_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

_Fareham_, _Your Servant_,

_January the_ 23_d._ 1703/4. Hen. Stanton.

_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,

_I am, Sir, yours_,

Dec. 9. 1703. J. Bagshot.

_SIR_,

I give you many thanks for your account from _London_: We were no

less terrified in _Oxon_ with the Violence of the Storm, tho' we

suffer'd in comparison but little Damage. The most considerable was,

a Child kill'd in St. _Giles_'s by the fall of an House; two

Pinnacles taken off from the Top of _Magdalen_ Tower, one from

_Merton_; about 12 Trees blown down in _Christ_ Church long walk,

some of the Battlements from the Body of the Cathedral, and two or

three Ranges of Rails on the Top of the great Quadrangle: Part of

the great Elm in University Garden was blown off, and a Branch of

the Oak in _Magdalen_ walks; the rest of the Colleges scaped

tolerably well, and the Schools and Theatre intirely. A very

remarkable passage happened at Queen's College, several Sheets of

Lead judged near 6000 _l._ weight, were taken off from the Top of

Sir _J. Williamson_'s Buildings, and blown against the West-end of

St. Peter's Church with such Violence, that they broke an Iron-bar

in the Window, making such a prodigious Noise with the fall, that

some who heard it, thought the Tower had been falling. The rest of

our Losses consisted for the most part in Pinnacles, Chimneys,

Trees, Slates, Tiles, Windows, _&c._ amounting in all, according to

Computation, to not above 1000 _l._

_Ox. Dec._ 7. 1703.

_From_ Kingstone-upon-Thames, _the following Letter is very particular,

and the truth of it may be depended upon_.

_SIR_,

I have inform'd my self of the following Matters; here was blown

down a Stack of Chimneys of Mrs. _Copper_, Widow, which fell on the

Bed, on which she lay; but she being just got up, and gone down, she

received no harm on her Body: Likewise, here was a Stack of Chimnies

of one Mr. _Robert Banford_'s blown down, which fell on a Bed, on

which his Son and Daughter lay, he was about 14 years and the

Daughter 16; but they likewise were just got down Stairs, and

received no harm: A Stack of Chimnies at the _Bull-Inn_ was blown

down, and broke way down into the Kitchen, but hurt no Body: Here

was a new Brick Malt-House of one Mr. _Francis Best_ blown down, had

not been built above two Years, blown off at the second Floor:

besides many Barns, and out Houses; and very few Houses in the Town

but lost Tiling, some more, some less, and Multitudes of Trees, in

particular. 11 Elms of one Mr. _John Bowles_, Shooe-maker: About 30

Apple-trees of one _Mr. Peirce_'s: And of one _John Andrew_, a

Gardiner, 100 Apple-trees blown to the Ground: One _Walter Kent_,

Esq; had about 20 Rod of new Brick-wall of his Garden blown down:

One Mr. _Tiringam_, Gentleman, likewise about 10 Rod of new

Brick-wall blown down: Mr. _George Cole_, Merchant, had also some

Rods of new Brickwall blown down: Also Mr. _Blitha_, Merchant, had

all his Walling blown down, and other extraordinary Losses. These

are the most considerable Damages done here,

_Your humble Servant_,

C. Castleman.

_From_ Teuxbury _in_ Gloucestershire, _and from_ Hatfield _in_

Hertfordshire, _the following Letters are sent us from the Ministers of

the respective Places._

_SIR_,

Our Church, tho' a very large one, suffered no great discernable

Damage. The Lead Roof, by the force of the Wind was strangely

ruffled, but was laid down without any great cost or trouble. Two

well-grown Elms, that stood before a sort of Alms-house in the

Church-yard had a different Treatment; the one was broken short in

the Trunck, and the head turn'd Southward, the other tore up by the

Roots, and cast Northward: Divers Chimnies were blown down, to the

great Damage and Consternation of the Inhabitants: And one rising in

the middle of two Chambers fell so violently, that it broke thro'

the Roof and Cieling of the Chamber, and fell by the Bed of Mr.

_W.M._ and bruised some part of the Bed-teaster and Furniture; but

himself, Wife and Child were signally preserved: An Out-house of Mr.

_F.M._ (containing a Stable, Millhouse, and a sort of Barn, judged

about 40 Foot in length) standing at the end of our Town, and much

expos'd to the Wind, intirely fell, which was the most considerable

Damage: Not one of our Town was kill'd, or notably hurt; tho' scarce

any but were terribly alarm'd by the dreadful Violence of it, which

remitted about five in the Morning: The beautiful Cathedral Church

of _Glocester_ suffer'd much; but of that I suppose you will have an

account from some proper Hand: This I was willing to signifie to

you, in answer to your Letter, not that I think them worthy of a

publick Memorial; but the Preservation of _W.M._ his Wife and Child

was remarkable,

_Your unknown Friend

and Servant_,

_Teuxbury Jan._ 12. 1703/4. John Matthews.

_Bishop's Hatfield_, Decem. 9. 1703.

_SIR_,

I perceive by an Advertisement in the _Gazette_ of last _Monday_,

that a Relation of some considerable Things which happened in the

late Tempest is intended to be printed, which design I believe will

be well approved of, that the Memory of it may be perpetuated. I

will give you an Account of some of the observable Damages done in

this Parish: The Church which was Til'd is so shattered, that the

Body of it is entirely to be ripp'd. Two Barns, and a Stable have

been blown down; in the latter were 13 Horses, and none of them

hurt, tho' there was but one to be seen when the Men first came. I

have number'd about 20 large Trees blown down, which stood in the

regular Walks in the Park here. It is said, that all the Trees blown

down in both the Parks will make above an hundred Stacks of Wood. A

Summer-house which stood on the East-side of the Bowling-green at

_Hatfield_-House, was blown against the Wall, and broken, and a

large part of it carried over the Wall, beyond a Cartway into the

plowed Grounds. A great part of the South-wall belonging to one of

the Gardens was levelled with the Ground; tho' it was so strong,

that great part of it continues cemented, tho' it fell upon a

Gravel-walk. Several Things which happened, incline me to think that

there was something of an _Hurricane_. Part of the fine painted

Glass-window in my Lord _Salisbury_'s Chapel was broken, tho' it

looked towards the East. The North-side of an House was untiled

several Yards square. In some places the Lead has been raised up,

and over one Portal quite blown off. In _Brocket-hall_ Park

belonging to Sir _John Reade_, so many Trees are blown down, that

lying as they do, they can scarce be numbred, but by a moderate

Computation, they are said to amount to above a Thousand. The

Damages which this Parish hath sustained, undoubtedly amount to many

hundred Pounds, some of the most considerable I have mentioned to

you, of which I have been in great Measure an Eye-witness, and have

had the rest from Credible Persons, especially the matter of

_Brocket-hall_ Park, it being two Miles out of Town, tho' in this

Parish. I am,

_Sir, Your humble Servant_,

George Hemsworth, _M.A._

_Curate of_ Bishop's Hatfield, _in Hartfordshire_.

_The shorter Accounts which have been sent up from almost all parts of_

England, _especially to the South of the_ Trent; _tho' we do not

transmit them at large as the abovesaid Letters are, shall be faithfully

abridg'd for the readier comprising them within the due compass of our

Volume._

_From_ Kent _we have many strange Accounts of the Violence of the Storm,

besides what relate to the Sea Affairs._

_At_ Whitstable, _a small Village on the Mouth of the East Swale of the

River_ Medway, _we are inform'd a Boat belonging to a Hoy was taken up

by the Violence of the Wind, clear off from the Water, and being bourn

up in the Air, blew turning continually over and over in its progressive

Motion, till it lodg'd against a rising Ground, above 50 Rod from the

Water; in the passage it struck a Man, who was in the way, and broke his

Knee to pieces._

_We content our selves with relating only the Fact, and giving

Assurances of the Truth of what we Relate, we leave the needful Remarks

on such Things to another place._

_At a Town near_ Chartham, _the Lead of the Church rolled up together,

and blown off from the Church above 20 Rod distance, and being taken up

afterwards, and weigh'd it, appear'd to weigh above 2600 weight._

_At_ Brenchly _in the Western Parts of_ Kent, _the Spire of the Steeple

which was of an extraordinary hight was overturn'd; the particulars

whereof you have in the following Letter, from the Minister of the

place._

_SIR_,

According to your request, and my promise, for the service of the

publick, I have here given you an Account of the Effects of the late

Tempestuous Winds in the Parish of _Brenchly_, in the County of

_Kent_, as freely and impartially as can be consistent with the

Damages sustained thereby, _viz._

A stately Steeple, whose Altitude exceeded almost, if not all, in

_Kent_, the height whereof, according to various Computations, it

never in my knowledge being exactly measured, did amount at least to

10 Rods; some say 12, and others more; yet this strong and noble

Structure by the Rage of the Winds was levelled with the Ground, and

made the sport and pastime of Boys and Girls, who to future Ages,

tho' perhaps incredibly, yet can boast they leaped over such a

Steeple, the fall thereof beat down great part of the Church and

Porch, the damage of which to repair, as before, will not amount to

less than 800 or 1000 _l._ This is the publick loss; neither does

private and particular much less bemoan their Condition, for some

Houses, and some Barns, with other Buildings, are quite demolished;

tho' Blessed be God, not many Lives or Limbs lost in the fall, and

not one House, but what suffered greatly by the Tempest. Neither

were Neighbouring Parishes much more favoured; but especially, a

place called _Great Peckham_, whose Steeple also, almost as high as

ours, was then blown down, but not so much Damage to the Church,

which God preserve safe and sound for ever.

