The Storm

The Dreadful Storm did this Church but little Damage, but our Houses were terribly shaken hereabouts, and the Tide drowned the greatest part of the Sheep on our Common; as it likewise did, besides many Cows, between this Place and Bristol; on the opposite Shore of Glamorganshire, as (I suppose you may also know) it brake down part of Chepstow Bridge, o'er the Wye. In the midst of this Church-yard grew a vast Tree, thought to be the most large and flourishing Elm in the Land which was torn up by the Roots, some of which are really bigger than ones Middle, and several than a Man's Thigh; the Compass of them curiously interwoven with the Earth, being from the Surface (or Turf) to the Basis, full an Ell in Depth, and Eighteen Foot and half in the Diameter, and yet thrown up near Perpendicular; the Trunk, together with the loaden Roots, is well judg'd to be Thirteen Tun at least, and the Limbs to make Six Load of Billets with Faggots; and, about Two Years since, our Minister observ'd, that the circumambient Boughs dropt round above Two Hundred Yards: He hath given it for a Singers Seat in our said Church, with this Inscription thereon; Nov. 27. A.D. 1703. Miserere, &c.

Slimbrige near Severn

Dec. 28. 1703.

    William Frith Church-Warden.

SIR,

By the late Dreadful Storm a considerable Breach was made in our Town Wall, and Part of the Church Steeple blown down; besides most of the Inhabitants suffered very much by untiling their Houses, &c. and abundance of Trees unrooted: at the same time our River overflowed, and drowned the low Grounds of both Sides the Town, whereby several Hundreds of Sheep were lost, and some Cattle; and one of our Market Boats lifted upon our Key. This is a true Account of most of our Damages. I am,

    Your humble Servant,
    William Jones.

Cardiff,

Jan. 10. 1703.

Honour'd Sir,

In Obedience to your Request I have here sent you a particular Account of the damages sustain'd in our Parish by the late Violent Storm; and because that of our Church is the most material which I have to impart to you, I shall therefore begin with it. It is the fineness of our Church which magnifies our present loss, for in the whole it is a large and noble structure, compos'd within and without of Ashler curiously wrought, and consisting of a stately Roof in the middle, and two Isles runing a considerable length from one end of it to the other, makes a very beautiful Figure. It is also adorn'd with 28 admired and Celebrated Windows, which, for the variety and fineness of the Painted Glass that was in them, do justly attract the Eyes of all curious Travellers to inspect and behold them; nor is it more famous for its Glass, than newly renown'd for the Beauty of its Seats and Paving, both being chiefly the noble Gift of that pious and worthy Gentleman Andrew Barker, Esq; the late Deceas'd Lord of the Mannor. So that all things consider'd, it does equal, at least, if not exceed, any Parochial Church in England. Now that part of it which most of all felt the fury of the Winds, was, a large middle West Window, in Dimension about 15 Foot wide, and 25 Foot high: it represents the general Judgment, and is so fine a piece of Art, that 1500 l. has formerly been bidden for it, a price, though very tempting, yet were the Parishoners so just and honest as to refuse it. The upper part of this Window, just above the place where our Saviour's Picture is drawn sitting on a Rainbow, and the Earth his Foot-stool, is entirely ruin'd, and both sides are so shatter'd and torn, especially the left, that upon a general Computation, a fourth part, at least, is blown down and destroy'd. The like Fate has another West Window on the left side of the former, in Dimension about 10 Foot broad, and 15 Foot high, sustain'd; the upper half of which is totally broke, excepting one Stone Munnel. Now if this were but ordinary Glass, we might quickly compute what our repairs would Cost, but we the more lament our misfortune herein, because the Paint of these two, as of all the other Windows in our Church, is stain'd thro' the Body of the Glass; so that if that be true which is generally said, that this Art is lost, then have we an irretrievable loss. There are other damages about our Church, which, tho' not so great as the former, do yet as much testify how strong and boisterous the Winds were, for they unbedded 3 Sheets of Lead upon the uppermost Roof, and roll'd them up like so much Paper. Over the Church-porch, a large Pinnacle and two Battlements were blown down upon the leads of it, but resting there, and their fall being short, these will be repair'd with little Cost. This is all I have to say concerning our Church: Our Houses come next to be considered, and here I may tell you, that (thanks be to God) the effects of the Storm were not so great as they have been in many other places; several Chimneys, and Tiles, and Slats, were thrown down, but no body kill'd or wounded. Some of the Poor, because their Houses were Thatch'd, were the greatest sufferers; but to be particular herein, would be very frivolous, as well as vexatious. One Instance of Note ought not to omitted; on Saturday the 26th, being the day after the Storm, about 2-a-Clock in the Afternoon, without any previous warning, a sudden flash of Lightning, with a short, but violent clap of Thunder, immediately following it like the Discharge of Ordnance, fell upon a new and strong built House in the middle of our Town, and at the same time disjointed two Chimneys, melted some of the Lead of an upper Window, and struck the Mistress of the House into a Swoon, but this, as appear'd afterwards, prov'd the effect more of fear, than of any real considerable hurt to be found about her. I have nothing more to add, unless it be the fall of several Trees and Ricks of Hay amongst us, but these being so common every where, and not very many in number here, I shall Conclude this tedious Scrible, and Subscribe my self,

