the Tree raised against the Hill. To this I shall only add, at present, that

10. This Relator lately riding thro' a neighbouring Parish, saw two Trees near two Houses thrown besides the said Houses, and very near each House, which yet did little or no harm, when if they had fallen with the Wind, they must needs have fallen directly upon the said Houses. And

11. That this Relator had two very tall Elms thrown up by the Roots, which fell in among five young Walnut Trees, without injuring a Twig or Bud of either of them, as rais'd the admiration of such as saw it.

12. In the same place, the Top of another Elm yet standing, was carry'd of from the Body of the Tree, a good part of 20 Yards.

SIR; I shall trouble you no further at present, you may perhaps think this enough, and too much; but however that may be, you, or your ingenious Undertakers are left at liberty to publish so much, or so little of this Narrative, as shall be thought fit for the Service of the Publick. I must confess the particular Deliverances were what chiefly induced me to set Pen to Paper, tho' the other Matters are Considerable, but whatever regard you shew to the latter, in Justice you should publish the former to the World, as the Glory of God is therein concern'd more immediately, to promote which, is the only aim of this Paper. And the more effectually to induce you to do me Right, (for contributing a slender Mite towards your very laudable Undertaking) I make no manner of Scruple to subscribe my self,

    Sir, Yours, &c.
    Rice Adams.

Upper Donhead,

Decemb. 18th 1703.

    Rector of Upper Donhead Wilts near Shaftsbury.

From Littleton in Worcestershire, and Middleton in Oxfordshire, the following Letters may be a Specimen of what those whole Counties felt, and of which we have several other particular Accounts.

SIR,

Publick notice being given of a designed Collection of the most Prodigious, as well as lamentable Effects of the last dreadful Tempest of Wind. There are many Persons hereabouts, and I suppose in many other places, wish all speedy furtherance and good Success to that so useful and pious Undertaking, for it may very well be thought to have a good Influence both upon the present Age, and succeeding Generation, to beget in them a holy admiration and fear of that tremendous Power and Majesty, which as one Prophet tells us, Causeth the Vapours to ascend from the Ends of the Earth, and bringeth the Wind out of his Treasures, and as the Priest Saith, hath so done his marvellous Works, that they ought to be had in remembrance. As to these Villages of Littleton in Worcestershire, I can only give this Information, that this violent Hurricane visited us also in its passage to the great Terror of the Inhabitants, who although by the gracious Providence of God all escaped with their Lives and Limbs, and the main Fabrick of their Houses stood; tho' with much shaking, and some damage in the Roofs of many of them: Yet when the Morning Light appeared after that dismal Night, they were surpris'd with fresh apprehensions of the Dangers escaped, when they discover'd the sad Havock that was made among the Trees of their Orchards and Closes, very many Fruit Trees, and many mighty Elms being torn up, and one Elm above the rest, of very great Bulk and ancient Growth I observed, which might have defied the Strength of all the Men and Teams in the Parish, (tho' assaulted in every Branch with Roaps and Chains) was found torn up by the Roots, all sound, and of vast Strength and Thickness, and with its fall (as was thought) by the help of the same impetuous Gusts, broke off in the middle of the Timber another great Elm its Fellow, and next Neighbour. And that which may exercise the Thoughts of the Curious, some little Houses and Out-houses that seemed to stand in the same Current, and without any visible Burrough or Shelter, escaped in their Roofs, without any, or very little Damage: What Accidents of Note hapned in our Neighbouring Parishes, I suppose you may receive from other Hands. This, (I thank God) is all that I have to transmit unto you from this place, but that I am a Well-wisher to your Work in Hand, And your Humble Servant,

Littleton, Decem. 20.

    Ralph Norris.

Middleton-Stony in Oxfordshire, Nov. 26. 1703

The Wind being South West and by West, it began to blow very hard at 12 of the Clock at Night, and about four or five in the Morning Nov. 27, the Hurricane was very terrible; many large Trees were torn up by the Roots in this Place; the Leads of the Church were Roll'd up, the Stone Battlements of the Tower were blown upon the Leads, several Houses and Barns were uncover'd, part of a new built Wall of Brick, belonging to a Stable was blown down, and very much damage, of the like Nature, was done by the Wind in the Towns and Villages adjacent.

    William Offley, Rector of Middleton-Stony.

From Leamington Hasting, near Dun-Church in Warwickshire, we have the following Account.

SIR,

I find in the Advertisments a Desire to have an Account of what happen'd remarkable in the late terrible Storm in the Country; the Stories every where are very many, and several of them such as will scarce gain Credit; one of them I send here an Account of being an Eye Witness, and living upon the place: The Storm here began on the 26th of Novem. 1703. about 12-a-clock, but the severest Blasts were between 5 and six in the Morning, and between Eight and Nine the 27th I went up to the Church, where I found all the middle Isle clearly stript of the Lead from one End to the other, and a great many of the Sheets lying on the East End upon the Church, roll'd up like a piece of Cloth: I found on the Ground six Sheets of Lead, at least 50 Hundred weight, all joyn'd together, not the least parted, but as they lay upon the Isle, which six Sheets of Lead were so carried in the Air by the Wind fifty Yards and a Foot, measured by a Workman exactly as cou'd be, from the place of the Isle where they lay, to the place they fell; and they might have been carried a great way further, had they not happen'd in their way upon a Tree, struck off an Arm of it near 17 Yards high; the End of one Sheet was twisted round the Body of the Tree, and the rest all joyn'd together lay at length, having broke down the Pales first where the Tree stood, and lay upon the Pales on the Ground, with one End of them, as I said before, round the Body of the Tree.