_This is the nearest account that can be given, by your unknown

Servant_,

Tho. Figg.

_As the above Letter mentions the fall of the Spire of_ Great Peckham,

_we have omitted a particular Letter from the place._

_In or near_ Hawkhurst _in_ Sussex, _a Waggon standing in a Field loaden

with Straw, and bound well down in order to be fetch't away the next

day, the Wind took the Waggon, drove it backward several Rods, force't

it through a very thick Hedge into the Road, and the way being dirty,

drove it with that force into the Mud or Clay of the Road, that six

Horses could not pull it out._

_The Collector of these Accounts cannot but enter the Remarks he made,

having occasion to Traverse the County of_ Kent _about a Month after the

Storm; and besides, the general Desolation which in every Village gave

almost the same prospect; he declares, that he reckoned 1107 dwelling

Houses, Out-houses and Barns blown quite down, whole Orchards of Fruit

Trees laid flat upon the Ground, and of all other sorts of Trees such a

quantity, that tho' he attempted to take an Account of them, he found

'twas impossible, and was oblig'd to give it over._

_From_ Monmouth _we have a Letter, that among a vast variety of Ruins,

in their own Houses and Barns; one whereof fell with a quantity of Sheep

in it, of which seven were kill'd: The Lead of the great Church, tho' on

the side from the Wind, was roll'd up like a roll of Cloth, and blown

off from the Church._

_I chose to note this, because the Letter says, it was upon the

North-side of the Church, and which seems to confirm what I have

observ'd before, of the Eddies of the Wind, the Operation whereof has

been very strange in several places, and more Violent than the Storm it

self._

_At_ Wallingford, _one_ Robert Dowell, _and his Wife, being both in Bed,

the Chimney of the House fell in, demolish'd the House, and the main

Beam breaking fell upon the Bed, the Woman receiv'd but little Damage,

but the Man had his Thigh broke by the Beam, and lay in a dangerous

Condition when the Letter was wrote, which was the 18th of_ January

_after_.

_From_ Axminster _in_ Somersetshire _take the following plain, but

honest Account._

_SIR_,

The best account I can give of the Storm in these Parts is as

follows: Dr. _Towgood_ had his Court Gate, with a piece of Wall

blown to the other side of the Road, and stands upright against the

Hedge, which was 12 Foot over, and it was as big as two Horses could

draw: A sheet of Lead which lay flat was carried from Sir _William

Drake_'s quite over a Wall into the Minister's Court, near

three-score Yards: There was a Tree which stood in Mr. _John

Whitty_'s Ground which broke in the middle, and the top of it blew

over the Hedge, and over a Wall, and over a top of a House, and did

not hurt the House: There was a Mow of Corn that was blown off the

Posts, and sate upright without hurt, belonging to _William Oliver_,

at an Estate of _Edward Seymour_'s, called _Chappel Craft_: A Maiden

Oke which stood in the _Quille_ more than a Man could fathom, was

broke in the middle: Several hundred of Apple-Trees, and other Trees

blown down: Most Houses damnify'd in the Tiles and Thatch, but no

Houses blown down, and no Person hurt nor killed; neither did the

Church nor Tower, nor the Trees in the Church-yard received much

Damage: Our loss in the Apple-Trees is the greatest; because we

shall want Liquor to make our Hearts merry; the Farmer's sate them

up again, but the Wind has blown them down since the Storm.

_From_ Hartley _in the County of_ Southampton_, an honest Countryman

brought the following Account by way of Certificate, from the Minister

of the Parish._

_SIR_,

I the Minister of the abovesaid Parish, in the County of

_Southampton_, do hereby Certifie of the several Damages done by the

late great Wind in our own, and the Parish adjacent; several

dwelling Houses strip'd, and several Barns overturn'd, several Sign

Posts blown down, and many Trees, both Timber and Fruit; and

particularly my own Dwelling House very much mortify'd, a Chimney

fell down, and endanger'd both my own, and Families Lives. I am,

_Sir, your humble Servant_,

Nathan Kinsey.

_From_ Okingham _in_ Berkshire, _and from_ Bagshot _in_ Surrey, _as

follows_.

_SIR_,

Great damage to the Houses, some Barns down, the Market-house very

much shattred, the Clock therein spoiled, several hundreds of Trees

torn up by the Roots, most of them Elms, nothing more remarkable

than what was usual in other places. It is computed, that the damage

amounts to 1000 _l._ And most of the Signs in the Town blown down,

and some of the Leads on the Church torn up: Yet by the goodness of

God, not one Person killed nor hurt.

_Bagshot_ in _Surry_.

The Chimneys of the Mannor House, some of them blown down, and 400

Pannel of Pales, with some of the Garden Walls blown down, and in

and about the Town several great Elms torn up by the Roots, most of

the Houses shatter'd, and the tops of Chimneys blown down.

_In the Parish_, a great many Chimneys, the tops of them blown down,

and the Houses and Barns very much shatter'd, _&c._ the damage in

all is supposed about 300 _l._ none killed.

This is all the Account I can give you concerning the damage done by

the Tempest hereabouts. This is all at present from,

_Your Humble Servant_,

_Bagshot_,

_Feb._ 1. 1704. Jo. Lewis.

_At_ Becles _the Leads of the Church ript up, part of the Great Window

blown down, and the whole Town exceedingly shatter'd._

_At_ Ewell _by_ Epsome _in_ Surry, _the Lead from the flat Roof of Mr._

Williams'_s House was roll'd up by the Wind, and blown from the top of

the House clear over a Brick Wall near 10 Foot high, without damnifying

either the House or the Wall, the Lead was carried near 6 Rod from the

House; and_ as our Relator says, _was Computed to weigh near 10 Tun.

This is Certified by Mr._ George Holdsworth _of_ Epsome, _and sent for

the Service of the present Collection, to the Post House at_ London, _to

whom we refer for the Truth of the Story._

_From_ Ely _in the County of_ Cambridge, _we have the following

Relation; also by a Letter from another Hand, and I the rather Transmit

this Letter, because by other hands we had an account, that it was

expected the Cathedral or Minster at_ Ely, _being a very Ancient

Building, and Crazy, would not have stood the fury of the Wind, and some

People that lived within the reach of it, had Terrible Apprehensions of

its falling, some shocks of the Wind gave it such a Motion, that any one

that felt it, would have thought it was impossible it should have

stood._

_SIR_,

According to your request, I have made it my business to get the

exactest and truest account (I am able) of the damages and losses

sustain'd on this side the Country, by the late Violent Storm. The

Cathedral Church of _Ely_ by the Providence of God did, contrary to

all Men's expectations, stand out the shock; but suffered very much

in every part of it, especially that which is called the Body of it,

the Lead being torn and rent up a considerable way together; about

40 lights of Glass blown down, and shatter'd to pieces, one

Ornamental Pinacle belonging to the North Isle demolish'd, and the

Lead in divers other parts of it blown up into great heaps. Five

Chimneys falling down in a place called the Colledge, the place

where the Prebendaries Lodgings are, did no other damage (prais'd be

God) then beat down some part of the Houses along with them; the

loss which the Church and College of _Ely_ sustain'd, being by

computation near 2000 _l._ The Sufferers are the Reverend the Dean

and Chapter of the said Cathedral. The Wind Mills belonging both to

the Town and Country, felt a worse fate, being blown or burnt down

by the Violence of the Wind, or else disabled to that degree, that

they were wholy unable of answering the design they were made for;

three of the aforesaid Mills belonging to one _Jeremiah Fouldsham_

of _Ely_, a very Industrious Man of mean Substance, were burnt and

blown down, to the almost Ruin and Impoverishment of the aforesaid

Person, his particular loss being upward of a 100 _l._ these are the

most remarkable disasters that befel this side of the Country. The

Inhabitants both of the Town of _Ely_ and Country general, receiv'd

some small damages more or less in their Estates and Substance,

_viz._ The Houses being stript of the Tiling, Barns and Out-houses

laid even with the Ground, and several Stacks of Corn and Cocks of

Hay being likewise much damaged, the general loss being about 20000

_l._ the escape of all Persons here from Death, being generally

miraculous; none as we can hear of being kill'd, tho' some were in

more imminent danger than others. This, Sir, is as true, and as

faithful an account as we are able to collect.

_I am Yours_,

Ely, Jan. 21. 1703. A. Armiger.