SIR,

    Your most Obedient and Humble Servant,
    Edw. Shipton, Vic.

Fairford, Gloucest.

January 1703/4.

The following Letters, tho' in a homely stile, are written by very honest, plain and observing Persons, to whom entire Credit may be given.

BREWTON

SIR,

Some time since I received a Letter from you, to give you an Account of the most particular Things that hapned in the late dreadful Tempest of Wind, and in the first Place is the Copy of a Letter from a Brother of mine, that was an Exciseman of Axbridge, in the West of our County of Somerset; these are his Words,

What I know of the Winds in these Parts, are, that it broke down many Trees, and that the House of one Richard Henden; of Charter-House on Mendip, call'd Piney, was almost blown down, and in saving their House, they, and the Servants, and others, heard grievous Cries and Scrieches in the Air. The Tower of Compton Bishop was much shatter'd, and the Leads that cover'd it were taken clean away, and laid flat in the Church-Yard: The House of John Cray of that place, received much and strange Damages, which together with his part in the Sea-wall, amounted to 500 l. Near the Salt-works in the Parish of Burnham, was driven five trading Vessels, as Colliers and Corn-dealers, betwixt Wales and Bridgwater, at least 100 Yards on Pasture Ground. In the North Marsh, on the sides of Bristol River, near Ken at Walton Woodspring, the Waters broke with such Violence, that it came six Miles into the Country drowning much Cattel, carrying away several Hay-ricks and Stacks of Corn: And at a Farm at Churchill near Wrington, it blew down 150 Elms that grew most in Rows, and were laid as Uniform as Soldiers lodge their Arms.

At Cheddar near Axbridge, was much harm done in Apple-trees, Houses, and such like; but what's worth remark, tho' not the very Night of the Tempest, a Company of wicked People being at a Wedding of one Thomas Marshall, John, the Father of the said Thomas, being as most of the Company was very Drunk, after much filthy Discourse while he was eating, a strange Cat pulling something from his Trenchard, he Cursing her, stoopt to take it up, and died immediately.

At Brewton what was most Remarkable, was this, that one John Dicer of that Town, lay the Night as the Tempest was, in the Barn of one John Seller, the Violence of the Wind broke down the Roof of the Barn, but fortunately for him there was a Ladder which staid up a Rafter, which would have fell upon the said John Dicer; but he narrowly escaping being killed, did slide himself thro' the broken Roof, and so got over the Wall without any great hurt. What hurt was done more about that Town is not so considerable as in other Places; Such as blowing off the Thatch from a great many back Houses of the Town; for the Town is most tiled with a sort of heavy Tile, that the Wind had no power to move; there was some hurt done to the Church, which was not above 40s. besides the Windows, where was a considerable damage, the Lady Fitzharding's House standing by the Church, the Battlement with part of the Wall of the House was blown down, which 'tis said, above 20 Men with all their strength could not have thrown down; besides, a great many Trees in the Park torn up by the Roots, and laid in very good Order one after another; it was taken notice that the Wind did not come in a full Body at once, but it came in several Gusts, as my self have taken Notice as I rid the Country, that in half a Miles riding I could not see a Tree down, nor much hurt to Houses, then again I might for some space see the Trees down, and all the Houses shattred: and I have taken Notice that it run so all up the Country in such a Line as the Wind sat; about One of the Clock it turn'd to the North West, but at the beginning was at South West; I my self was up until One and then I went to Bed, but the highest of the Wind was after that, so that my Bed did shake with me.

