The Storm

by Daniel Defoe

  Your loving Friend,

  Northampton,

  Dec. 12.1703.

  Ben. Bullivant.

  The following Account from Berkly and other Places in Gloucestershire and Somersetshire, &c. are the sad Effects of the prodigious Tide in the Severn. The Wind blowing directly into the Mouth of that Channel we call the Severn Sea, forced the Waters up in such quantity, that ’tis allow’d the Flood was eight Foot higher than ever was known in the Memory of Man; and at one Place, near Huntspill, it drove several Vessels a long way upon the Land; from whence, no succeeding Tide rising to near that height, they can never be gotten off: as will appear in the two following Letters.

  SIR,

  This Parish is a very large one in the County of Gloucester, on one Side whereof runneth the River Severn, which by Reason of the Violence of the late Storm beat down and tore to pieces the Sea Wall (which is made of great Stones, and Sticks which they call Rouses;4 a Yard and half long, about the Bigness of ones Thigh rammed into the Ground as firm as possible) in many Places, and levell’d it almost with the Ground, forcing vast Quantities of Earth a great Distance from the Shore, and Stones, many of which were above a Hundred Weight: and hereby the Severn was let in above a Mile over one part of the Parish, and did great Damage to the Land; it carried away one House which was by the Sea-side, and a Gentleman’s Stable, wherein was a Horse, into the next Ground; and then the Stable fell to pieces, and so the Horse came out. There is one thing more remarkable in this Parish, and ’tis this: Twenty Six Sheets of Lead, hanging all together, were blown off from the middle Isle of our Church, and were carried over the North Isle, which is a very large one, without touching it; and into the Church-yard ten Yards distant from the Church; and they were took up all joyned together as they were on the Roof; the Plummer5 told me that the Sheets weighed each Three Hundred and a half one with another. This is what is most observable in our Parish; but I shall give you an Account of one thing (which perhaps you may have from other Hands) that happen’d in another, call’d Kingscote, a little Village about Three Miles from Tedbury, and Seven from us; where William Kingscote Esq; has many Woods; among which was one Grove of very tall Trees, being each near Eighty Foot high; the which he greatly valued for the Tallness and Prospect of them, and therefore resolv’d never to cut them down: But it so happen’d, that Six Hundred of them, within the Compass of Five Acres were wholly blown down; (and suppos’d to be much at the same time) each Tree tearing up the Ground with its Root; so that the Roots of most of the Trees, with the Turf and Earth about them, stood up at least Fifteen or Sixteen Foot high; the lying down of which Trees is an amazing Sight to all Beholders. This Account was given by the Gentleman himself, whom I know very well. I have no more to add, but that I am, Your humble Servant, wishing you good Success in your Undertaking,

  Henry Head,

  Vicar of Berkly.

  Jan. 24.

  The Damage of the Sea-wall may amount to about five Hundred Pounds.

  SIR,

  I Received a printed Paper sometime since, wherein I was desired to send you an Account of what happen’d in the late Storm: and I should have answered it sooner, but was willing to make some Enquiry first about this County; and by what I can hear or learn, the dismal Accident of our late Bishop and Lady was most remarkable;6 who was killed by the Fall of two Chimney Stacks, which fell on the Roof, and drove it in upon my Lord’s Bed, forced it quite through the next Flower down into the Hall, and buried them both in the Rubbish; and ’tis suppos’d my Lord was getting up, for he was found some Distance from my Lady, who was found in her Bed; but my Lord had his Morning Gown on, so that ’tis suppos’d he was coming from the Bed just as it fell. We had likewise two small Houses blown flat down just as the People were gone out to a Neighbour’s House; and several other Chimney Stacks fell down, and some through the Roof, but no other Accident as to Death in this Town or near it: abundance of Tiles are blown off, and likewise Thatch in and about this Town, and several Houses uncover’d, in the Country all about us, abundance of Apple and Elm Trees are rooted up by the Ground; and also abundance of Wheat and Hay-mows blown down: at Huntspil, about twelve Miles from this Town, there was Four or Five small Vessels drove a-shoar which remain there still, and ’tis suppos’d cannot be got off; and in the same Parish, the Tide broke in Breast high; but all the People escap’d only one Woman, who was drowned. These are all the remarkable Things that happen’d near us, as I can hear of; and is all, but my humble Service; and beg Leave to subscribe my self,

  SIR,

  Your most humble Servant,

  Wells in Somersetshire,

  Feb. 9. 1703.

  Edith. Conyers.

  SIR,

  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 Ell7 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 observed, 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.8

  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,

  Cardiff,

  Jan. 10. 1703.

  William Jones.

  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 Ashler9 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 entir
ely 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.10 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,

  Fairford, Gloucest.

  January 1703/4.

  Edw. Shipton, Vic.

  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 Cartel, 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,11 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 Fitzhardings’ 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 Abbots’, 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 withi
n 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.