_From_ Sudbury _in_ Suffolk_, an honest plain Countryman gives us a

Letter, in which telling us of a great many Barns blown down, Trees,

Chimneys and Tiles, he tells us in the Close, that their Town fared

better than they expected, but that for all the neighbouring Towns they

are fearfully shatter'd._

_From_ Tunbridge, _a Letter to the Post Master, giving the following

Account._

_SIR_,

I cannot give you any great account of the particular damage the

late great Winds has done, but at _Penchurst Park_ there was above

500 Trees blown down, and the Grove at _Southborough_ is almost

blown down; and there is scarce a House in Town, but hath received

some damage, and particularly the School-House. A Stack of Chimnies

blown down, but no body, God be thanked, have lost their Lives, a

great many Houses have suffered very much, and several Barns have

been blown down: At _East Peckam_, hard by us, the Spire of the

Steeple was blown down: And at Sir _Thomas Twisden_'s in the same

Parish, there was a Stable blown down, and 2 Horses killed: And at

_Brenchly_ the Spire of the Steeple was blown down; and at _Summer

Hill Park_ there were several Trees blown down; which is all at

present from,

_Your Servant to Command_,

Elizabeth Luck.

_At_ Laneloe _in the County of_ Brecon _in_ Wales, _a Poor Woman with a

Child, was blown away by the Wind, and the Child being about 10 years

old, was taken up in the Air two or three yards, and very much Wounded

and Bruised in the fall._

_At_ Ledbury _in_ Herefordshire, _we have an Account of two Wind Mills

blown down, and four Stacks of Chimneys in a new built House at a

Village near_ Ledbury, _which Wounded a Maid Servant; and at another

Gentleman's House near_ Ledbury, _the Coachman fearing the Stable would

fall, got his Master's Coach Horses out to save them, but leading them

by a great Stack of Hay, the Wind blew down the Stack upon the Horses,

killed one, and Maimed the other._

_From_ Medhurst _in_ Sussex, _the following Letter is a short account of

the loss of the Lord_ Montacute, _in his Seat there, which is

extraordinary great, tho' Abridg'd in the Letter_.

_SIR_,

I received a Letter from you, wherein you desire me to give you an

account of what damage was done in and about our Town, I praise God

we came off indifferent well; the greatest damage we received, was

the untiling of Houses, and 3 Chimneys blown down, but 4 or 5 Stacks

of Chimneys are blown down at my Lord _Montacute_'s House, within a

quarter of a mile of us, one of them fell on part of the Great Hall,

which did considerable damage; and the Church Steeple of _Osborn_,

half a mile from us, was blown down at the same time; and my Lord

had above 500 Trees torn up by the Roots, and near us several Barns

blown down, one of Sir _John Mill_'s, a very large Tiled Barn.

Medhurst, _Your humble Servant_

_Jan._ 18. 1703/4. John Prinke.

_From_ Rigate _the particulars cannot be better related, than in the

following Letter_

_SIR_,

In answer to the Letter you sent me, relating to the late great

Wind, the Calamity was universal about us, great numbers of vast

tall Trees were blown down, and some broken quite asunder in the

middle, tho' of a very considerable bigness. Two Wind-mills were

blown down, and in one there happened a remarkable Providence, and

the Story thereof may perhaps be worth your observation, which is,

_viz._ That the Miller of _Charlewood_ Mill, not far from _Rigate_

hearing in the night time the Wind blew very hard, arose from his

Bed, and went to his Mill, resolving to turn it toward the Wind, and

set it to work, as the only means to preserve it standing; but on

the way feeling for the Key of the Mill, he found he had left it at

his Dwelling House, and therefore returned thither to fetch it, and

coming back again to the Mill, found it blown quite down, and by his

lucky forgetfulness saved his Life, which otherwise he most

inevitably had lost. Several Stacks of Corn and Hay were blown down

and shattered a very great distance from the places where they

stood. Many Barns were also blown down, and many Stacks of Chimnies;

and in the Town and Parish of _Rigate_, scarce a House but suffered

considerable damage, either in the Tyling or otherwise. In the

Parish of _Capel_ by _Darking_ lived one _Charles Man_, who was in

Bed with his Wife and two Children, and by a fall of part of his

House, he and one Child were killed, and his Wife, and the other

Child, miraculously preserved, I am

Rigate, _Sir, Your humble Servant_,

Jan. 13. 1703/4. Tho. Foster.

_From the City of_ Hereford, _this short Letter is very explicit._

_SIR_,

The best account I can give of the Storm, is as follows; a Man and

his Son was killed with the fall of his House, in the Parish of

_Wormsle_, 2 miles off _Webly_ in _Herefordshire_. My Lord

_Skudamoor_ had several great Oaks blown down in the Parish of

_Hom_, 4 miles from _Hereford_; there were several great Elms blown

down at a place called _Hinton_, on _Wye_ side, half a mile off

_Hereford_, and some hundreds of Fruit Trees in other Parts of this

County, and two Stacks of Chimnies in this City, and abundance of

Tiles off the old Houses,

_Hereford_, _Yours_, &c.

_Jan._ 2. 1703. Anne Watts.

_At_ Hawkhurst, _on the Edge of_ Sussex _and_ Kent, _11 Barnes were

blown down, besides the Houses Shatter'd or Uncover'd._

_From_ Basingstoke _in_ Hampshire, _the following Letter is our

Authority for the Particulars_.

_SIR_,

I cannot pretend to give you a particular account concerning the

great Wind, but here are a great many Houses blown down, many Barns,

and abundance of Trees. A little Park, three Miles from _Basing

Stoke_, belonging to Esq. _Waleps_ has a great quantity of Timber

blown down, there is 800 _l_'s worth of Oak sold, and 800 _l_'s

worth of other Trees to be sold, and so proportionably all over the

Country. Abundance of Houses until'd, and a great many Chimneys

blown down; but I do not hear of any body kill'd about us. Most of

the People were in great Fears and Consternation; insomuch, that

they thought the World had been at an end. Sir,

_Yours to Command_

W. Nevill

At _Shoram_ the Market House, an Antient and very strong building, was

blown flat to the Ground, and all the Town shatter'd. _Brighthelmston_

being an old built and poor, tho' populous Town, was most miserably

torn to pieces, and made the very Picture of Desolation, that it lookt

as if an Enemy had Sackt it.

_The following Letter from a small Town near_ Helford _in_ Cornwall _is

very Authentick, and may be depended on_.

_SIR_,

According to your Request, in a late Advertisement, in which you

desir'd an Impartial Account of what Accidents hapned by the late

Dreadful Storm, in order to make a true and just Collection of the

same, please to take the following Relation, _viz._ Between 8 and

9-a-Clock the Storm began, with the Wind at N.W. about 10-a-Clock

it veer'd about from W. to S.W. and back to West again, and between

11 and 12-a-Clock it blew in a most violent and dreadful manner,

that the Country hereabouts thought the great day of Judgment was

coming.

It continued thus blowing till 5-a-Clock and then began to abate a

little, but has done a Prodigious damage to almost all sorts of

People, for either their Houses are blown down, or their Corn blown

out of their tack-yards (some Furlongs distance) from the same that

the very fields look in a manner, as if they had shak'd the Sheaves

of Corn over them. Several Barns blown down, and the Corn that was

in the same carried clear away.

The Churches here abouts have suffered very much, the Roofs of

several are torn in pieces, and blown a considerable Distance off.

The small Quantity of Fruit-Trees we had in the Neighbourhood about

us are so dismember'd, and torn in pieces, that few or none are left

fit for bearing Fruit.

The large Timber Trees, as Elm, Oak, and the like, are generally

blown down, especially the largest and highest Trees suffered most;

for few Gentlemen that had Trees about their Houses have any left;

and it is generally observ'd here, that the Trees and Houses that

stood in Valleys, and most out of the Wind, have suffered most. In

short, the Damage has been so general, that both Rich and Poor have

suffered much.

In _Helford_, a small Haven, not far from hence, there was a Tin

Ship blown from her Anchors with only one Man, and two Boys on

Board, without Anchor, Cable or Boat, and was forc'd out of the

said Haven about 12-a-Clock at Night; the next Morning by 8-a-Clock,

the Ship miraculously Run in between two Rocks in the _Isle of

Wight_, where the Men and Goods were saved, but the Ship lost: Such

a Run, in so short a time, is almost Incredible, it being near 80

Leagues in 8 hours time, I believe it to be very true, for the

Master of the said Ship I know very well, and some that were

concern'd in her Lading, which was Tin, &c.

_From St._ Keaverne _Parish in_ Cornwall,

_May_ 26. 1704. _Yours &c._ W.T.

_Thus far our Letters_.

It has been impossible to give an exact relation in the matter of

publick Damage, either as to the particulars of what is remarkeable, or

an Estimate of the general loss.

The Abstract here given, as near as we could order it, is so well taken,

that we have, _generally speaking_, something remarkable from every

quarter of the Kingdom, to the South of the _Trent_.

It has been observ'd, that tho' it blew a great Storm farther Northward,

yet nothing so furious as this way. At _Hull_, indeed, as the Relation

Expresses, it was violent, but even that violence was moderate, compar'd

to the Stupendious fury with which all the Southern part of the Nation

was Attack'd.