What was about Wincanton, was, that one Mrs. Gapper had 36 Elm-trees growing together in a Row, 35 of them was blown down; and one Edgehill of the same Town, and his Family being a Bed did arise, hearing the House begin to Crak, and got out of the Doors with his whole Family, and as soon as they were out the Roof of the House fell in, and the Violence of the Wind took of the Children's Head-cloaths, that they never saw them afterwards.

At Evercreech, three Miles from Brewton, there were a poor Woman beg'd for Lodging in the Barn of one Edmond Peny that same Night that the Storm was, she was wet the Day before in Travelling, so she hung up her Cloaths in the Barn, and lay in the Straw; but when the Storm came it blew down the Roof of the Barn where she lay, and she narrowly escaped with her Life, being much bruised, and got out almost naked through the Roof where it was broken most, and went to the dwelling House of the said Edmond Peny, and they did arise, and did help her to something to cover her, till they could get out her Cloaths; that place of Evercreech received a great deal of hurt in their Houses, which is too large to put here.

At Batcomb Easterly of Evercreech, they had a great deal of Damage done as I said before, it lay exactly with the Wind from Evercreech, and both places received a great deal of Damage; there was one Widow Walter lived in a House by it self, the Wind carried away the Roof, and the Woman's pair of Bodice, that was never heard of again, and the whole Family escaped narrowly with their Lives; all the Battlements of the Church on that side of the Tower next to the Wind was blown in, and a great deal of Damage done to the Church.

At Shipton Mallet was great Damages done, as I was told by the Post that comes to Brewton, that the Tiles of the Meeting House was blown off, and being a sort of light Tiles they flew against the Neighbouring Windows, and broke them to pieces: And at Chalton near Shepton Mallet at one Abbot's, the Roof was carried from the Walls of the House and the House mightily shaken, and seemingly the Foundation removed, and in the Morning they found a Foundation Stone of the House upon the top of the Wall, where was a shew in the Ground of its being driven out. At Dinder within two Miles of Shepton, there was one John Allen, and his Son, being out of Doors in the midst of the Tempest, they saw a great Body of Fire flying on the side of a Hill, call'd Dinder-hill, about half a Mile from them, with a Shew of black in the midst of it, and another Body of Fire following it, something smaller than the former.

There has been a strange thing at Butly, eight Miles from Brewton, which was thought to be Witchcraft, where a great many unusual Things happened to one Pope, and his Family, especially to a Boy, that was his Son, that having lain several Hours Dead, when he came to himself, he told his Father, and several of his Neighbours, Strange Stories of his being carried away by some of his Neighbours that have been counted wicked Persons; the Things have been so strangely related that Thousands of People have gone to see and hear it; it lasted about a Year or more: But since the Storm I have inquired of the Neighbours how it was, and they tell me, that since the late Tempest of Wind the House and People have been quiet; for its generally said, that there was some Conjuration in quieting of that House. If you have a desire to hear any farther Account of it, I will make it my Business to inquire farther of it, for there were such. Things happened in that time which is seldom heard of,

    Your humble Servant
    Hu. Ash.

Our Town of Butly lyes in such a place, that no Post-House is in a great many Miles of it, or you should hear oftner.

SIR,

I received yours, desiring an Account of the Damage done by the late great Wind about us. At Wilsnorton, three Miles from Wittney, the Lead of the Church was rouled, and great Damage done to the Church, many great Elms were tore up by the Roots: At Helford, two Miles from us, a Rookery of Elms, was most of it tore up by the Roots: At Cockeup, two Miles from us, was a Barn blown down, and several Elms blown down a Cross the High-way, so that there was no passage; a great Oak of about nine or ten Loads was blown down, having a Raven sitting in it, his Wing-feathers got between two Bows, and held him fast; but the Raven received no hurt: At Duckelton, a little thatch't House was taken off the Ground-pening, and removed a distance from the place, the covering not damaged. Hay-recks abundance are torn to pieces: At Wittney, six Stacks of Chimneys blown down, one House had a sheet of Lead taken from one side and blown over to the other, and many Houses were quite torn to pieces; several Hundred Trees blown down, some broke in the middle, and some torn up by the Roots. Blessed be God, I hear neither Man, Woman nor Child that received any harm about us.