At the same time at Marson, in the County of Warwick, about 4 Miles from this place, a great Rick of Wheat was blown off from its Staddles, and set down without one Sheaf remov'd, or disturb'd, or without standing away 20 Yards from the place.

If you have a mind to be farther satisfied in this Matter, let me hear from you, and I will endeavour it: But I am in great hast at this time, which forces me to be confus'd.

    I am your Friend,
    E. Kingsburgh.

The following Account we have from Fareham and Christ Church in Hampshire, which are also well attested.

SIR,

I received yours, and in Answer these are to acquaint you; That we about us came no ways behind the rest of our Neighbours in that mighty Storm or Hurricane. As for our own Parish, very few Houses or Outhouses escaped. There was in the Parish of Fareham six Barns blown down, with divers other Outhouses, and many Trees blown up by the Roots, and other broken off in the middle; by the fall of a large Elm, a very large Stone Window at the West End of our Church was broken down; there was but two Stacks of Chimneys thrown down in all our Parish that I know of, and those without hurting any Person. There was in a Coppice called Pupal Coppice, an Oak Tree, of about a Load of Timber, that was twisted off with the Wind, and the Body that was left standing down to the very Roots so shivered, that if it were cut into Lengths, it would fall all in pieces. Notwithstanding so many Trees, and so much Out-Housing was blown down, I do not hear of one Beast that was killed or hurt. There was on the Down called Portsdown, in the Parish of Southwick, within three Miles of us, a Wind-Mill was blown down, that had not been up very many Years, with great damage in the said Parish to Mr. Norton, by the fall of many Chimneys and Trees. The damage sustained by us in the Healing is such, that we are obliged to make use of Slit Deals to supply the want of Slats and Tyles until Summer come to make some. And so much Thatching wanting, that it cannot be all repaired till after another Harvest. As for Sea Affairs about us, we had but one Vessel abroad at that time, which was one John Watson, the Master of which was never heard of yet, and I am afraid never will; I have just reason to lament her Loss, having a great deal of Goods aboard of her. If at any time any particular Relation that is true, come to my knowledge in any convenient time, I will not fail to give you an Account, and at all times remain

    Your Servant, Hen. Stanton.

Fareham,

January the 23d. 1703/4.

SIR,

In Answer to yours, relating to the Damages done by the late Storm in, and about out Town, is, that we had great part of the Roof of our Church uncover'd, which was cover'd with very large Purbick-stone, and the Battlements of the Tower, and part of the Leads blown down, some Stones of a vast weight blown from the Tower, several of them between two or three hundred weight, were blown some Rods or Perches distance from the Church; and 12 Sheets of Lead rouled up together, that 20 Men could not have done the like, to the great Amasement of those that saw 'em: And several Houses and Barns blown down, with many hundreds of Trees of all sorts; several Stacks of Chimneys being blown down, and particularly of one Thomas Spencer's of this Town, who had his Top of a Brick Chimney taken off by the House, and blown a cross a Cart Road, and lighting upon a Barn of Richard Holloway's, broke down the end of the said Barn, and fell upright upon one End, on a Mow of Corn in the Barn; but the said Spencer and his Wife, al-tho' they were then sitting by the Fire, knew nothing thereof until the Morning: And a Stack of Chimneys of one Mr. Imber's fell down upon a young Gentlewoman's Bed, she having but just before got out of the same, and several Outhouses and Stables were blown down, some Cattel killed; and some Wheat-ricks entirely blown off their Stafolds; and lighted on their bottom without any other damage; this is all the Relation I can give you that is Remarkable about us,

    I remain your friend and Servant, William Mitchel.

At Ringwood and Fording-Bridge, several Houses and Trees are blown down, and many more Houses uncovered.

From Oxford the following Account was sent, enclosed in the other, and are confirm'd by Letters from other Hands.

SIR,

The inclos'd is a very exact, and I am sure, faithful Account of the Damages done by the late Violent Tempest in Oxford. The particulars of my Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells, and his Ladies Misfortune are as follows, The Palace is the Relicks of a very old decay'd Castle, only one Corner is new built; and had the Bishop had the good Fortune to have lain in those Apartments that Night, he had sav'd his Life. He perceiv'd the fall before it came, and accordingly jump't out of Bed, and made towards the Door, where he was found with his Brains dash'd out; his Lady perceiving it, wrapt all the Bed-cloaths about her, and in that manner was found smother'd in Bed. This account is Authentick,