When the Reader finds an Account here from _Milford-haven_ in _Wales_,

and from _Helford_ in _Cornwall_ West, from _Yarmouth_ and _Deal_ in the

East, from _Portsmouth_ in the South, and _Hull_ in the North, I am not

to imagine him so weak as to suppose all the vast Interval had not the

same, or proportion'd suffering, when you find one Letter from a Town,

and two from a County, it is not to be supposed that was the whole

damage in that County, but, on the contrary, that every Town in the

County suffered the same thing in proportion; and it would have been

endless to the Collector, and tiresom to the Reader, to have Enumerated

all the Individuals of every County; 'twould be endless to tell the the

Desolation in the Parks, Groves, and fine Walks of the Gentry, the

general havock in the Orchards and Gardens among the Fruit Trees,

especially in the Counties of _Devon_, _Somerset_, _Hereford_,

_Gloucester_ and _Worcester_, where the making great quantities of Cyder

and Perry, is the reason of numerous and large Orchards, among which,

for several Miles together, there would be very few Trees left.

In _Kent_ the Editor of this Book has seen several great Orchards, the

Trees lying flat on the Ground, and perhaps one Tree standing in a place

by it self, as a House might shelter it, perhaps none at all.

So many Trees were every where blown cross the Road, that till the

People were call'd to saw them off, and remove them, the ways were not

passable.

Stacks of Corn and Hay were in all places either blown down, or so torn,

that they receiv'd great damage, and in this Article 'tis very

observable, those which were only blown down receiv'd the least Injury;

when the main body of a Stack of Hay stood safe, the top being loosen'd

by the Violence of the Wind, the Hay was driven up into the Air, and

flew about like Feathers; that it was entirely lost and hung about in

the Neighbouring Trees, and spread on the Ground for a great distance

and so perfectly seperated, that there was no gathering it together.

Barly and Oats suffered the same casualty, only that the weight of the

Corn settled it sooner to the Ground than the Hay.

As to the Stacks of Wheat, the Accounts are very strange; from many

places we have Letters, and some so incredible, that we dare not venture

on the Readers faith to transmit them, least they should shock their

belief in those very strange Relations already set down, and better

Attested, as of a great Stack of Corn taken from the Hovel on which it

stood, and without Dislocating the Sheaves, set upon another Hovel, from

whence the Wind had just before remov'd another Stack of equal

Dimensions; of a Stack of Wheat taken up with the Wind, and set down

whole 16 Rod off, and the like. But as we have other Relations equally

strange, their Truth considered, we refer the Reader to them, and assure

the World we have several Accounts of Stacks of Wheat taken clear off

from the Frame or Steddal, and set down whole, abundance more over-set,

and thrown off from their standings, and others quite dispers'd, and in

a great measure destroy'd.

'Tis true, Corn was exceeding cheap all the Winter after, but they who

bring that as a reason to prove there was no great quantity destroy'd,

are oblig'd to bear with me in telling them they are mistaken, for the

true reason was as follows,

The Stacks of Corn in some Counties, the West chiefly, where the People

generally lay up their Corn in Stacks, being so damnify'd as above, and

the Barns in all parts being Universally uncovered, and a vast number of

them overturn'd, and blown down, the Country People were under a

necessity of Threshing out their Corn with all possible speed, least if

a Rain had follow'd, as at that time of Year was not unlikely, it might

ha' been all spoil'd.

And it was a special Providence to those People also, as well as to us

in _London_; that it did not Rain, at least to any quantity, for near

three Weeks after the Storm.

Besides this, the Country People were obliged to thresh out their Corn

for the sake of the Straw, which they wanted to repair the Thatch, and

covering of their Barns, in order to secure the rest.

All these Circumstances forc'd the Corn to Market in unusual quantities,

and that by Consequence made it Cheaper than ordinary, and not the

exceeding quantity then in Store.

The Seats of the Gentlemen in all places had an extraordinary share in

the Damage; their Parks were in many places perfectly dismantled, the

Trees before their Doors levelled, their Garden Walls blown down, and I

could give a List, I believe, of a thousand Seats in _England_, within

the compass of our Collected Papers, who had from 5 to 20 Stacks of

Chimnies blown down, some more, some less, according to the several

Dimentions of the Houses.

I am not obliging the Reader to comply with the Calculations here

following, and it would have took up too much room in this small Tract

to name particulars; but according to the best estimate I have been able

to make from the general Accounts sent up by Persons forward to have

this matter recorded, the following particulars are rather under than

over the real Truth.

25 Parks in the several Counties, who have above 1000 Trees in each

Park, blown down.

_New Forest_ in _Hampshire_ above 4000, and some of prodigious Bigness;

above 450 Parks and Groves, who have from 200 large Trees to 1000 blown

down in them.

Above 100 Churches covered with Lead, the Lead roll'd up, the Churches

uncover'd; and on some of them, the Lead in prodigious Quantities blown

to incredible Distances from the Church.

Above 400 Wind-mils overset, and broken to pieces; or the Sails so blown

round, that the Timbers and Wheels have heat and set the rest on Fire,

and so burnt them down, as particularly several were in the Isle of

_Ely_.

Seven Steeples quite blown down, besides abundance of Pinacles and

Battlements from those which stood; and the Churches where it happened

most of them Demolish'd, or terribly Shattered.

Above 800 dwelling Houses blown down, in most of which the Inhabitants

received some Bruise or Wounds, and many lost their Lives.

We have reckoned, including the City of _London_, about 123 People

kill'd; besides such as we have had no account of; the Number of People

drowned are not easily Guest; but by all the Calculations I have made

and seen made, we are within compass, if we reckon 8000 Men lost,

including what were lost on the Coast of _Holland_, what in Ships blown

away, and never heard of, and what were drowned in the Flood of the

_Severn_, and in the River of _Thames_.

What the Loss, how many poor Families ruin'd, is not to be Estimated,

the Fire of _London_ was an exceeding Loss, and was by some reckon'd at

four Millions sterling; which, tho' it was a great Loss, and happened

upon the spot, where vast Quantities of Goods being expos'd to the fury

of the Flames, were destroy'd in a hurry, and 14000 dwelling Houses

entirely consum'd.

Yet on the other Hand, that Desolation was confin'd to a small Space,

the loss fell on the wealthiest part of the People; but this loss is

Universal, and its extent general, not a House, not a Family that had

any thing to lose, but have lost something by this Storm, the Sea, the

Land, the Houses, the Churches, the Corn, the Trees, the Rivers, all

have felt the fury of the Winds.

I cannot therefore think I speak too large, if I say, I am of the

Opinion, that the Damage done by this Tempest far exceeded the Fire of

_London_.

They tell us the Damages done by the Tide, on the Banks of the _Severn_,

amounts to above 200000 pounds, 15000 Sheep drown'd in one Level,

Multitudes of Cattle on all the sides, and the covering the Lands with

Salt Water is a Damage cannot well be Estimated: The High Tide at

_Bristol_ spoil'd or damnify'd 1500 Hogsheds of Sugars and Tobaccoes,

besides great quantities of other Goods.

'Tis impossible to describe the general Calamity, and the most we can do

is, to lead our Reader to supply by his Immagination what we omit; and

to believe, that as the Head of the particulars is thus collected, an

infinite Variety at the same time happened in every place, which cannot

be expected to be found in this Relation.

There are some additional Remarks to be made as to this Tempests, which

I cannot think improper to come in here: As,

1. That in some Parts of _England_ it was join'd with terrible

Lightnings and Flashings of Fire, and in other places none at all; as to

Thunder the Noise the Wind made, was so Terrible, and so Unusual, that I

will not say, People might not mistake it for Thunder; but I have not

met with any, who will be positive that they heard it Thunder.

2. Others, as in many Letters we have received to that purpose insist

upon it, that they felt an Earthquake; and this I am doubtful of for

several Reasons.

1st. We find few People either in City or Country ventur'd out of their

Houses, or at least till they were forced out, and I cannot find any

Voucher to this opinion of an Earthquake, from those whose Feet stood

upon the _Terra Firma_, felt it move, and will affirm it to be so.

2d. As to all those People who were in Houses, I cannot allow them to be

competent Judges, for as no House was so strong as not to move and

shake with the force of the Wind, so it must be impossible for them to

distinguish whither that motion came from above or below: As to those in

Ships, they will not pretend to be competent Judges in this case, and I

think the People within doors as improper to decide, for what might not

that motion they felt in their Houses, from the Wind do, that an

Earthquake could do. We found it rockt the strongest Buildings, and in

several places made the Bells in the Steeples strike, loosen'd the

Foundations of the Houses, and in some below them quite down, but still

if it had been an Earthquake, it must have been felt in every house, and

every place; and whereas in those Streets of _London_, where the Houses

stand thick and well Built, they could not be so shaken with the Wind as

in opener places; yet there the other would have equally been felt, and

better distinguisht; and this particularly by the Watch, who stood on

the Ground, under shelter of publick Buildings, as in St. _Paul_'s

Church, the Exchange Gates, the Gates of the City, and such like;

wherefore, as I am not for handing to Posterity any matter of Fact upon

ill Evidence, so I cannot transmit what has its Foundation only in the

Amazements of the People.

'Tis true, that there was an Earthquake felt in the _North East parts of

the Kingdoms_, about a Month afterwards, of which several Letters here

inserted make mention, and one very particularly from _Hull_; but that

there was any such thing as an Earthquake during the Storm, I cannot

agree.