    Your Servant,
    Richard Abenell.

Wittney, Oxfordsh.

ILMISTER, Somerset

Brief but exact Remarks on the late Dreadful Storms of Wind, as it affected the Town, and the Parts adjacent.

Imprimus. At Ashil-Parish 3 Miles West from this Town, the Stable belonging to the Hare and Hounds Inn was blown down, in which were three Horses, one kill'd, another very much bruised.

2. At Jurdans, a Gentleman's Seat in the same Parish, there was a Brick Stable, whose Roof, one Back, and one End Wall, were all thrown down, and four foot in depth of the Fore Wall; in this Stable were 4 Horses, which by reason of the Hay-loft that bore up the Roof, were all preserv'd.

3. At Sevington Parish, three Miles East from this Town, John Hutkens had the Roof of a new built House heaved clean off the Walls. Note, the House was not glazed, and the Roof was thatch'd.

4. In White Larkington Park, a Mile East from this Town, besides four or five hundred tall Trees broken and blown down, (admirable to behold, what great Roots was turned up) there were three very large Beaches, two of them that were near five Foot thick in the Stem were broken off, one of them near the Root, the other was broken off twelve Foot above, and from that place down home to the Root was shattered and flown; the other that was not broken, cannot have less than forty Waggon Loads in it; a very fine Walk of Trees before the House all blown down, and broke down the Roof of a Pidgeon House, the Rookery carried away in Lanes, the Lodg-House damaged in the Roof, and one End by the fall of Trees. In the Garden belonging to the House, was a very fine Walk of tall Firrs, twenty of which were broken down.

5. The damage in the Thatch of Houses, (which is the usual Covering in these Parts) is so great and general, that the price of Reed arose from twenty Shillings to fifty or three Pounds a Hundred; insomuch that to shelter themselves from the open Air, many poor People were glad to use Bean, Helm and Furse, to thatch their Houses with, Things never known to be put to such Use before.

6. At Kingston, a Mile distance from this Town, the Church was very much shattered in its Roof, and Walls too, and all our Country Churches much shattered, so that Churches and Gentlemen's Houses which were tiled, were so shatter'd in their Roofs, that at present, they are generally patch'd with Reed, not in Compliance with the Mode, but the Necessity of the Times.

7. At Broadway, two Miles West of this Town, Hugh Betty, his Wife, and four Children being in his House, it was by the violence of the Storm blown down, one of his Children killed, his Wife wounded, but recovered, the rest escaped with their Lives. A large Alms-house had most of the Tile blown off, and other Houses much shattered; a very large Brick Barn blown down, Walls and Roof to the Ground.

8. Many large Stacks of Wheat were broken, some of the Sheaves carried two or three Hundred Yards from the Place, many Stacks of Hay turned over, some Stacks of Corn heaved off the Stadle, and set down on the Ground, and not broken.

9. Dowlish Walk, two Miles South East, the Church was very much shattered, several Load of Stones fell down, not as yet repair'd, therefore can't express the damage. A very large Barn broken down that stood near the Church, much damage was done to Orchards, not only in this Place, but in all places round, some very fine Orchards quite destroyed: some to their great Cost had the Trees set up right again, but a Storm of Wind came after, which threw down many of the Trees again; as to Timber Trees, almost all our high Trees were broken down in that violent Storm.

10. In this Town Henry Dunster, his Wife and 2 Children, was in their House when it was blown down, but they all escaped with their Lives, only one of them had a small Bruise with a piece of Timber, as she was going out of the Chamber when the Roof broke in.

The Church, in this Place, scap'd very well, as to its Roof, being cover'd with Lead only on the Chancel; the Lead was at the top of the Roof heaved up, and roll'd together, more than ten Men could turn back again, without cutting the Sheets of Lead, which was done to put it in its place again: But in general the Houses much broken and shatter'd, besides the fall of some.

This is a short, but true Account. I have heard of several other things which I have not mentioned, because I could not be positive in the truth of them, unless I had seen it. This is what I have been to see the truth of. You may enlarge on these short Heads, and methodize 'em as you see good.

At Henton St. George, at the Lord Pawlet's, a new Brick Wall was broken down by the Wind for above 100 foot, the Wall being built not above 2 years since, as also above 60 Trees near 100 foot high.