Another remarkable thing I have observ'd, and have several Letters to

show of the Water which fell in the Storm, being brackish, and at

_Cranbrook_ in _Kent_, which is at least 16 Miles from the Sea, and

above 25 from any Part of the Sea to windward, from whence the Wind

could bring any moisture, _for it could not be suppos'd to fly against

the Wind_; the Grass was so salt, the Cattel would not eat for several

Days, from whence the ignorant People suggested another Miracle, _viz._

that it rain'd salt Water.

The answer to this, I leave to two Letters printed in the _Philosophical

Transactions_; as follows,

_Part of a Letter from Mr._ Denham _to the Royal Society_,

_SIR_,

I have just now, since my writing, receiv'd an account from a

Clergy-man, an Intelligent Person at _Lewes_ in _Sussex_, not only

that the Storm made great desolations thereabouts, but also an odd

Phænomenon occasioned by it, _viz._ 'That a Physician travelling

soon after the Storm to _Tisehyrst_, about 20 Miles from _Lewes_,

and as far from the Sea, as he rode he pluckt some tops of Hedges,

and chawing them found them Salt. Some Ladies of _Lewes_ hearing

this, tasted some Grapes that were still on the Vines, and they also

had the same relish. The Grass on the Downs in his Parish was so

salt, that the Sheep in the Morning would not feed till hunger

compelled them, and afterwards drank like Fishes, as the Shepherds

report. This he attributeth to Saline Particles driven from the

Sea.--He heareth also, that People about _Portsmouth_ were much

annoyed with sulphurous Fumes, complaining they were most suffocated

therewith'.

V. _Part of a Letter from Mr._ Anthony van Lauwenhoek, _F.R.S. giving

his Observations on the late Storm_.

Delft, Jan. 8. 1704. N.S.

_SIR_,

I affirmed in my Letter of the 3d of _November_ last past, that

Water may be so dash'd and beaten against the Banks and Dikes by a

strong Wind, and divided into such small Particles, as to be carried

far up into the Land.

Upon the 8th of _December_, 1703. N.S. We had a dreadful Storm from

the South West, insomuch, that the Water mingled with small parts of

Chalk and Stone, was so dasht against the Glass-windows, that many

of them were darkned therewith, and the lower Windows of my House,

which are made of very fine Glass, and always kept well scower'd,

and were not open'd till 8-a-Clock that Morning, notwithstanding

that they look to the North East, and consequently stood from the

Wind; and moreover, were guarded from the Rain by a kind of Shelf or

Pent-house over them; were yet so cover'd with the Particles of the

Water which the Whirl-wind cast against them, that in less than

half an hour they were deprived of most of their transparency, and,

forasmuch as these Particles of Water were not quite exhaled, I

concluded that it must be Sea-water, which the said Storm had not

only dasht against our Windows, but spread also over the whole

Country.

That I might be satisfied herein, I blow'd two small Glasses, such

as I thought most proper to make my Observations with, concerning

the Particles of Water that adhered to my Windows.

Pressing these Glasses gently against my Windows, that were covered

with the suppos'd Particles of Sea-water, my Glasses were tinged

with a few of the said Particles.

These Glasses, with the Water I had thus collected on them, I placed

at about half a Foot distance from the Candle, I view'd them by my

Microscope, reck'ning, that by the warmth of the Candle, and my Face

together, the Particles of the said Water would be put into such a

motion, that they would exhale for the most part, and the Salts that

were in 'em would be expos'd naked to the sight, and so it happened;

for in a little time a great many Salt Particles did, as it were,

come out of the Water, having the Figure of our common Salt, but

very small, because the Water was little, from whence those small

Particles proceeded; and where the Water had lain very thin upon the

Glass, there were indeed a great number of Salt Particles, but so

exceeding fine, that they almost escaped the Sight through a very

good Microscope.

From whence I concluded, that these Glass windows could not be

brought to their former Lustre, but by washing them with a great

deal of Water; for if the Air were very clear, and the Weather dry,

the watry Particles would soon exhale, but the Salts would cleave

fast to the Glass, which said Salts would be again dissolv'd in

moist Weather, and sit like a Dew or Mist upon the Windows.

And accordingly my People found it when they came to wash the

afore-mentioned lower Windows of my House: but as to the upper

Windows, where the Rain had beat against them, there was little or

no Salt to be found sticking upon that Glass.

Now, if we consider, what a quantity of Sea-water is spread all over

the Country by such a terrible Storm, and consequently, how greatly

impregnated the Air is with the same; we ought not to wonder, that

such a quantity of Water, being moved with so great a force, should

do so much mischief to Chimneys, tops of Houses, _&c._ not to

mention the Damages at Sea.

During the said Storm, and about 8-a-Clock in the Morning, I cast my

Eye upon my Barometer, and observ'd, that I had never seen the

Quick-silver so low; but half an hour after the Quick-silver began

to rise, tho' the Storm was not at all abated, at least to any

appearance; from whence I concluded, and said it to those that were

about me, that the Storm would not last long; and so it happened.

There are some that affirm, that the scattering of this Salt-water

by the Storm will do a great deal of harm to the Fruits of the

Earth; but for my part I am of a quite different Opinion, for I

believe that a little Salt spread over the surface of the Earth,

especially where it is heavy Clay-ground, does render it exceeding

Fruitful; and so it would be, if the Sand out of the Sea were made

use of to the same purpose.

These Letters are too well, and too judiciously Written to need any

comment of mine; 'tis plain, the watry Particles taken up from the Sprye

of the Sea into the Air, might by the impetuosity of the Winds be

carried a great way, and if it had been much farther, it would have been

no Miracle in my account; and this is the reason, why I have not related

these Things, among the extraordinary Articles of the Storm.

That the Air was full of Meteors, and fiery Vapours, and that the

extraordinary Motion occasion'd the firing more of them than usual, a

small stock of Philosophy will make very rational; and of these we have

various Accounts, more in some places than in others, and I am apt to

believe these were the Lightnings we have been told of; for I am of

Opinion, that there was really no Lightning, such as we call so in the

common Acceptation of it; for the Clouds that flew with so much Violence

through the Air, were not, as to my Observation, such as usually are

fraighted with Thunder and Lightning, the Hurries nature was then in, do

not consist with the System of Thunder, which is Air pent in between the

Clouds; and as for the Clouds that were seen here flying in the Air,

they were by the fury of the Winds so seperated, and in such small

Bodies, that there was no room for a Collection suitable, and necessary

to the Case we speak of.

These Cautions I thought necessary to set down here, for the

satisfaction of the Curious; and as they are only my Opinions, I submit

them to the judgment of the Reader.

_Of the Damages on the Water_

As this might consist of several Parts, I was inclin'd to have divided

it into Sections or Chapters, relating particularly to the publick Loss,

and the private; to the Merchant, or the Navy, to Floods by the Tides,

to the River Damage, and that of the Sea; but for brevity, I shall

confine it to the following particulars.

First, _The Damage to Trade_.

Secondly, _The Damage to the Royal Navy_.

Thirdly, _The Damage by High Tides_.

First, _of the Damage to Trade_.

I might call it a Damage to Trade, that this Season was both for some

time before and after the Tempest, so exceeding, and so continually

Stormy, that the Seas were in a manner Unnavigable and Negoce, at a kind

of a general Stop, and when the Storm was over, and the Weather began to

be tolerable; almost all the Shipping in _England_ was more or less out

of Repair, for there was very little Shipping in the Nation, but what

had receiv'd some Damage or other.

It is impossible, but a Nation so full of Shipping as this, must be

exceeding Sufferers in such a general Disaster, and who ever considers

the Violence of this Storm by its other dreadful Effects will rather

wonder, and be thankful that we receiv'd no farther Damage, than we

shall be able to give an Account of by Sea.

I have already observ'd what Fleets were in the several Ports of this

Nation, and from whence they came: As to Ships lost of whom we have no

other Account than that they were never heard of. I am not able to give

any Perticulars, other than that about three and forty Sail of all Sorts

are reckon'd to have perished in that manner. I mean of such Ships as

were at Sea, when the Storm began, and had no Shelter or Port to make

for their Safety: Of these, some were of the _Russia_ Fleet, of whom we

had an Account of 20 Sail lost the Week before the great Storm, but most

of them reach'd the Ports of _Newcastle_, _Humber_ and _Yarmouth_, and

some of the Men suffered in the general Distress afterwards.

But to proceed to the most general Disasters, by the same Method, as in

the former Articles of Damages by Land. Several Persons having given

themselves the Trouble to further this Design with Authentick

Particulars from the respective Ports. I conceive we cannot give the

World a clearer and more Satisfactory Relation than from their own

Words.

_The first Account, and plac'd so, because 'tis very Authentick and

Particular, and the furthest Port_ Westward, _and therefore proper to

begin our Relation, is from on Board her Majesty's Ship the_ Dolphin

_in_ Milford Haven, _and sent to us by Capt_. Soanes, _the Commodore of

a Squadron of Men of War then in that Harbour, to whom the Public is

very much oblig'd for the Relation, and which we thought our selves

bound there to acknowledge. The Account is as follows_,

_SIR_,

Reading the Advertisement in the _Gazette_, of your intending to

Print the many sad Accidents in the late dreadful Storm, induced me

to let you know what this place felt, tho a very good Harbour. Her

Majesty's Ships the _Cumberland_, _Coventry_, _Loo_, _Hastings_ and

_Hector_, being under my Command, with the _Rye_ a Cruizer on this

Station, and under our Convoy about 130 Merchant Ships bound about

Land; the 26th of _November_ at one in the Afternoon the Wind came

at S. by E. a hard Gale, between which and N.W. by W. it came to a

dreadful Storm, at three the next Morning was the Violentest of the

Weather, when the _Cumberland_ broak her Sheet Anchor, the Ship

driving near _this_, and the _Rye_, both narrowly escap'd carrying

away; she drove very near the Rocks, having but one Anchor left,

but in a little time they slung a Gun, with the broken Anchor fast

to it, which they let go, and wonderfully preserv'd the Ship from

the Shoar. Guns firing from one Ship or other all the Night for

help, tho' 'twas impossible to assist each other, the Sea was so

high, and the Darkness of the Night such, that we could not see

where any one was, but by the Flashes of the Guns; when day light

appear'd, it was a dismal sight to behold the Ships driving up and

down one foul of another, without Masts, some sunk, and others upon

the Rocks, the Wind blowing so hard, with Thunder, Lightning and

Rain, that on the Deck a Man could not stand without holding. Some

drove from _Dale_, where they were shelter'd under the Land, and

split in pieces, the Men all drowned; two others drove out of a

Creek, one on the Shoar so high up was saved, the other on the Rocks

in another Creek, and Bulg'd; an _Irish_ Ship that lay with a Rock

thro' her, was lifted by the Sea clear away to the other side of the

Creek on a safe place; one Ship forc'd 10 Miles up the River before

she could be stop'd, and several strangely blown into holes, and on

Banks; a Ketch of _Pembroke_ was drove on the Rocks, the two Men and

a Boy in her had no Boat to save their Lives; but in this great

distress a Boat which broke from another Ship drove by them, without

any in her, the two Men leap into her, and were sav'd, but the Boy

drown'd; a Prize at _Pembroke_ was lifted on the Bridge, whereon is

a Mill, which the Water blew up, but the Vessel got off again;

another Vessel carried almost into the Gateway which leads to the

Bridge, and is a Road, the Tide flowing several Foot above its

common Course. The Storm continu'd till the 27th about 3 in the

Afternoon; that by Computation nigh 30 Merchant Ships and Vessels

without Masts are lost, and what Men are lost is not known; 3 Ships

are missing, that we suppose Men and all lost. None of her Majesty's

Ships came to any harm; but the _Cumberland_ breaking her Anchor in

a Storm which happen'd the 18th at Night, lost another, which

renders her uncapable of proceeding with us till supply'd. I saw

several Trees and Houses which are blown down.

_Your Humble Servant_,

Jos. Soanes.

_The next Account we have from the Reverend Mr._ Tho. Chest, _Minister

of_ Chepstow, _whose Ingenious account being given in his own Words,

gives the best Acknowledgement for his forwarding and approving this

design._

_SIR_,

Upon the Evening of _Friday, Nov._ 26. 1703, the Wind was very high;

but about midnight it broke out with a more than wonted Violence,

and so continued till near break of day. It ended a N.W. Wind, tho'

about 3 in the Morning it was at S.W. The loudest cracks I observed

of it, were somewhat before 4 of the Clock; we had here the common

Calamity of Houses shatter'd and Trees thrown down.

But the Wind throwing the Tyde very strongly into the _Severn_, and

so into the _Wye_, on which _Chepstow_ is situated. And the Fresh in

_Wye_ meeting with a Rampant Tyde, overflowed the lower part of our

Town. It came into several Houses about 4 foot high, rather more;

the greatest damage sustained in Houses, was by the makers of Salt,

perhaps their loss might amount to near 200 _l._

But the Bridge was a strange sight; it stands partly in

_Monmouthshire_, and partly in _Gloucestershire_, and is built

mostly of Wood, with a Stone Peer in the midst, the Center of which

divides the two Counties; there are also Stone Platforms in the

bottom of the River to bear the Wood-work. I doubt not but those

Stone Platforms were covered then by the great Fresh that came down

the River. But over these there are Wooden Standards fram'd into

Peers 42 Foot high; besides Groundsils, Cap-heads, Sleepers, Planks,

and (on each side of the Bridge) Rails which may make about 6 foot

more, the Tyde came over them all: The length of the Wooden part of

the Bridge in _Monmouthshire_ is 60 yards exactly, and thereabout in

_Gloucestershire_; the _Gloucestershire_ side suffered but little,

but in _Monmouthshire_ side the Planks were most of them carried

away, the Sleepers (about a Tun by measure each) were many of them

carried away, and several removed, and 'tis not doubted but the

great Wooden Peers would have gone too; but it was so, that the

outward Sleepers on each side the Bridge were Pinn'd or Bolted to

the Cap-heads, and so kept them in their places.

All the level Land on the South part of _Monmouthshire_, called the

_Moors_, was overflow'd; it is a tract of Land about 20 miles long,

all Level, save 2 little points of High-land, or 3; the Breadth of

it is not all of one size, the broadest part is about 2 miles and ½.

This Tyde came 5 Tydes before the top of the Spring, according to

the usual run, which surprized the People very much. Many of their

Cattle got to shore, and some dy'd after they were landed. It is

thought by a _Moderate Computation_, they might lose in Hay and

Cattle between 3 and 4000 _l._ I cannot hear of any Person drowned,

save only one Servant Man, that ventur'd in quest of his Master's

Cattle. The People were carried off, some by Boats, some otherways,

the days following; the last that came off (that I can hear of) were

on _Tuesday_ Evening, to be sure they were uneasy and astonished in

that Interval. There are various reports about the height of this

Tyde in the _Moors_, comparing it with that in _Jan._ 1606. But the

account that seems likeliest to me, is, that the former Tyde ran

somewhat higher than this. 'Tis thought most of their Land will be

worth but little these 2 or 3 years, and 'tis known, that the

repairing the Sea Walls will be very chargeable.

_Gloucestershire_ too, that borders upon _Severne_ hath suffered

deeply on the Forrest of _Deane_ side, but nothing in comparison of

the other shore, from about _Harlingham_ down to the mouth of

_Bristol_ River _Avon_, particularly from _Aust Cliffe_ to the

Rivers Mouth (about 8 miles) all that Flat, called the _Marsh_ was

drowned. They lost many Sheep and Cattle. About 70 Seamen were

drown'd out of the _Canterbury_ Storeship, and other Ships that were

Stranded or Wreck'd. The _Arundel_ Man of War, _Suffolk_ and

_Canterbury_ Storeships, a _French_ Prize, and a _Dane_, were driven

ashore and damnified; but the _Arundel_ and the _Danish_ Ship are

got off, the rest remain on Ground. The _Richard and John_ of about

500 Tun, newly come into _King-road_ from _Virginia_, was Staved.

The _Shoram_ rode it out in _King-road_; but I suppose you may have

a perfecter account of these things from _Bristol_. But one thing

yet is to be remembred, one _Nelms_ of that Country, as I hear his

Name, was carried away with his Wife and 4 Children, and House and

all, and were all lost, save only one Girl, who caught hold of a

Bough, and was preserved.

There was another unfortunate Accident yet in these parts, one Mr.

_Churchman_, that keeps the Inns at _Betesley_, a passage over the

_Severn_, and had a share in the passing Boats, seeing a single Man

tossed in a Wood-buss off in the River, prevailed with some

belonging to the Customs, to carry himself and one of his Sons, and

2 Servants aboard the Boat, which they did, and the Officers desired

Mr. _Churchman_ to take out the Man, and come ashore with them in

their Pinnace. But he, willing to save the Boat as well as the Man,

tarried aboard, and sometime after hoisting Sail, the Boat overset,

and they were all drowned, _viz._ the Man in the Boat, Mr.

_Churchman_, his Son and 2 Servants, and much lamented, especially

Mr. _Churchman_, and his Son, who were Persons very useful in their

Neighbourhood. This happened on _Saturday_ about 11 of the Clock.

_Your Humble Servant_,

Tho. Chest

_Mr._ Tho. Little _Minister of_ ---- Church _in_ Lyn, _in the County of_

Norfolk, _being requested to give in the particulars of what happen'd

thereabouts, gave the following, short but very pertinent Account_.

_SIR_,

I had answer'd yours sooner, but that I was willing to get the best

Information I could of the effect of the late dismal Storm amongst

us. I have advis'd with our Merchants, and Ship Masters, and find

that we have lost from this Port 7 Ships, the damage whereof, at a

modest Computation, amounts to 3000 _l._ the Men that perish'd in

them are reckon'd about 20 in number. There is another Ship missing,

tho we are not without hopes that she is gone Northward, the value

of Ship and Cargo about 1500 _l._

The Damage sustain'd in the Buildings of the Town is computed at

1000 _l._ at least.

_I am your faithful Friend and Servant._

Lyn, _Jan._ 17. 1703. Tho. Little.

_We have had various Accounts from_ Bristol, _but as they all contain

something of the Same in general, only differently Exprest, the

following, as the most positively asserted, and best Exprest, is

recorded for the publick Information._

_SIR_,

Observing your desire (lately signify'd in the _Gazette_) to be

further inform'd concerning the Effects of the late dreadful

Tempest, in order to make a Collection thereof. I have presum'd to

present you with the following particulars concerning _Bristol_, and

the parts near Adjacent, being an Eye-witness of the same, or the

Majority of it. On _Saturday_ the 27th of _Novemb._ last, between

the hours of one and two in the Morning, arose a most prodigious

Storm of Wind, which continued with very little intermission for the

space of 6 hours, in which time it very much shattered the

Buildings, both publick and private, by uncovering the Houses,

throwing down the Chimneys, breaking the Glass Windows, overthrowing

the Pinnacles and Battlements of the Churches, and blowing off the

Leads: The Churches in particular felt the fury of the Storm. St.

_Stephen_'s Tower had three Pinnacles blown off, which beat down the

greatest part of the Church. The Cathedral is likewise very much

defac'd, two of its Windows, and several Battlements being blown

away; and, indeed, most Churches in the City felt its force more or

less; it also blew down abundance of great Trees in the Marsh,

_College-Green_, St. _James_'s Church-yard, and other places in the

City. And in the Country it blew down and scattered abundance of Hay

and Corn Mows, besides almost Levelling many Orchards and Groves of

stout Trees. But the greatest damage done to the City was, the

violent over-flowing of the Tide, occasion'd by the force of the

Wind, which flowed an extraordinary height, and did abundance of

damage to the Merchants Cellers. It broke in with great fury over

the Marsh Country, forcing down the Banks or Sea Walls, drowning

abundance of Sheep, and other Cattle, washing some houses clear

away, and breaking down part of others, in which many Persons lost

their Lives. It likewise drove most of the Ships in _Kingroad_ a

considerable way upon the Land, some being much shatter'd, and one

large Vessel broke all in pieces, and near all the Men lost,

besides several lost out of other Vessels. To conclude, the Damage

sustein'd by this City alone in Merchandise, Houses, &c. is Computed

to an Hundred Thousand Pounds, besides the great Loss in the

Country, of Cattel, Corn, &c. which has utterly ruined many Farmers,

whose substance consisted in their Stock aforesaid. So having given

you the most material Circumstances, and fatal Effects of this great

Tempest in these Parts. I conclude

_Your (unknown) Friend and Servant_,

Danial James

_From_ Huntspill _in_ Somersetshire, _we have the following Account

from, as we suppose, the Minister of the place, tho' unknown to the

Collector of this Work._

_SIR_,

The Parish of _Huntspill_ hath receiv'd great Damage by the late

Inundation of the Salt Water, particularly the West part thereof

suffered most: For on the 27th Day of _November_ last, about four of

the Clock in the Morning, a mighty Southwest Wind blew so strong, as

(in a little time) strangely tore our Sea Walls; insomuch, that a

considerable part of the said Walls were laid smooth, after which

the Sea coming in with great Violence, drove in five Vessels

belonging to _Bridgewater Key_ out of the Channel, upon a Wharf in

our Parish, which lay some distance off from the Channel, and there

they were all grounded; it is said, that the Seamen there fathom'd

the depth and found it about nine Foot, which is taken notice to be

four Foot above our Walls when standing; the Salt Water soon

overflow'd all the West end of the Parish, forcing many of the

Inhabitants from their Dwellings, and to shift for their Lives: The

Water threw down several Houses, and in one an antient Woman was

drown'd, being about fourscore Years old: Some Families shelter'd

themselves in the Church, and there staid till the Waters were

abated: Three Window Leaves of the Tower were blown down, and the

Ruff-cast scal'd off in many places: Much of the Lead of the Church

was damnify'd; the Windows of the Church and Chancel much broken,

and the Chancel a great part of it untiled: The Parsonage House,

Barn and Walls received great Damage; as also, did some of the

Neighbours in their Houses: At the West end of the Parsonage House

stood a very large Elm, which was four Yards a quarter and half a

quarter in the Circumference, it was broken off near the Ground by

the Wind, without forcing any one of the Moars above the Surface,

but remain'd as they were before: The Inhabitants (many of them)

have receiv'd great Losses in their Sheep, and their other Cattle;

in their Corn and Hay there is great spoil made. This is what

Information I can give of the Damage this Parish hath sustain'd by

the late dreadful Tempest.

_I am, Sir,_

_Huntspill_, _Your humble Servant_,

_January_ 6, 1703/4. Sam. Wooddeson

_From_ Minehead _in_ Somersetshire, _and_ Swanzy _in_ Wales, _the

following Accounts are to be depended upon._

_SIR_,

I received yours, and in answer to it these are to acquaint you,

that all the Ships in our Harbour except two (which were 23 or 24 in

Number, besides Fishing Boats) were, through the Violence of the

Storm, and the mooring Posts giving way, drove from their Anchors,

one of them was stav'd to pieces, nine drove Ashoar; but 'tis hoped

will be all got off again, though some of them are very much

damnified: Several of the Fishing Boats likewise, with their Nets,

and other Necessaries were destroy'd. Three Seamen were drowned in

the Storm, and one Man was squeez'd to Death last _Wednesday_, by

one of the Ships that was forc'd Ashoar, suddenly coming upon him,

as they were digging round her, endeavouring to get her off.

Our Peer also was somewhat damaged, and 'tis thought, if the Storm

had continued till another Tide, it would have been quite washed

away, even level to the Ground; which if so, would infallibly have

ruined our Harbour: Our Church likewise was almost all untiled, the

neighbouring Churches also received much Damage: The Houses of our

Town, and all the Country round about, were most of them damaged;

some (as I am credibly informed) blown down, and several in a great

Measure uncovered: Trees also of a very great Bigness were broken

off in the middle, and vast Numbers blown down; one Gentleman, as he

told me himself, having 2500 Trees blown down: I wish you good

Success in these your Undertakings, and I pray God that this late

great Calamity which was sent upon us as a punishment for our Sins,

may be a warning to the whole Nation in general, and engage every

one of us to a hearty and sincere Repentance; otherwise, I'm afraid

we must expect greater Evils than this was to fall upon us.

_From your unknown Friend and Servant_,

Frist. Chave.

_Swanzy, January_ 24, 1703/4.

_SIR_,

I receiv'd yours and accordingly have made an enquiry in our

Neighbourhood what damage might be done in the late Storm, thro

Mercy we escap'd indifferently, but you will find underwritten as

much as I can learn to be certainly true.

The Storm began here about 12 at Night, but the most violent part of

it was about 4 the next Morning, about which time the greatest part

of the Houses in the Town were uncovered more or less, and one House

clearly blown down; the damage sustain'd to the Houses is modestly

computed at 200 _l._ the South Isle of the Church was wholly

uncovered, and considerable damage done to the other Isles, and 4

large Stones weighing about One Hundred and Fifty or Two Hundred

Pound each, was blown down from the end of the Church, three of the

four Iron Spears, that stood with Vanes on the corners of the Tower,

were broke short off in the middle, and the Vanes not to be found,

and the Tail of the Weather Cock, which stood in the middle of the

Tower was blown off, and found in a Court near 400 yards distant

from the Tower. In _Cline_ Wood belonging to the Duke of _Beaufort_

near this Town, there is about 100 large Trees blown down; as also

in a Wood on our River belonging to Mr. _Thomas Mansell_ of

_Brittonferry_ about 80 large Oakes. The Tydes did not much damage,

but two Ships were blown off our Bar, and by Providence one came

aground on the Salt House point near our Harbour, else the Ship and

Men had perished; the other came on shore, but was saved. I hear

further, that there are several Stacks of Corn over-turn'd by the

violence of the Wind, in the Parishes of _Roysily_ and _Largenny_ in

_Gower_; most of the Thatcht Houses in this Neighbourhood was

uncovered. Sir, this you may rely on to be true,

_Yours, &c._

William Jones

_From_ Grimsby _in_ Lincolnshire, _the following Account is taken for

favourable_.

_SIR_,

The late dreadful Tempest did not (Blessed be God) much affect us on

shore, so far was it from having any events more than common, that

the usual marks of ordinary Storms are not to be met with in these

parts upon the Land. I wish I could give as good an Account of the

Ships then at Anchor in our Road, the whole Fleet consisted of about

an hundred Sail, fifty whereof were wanting after the Storm. The

Wrecks of four are to be seen in the Road at low Water their Men all

lost, three more were sunk near the _Spurn_, all the Men but one

saved, six or seven were driven ashoar, and got off again with

little or no damage. A small Hoy, not having a Man on Board, was

taken at Sea, by a Merchant Ship, what became of the rest, we are

yet to learn. This is all the Account I am able to give of the

effects of the late Storm, which was so favourable to us. I am

_Sir, Your most Humble Servant_,

Tho. Fairweather

_From_ Newport _and_ Hastings _the following Accounts are chiefly

mentioned to confirm what we have from other Inland parts, and

particularly in the Letter Printed in the Philosophical Transactions,

concerning the Salt being found on the Grass and Trees, at great

distance from the Sea, of which there are very Authentick Relations._

_SIR_,

I received yours, and do hereby give you the best account of what

hapned by the late Storm in our Island; we have had several Trees

blown down, and many Houses in our Town, and all parts of the Island

partly uncovered, but Blessed be God not one Person perisht that I

know or have heard of; nor one Ship or Vessel stranded on our shores

in that dreadful Storm, but only one Vessel laden with Tin, which

was driven from her Anchors in _Cornwal_, but was not stranded here

till the _Tuesday_ after, having spent her Main-mast and all her

Sails. On _Sunday_ night last we had several Ships and Vessels

stranded on the South and South West parts of our Island; but

reports are so various, that I cannot tell you how many, some say 7,

others 8, 12, and some say 15; one or two laden with Cork, and two

or three with _Portugal_ Wine, Oranges and Lemons, one with Hides

and Butter, one with Sugar, one with Pork, Beef and Oatmeal, and one

with Slates. _Monday_ night, _Tuesday_ and _Wednesday_ came on the

back of our Island, and some in at the _Needles_, the Fleet that

went out with the King of _Spain_, but it has been here such a

dreadful Storm, and such dark weather till this Afternoon, that we

can give no true account of them; some say that have been at the

Wrecks this Afternoon, that there were several great Ships coming in

then: There is one thing I had almost forgotten, and I think is very

remarkable, that there was found on the Hedges and Twigs of Trees,

knobs of Salt Congeal'd, which must come from the South and South

West parts of our Sea Coast, and was seen and tasted at the distance

of 6 and 10 miles from those Seas, and this account I had my self

from the mouths of several Gentlemen of undeniable Reputation,

_Yours_,

Tho. Reade.

_Hastings_ in Sussex, _Jan._ 25. 1703.

_SIR_,

You desire to know what effect the late dreadful Storm of Wind had

upon this Town; in answer to your desire, take the following

Account. This Town consists of at least 600 Houses, besides two

great Churches, some Publick Buildings, and many Shops standing upon

the Beach near the Sea, and yet by the special Blessing and

Providence of God, the whole Town suffered not above 30 or 40 _l._

damage in their Houses, Churches, Publick Building and Shops, and

neither Man, Woman or Child suffered the least hurt by the said

Terrible Storm. The Town stands upon the Sea shore, but God be

thanked the Sea did us no damage; and the Tydes were not so great as

we have seen upon far less Storms. The Wind was exceeding

Boisterous, which might drive the Froth and Sea moisture six or

seven miles up the Country, for at that distances from the Sea, the

Leaves of the Trees and Bushes, were as Salt as if they had been

dipped in the Sea, which can be imputed to nothing else, but the

Violent Winds carrying the Froth and Moisture so far. I believe it

may be esteemed almost Miraculous that our Town escaped so well in

the late terrible Storm, and therefore I have given you this

Account. I am

_Sir, your Friend_,

Stephen Gawen.

_The following melancholy Account from the Town of_ Brighthemstone _in_

Sussex _is sent us._

_SIR_,

The late dreadful Tempest in _Novemb._ 27. 1703. last, had very

terrible Effects in this Town. It began here much about One of the

Clock in the Morning, the violence of the Wind stript a great many

Houses, turn'd up the Leads off the Church, over-threw two

Windmills, and laid them flat on the ground, the Town in general

(upon the approach of Day-light) looking as if it had been

Bombarded. Several Vessels belonging to this Town were lost, others

stranded, and driven ashoar, others forced over to _Holland_ and

_Hamborough_, to the great Impoverishment of the Place. _Derick

Pain_, Junior, Master of the _Elizabeth_ Ketch of this Town lost,

with all his Company. _George Taylor_, Master of the Ketch call'd

the _Happy Entrance_, lost, and his Company, excepting _Walter

Street_, who swiming three days on a Mast between the _Downs_ and

_North Yarmouth_, was at last taken up. _Richard Webb_, Master of

the Ketch call'd the _Richard and Rose_ of _Brighthelmston_, lost,

and all his Company near St. _Hellens_. _Edward Friend_, Master of

the Ketch call'd _Thomas and Francis_, stranded near _Portsmouth_.

_Edward Glover_, Master of the Pink call'd _Richard and Benjamin_,

stranded near _Chichester_, lost one of his Men, and he, and the

rest of his Company, forced to hang in the Shrouds several hours.

_George Beach_, Junior, Master of the Pink call'd _Mary_, driven

over to _Hamborough_ from the _Downes_, having lost his Anchor,

Cables and Sails. _Robert Kichener_, Master of the _Cholmley_ Pink

of _Brighton_, lost near the _Roseant_ with nine Men, five Men and a

Boy saved by another Vessel. This is all out of this Town, besides

the loss of several other able Seamen belonging to this Place,

aboard of her Majesty's Ships, Transports and Tenders.

_From_ Lymington _and_ Lyme _we have the following Letters_:

_SIR_,

I receiv'd your Letter, and have made Enquiry concerning what

Disasters happen'd during the late Storm; what I can learn at

present, and that may be credited, are these. That a _Guernsey_

Privateer lost his Fore-top-mast, and cut his main Mast by the

Board, had 12 Men wash'd over board, and by the toss of another

immediate Sea three of them was put on board again, and did very

well; this was coming within the _Needles_. That six Stacks of

Chimnies were, by the violence of the Wind, blown from a great House

call'd _New Park_ in the _Forrest_, some that stood directly to

Windward, were blown clear off the House without injuring the Roof,

or damaging the House, or any mischief to the Inhabitants, and fell

some Yards from the House. Almost 4000 Trees were torn up by the

roots within her Majesty's Forrest call'd _New Forrest_, some of

them of very great bulk, others small, _&c._ A Ship of about 200

Tun, from _Maryland_, laden with Tobacco, call'd the _Assistance_,

was Cast away upon _Hurst Beach_, one of the Mates, and 4 Sailors,

were lost. By the flowing of the Sea over _Hurst Beach_, two

Salt-terns were almost ruin'd belonging to one Mr. _Perkins_. A new

Barn, nigh this Town, was blown quite down. The Town receiv'd not

much damage, only some Houses being stript of the Healing, Windows

broke, and a Chimney or two blown down. Considerable damages amongst

the Farmers in the adjacent Places, by over-turning Barns,

Out-houses, Stacks of Corn and Hay, and also amongst poor Families,

and small Houses, and likewise abundance of Trees of all sorts,

especially Elms and Apple-Trees, has been destroy'd upon the several

Gentlemen's, and others Estates hereabouts. These are the most

remarkable Accidents that I can Collect at present; if any thing

occur, it shall be sent you by

_Your humble Servant,

Lymington, _Feb._ 1704. James Baker._

_A True and exact Account of the Damages done by the late great Wind in

the Town of_ Lyme Regis, _and parts adjacent in the County of_ Dorset,

_as followeth_,

_SIR_

_Impri_. Five Boats drove out of the Cob and one Vessel lost, broke

loose all but one Cabel, and swung out of the Cob, but was got in

again with little Damage; and had that Hurricane happened here at

High Water, the Cob must without doubt have been destroyed, and all

the Vessels in it been lost, most of the Houses had some Damage: But

a great many Trees blown up by the Roots in our Neighbourhood, and

four Miles to the Eastward of this Town: A _Guernsey_ Privateer of

eight Guns, and 43 Men drove Ashoar, and but three Men saved of the

43; the place where the said Privateer run Ashoar, is call'd _Sea

Town_, half a Mile from _Chidock_, where most of there Houses were

uncovered, and one Man killed as he lay in Bed: This is the true

Account here, but all Villages suffered extreamly in Houses, Trees,

both Elm and Apples without Number.

_Sir, I am your humble Servant_,

Stephen Bowdidge.

_From_ Margate, _and the Island of_ Thanet _in_ Kent, _the following is

an honest Account_.

_SIR_,

The following Account is what I can give you, of what Damage is done

in this Island in the late great Storm; in this Town hardly a House

escaped without Damage, and for the most part of them the Tiles

blown totally off from the Roof, and several Chimneys blown down,

that broke through part of the Houses to the Ground; and several

Families very narrowly escaped being kill'd in their Beds, being by

Providence just got up, so that they escaped, and none was kill'd;

the like Damages being done in most little Towns and Villages upon

this Island, as likewise Barns, Stables and Out-housing blown down

to the Ground in a great many Farm-houses and Villages within the

Island, part of the Leads of our Church blown clear off, and a great

deal of Damage to the Church it self; likewise a great deal of

Damage to the Churches of St. _Lawrance Minster_, _Mounton_ and St.

_Nichola_: In this Road was blown out one _Latchford_ of _Sandwich_

bound home from _London_, with divers Men and Women passengers all

totally lost: And another little Pink that is not heard of blown

away at the same time, but where it belonged is not known; here rid

out the Storm the Princess _Anne_, Captain _Charles Gye_, and the

_Swan_, both Hospital Ships, had no Damage, only Captain _Gye_ was

parted from one of his Anchors, and part of a Cable which was

weigh'd and carry'd after him to the River, by one of our Hookers.

All from

_Yours to Command_,

P.H.

_From_ Malden _in_ Essex, _and from_ Southampton, _the following

Accounts_.

_SIR_,

By the late great Storm our Damages were considerable. A Spire of a

Steeple blown down: Several Vessels in this Harbour were much

shatter'd, particularly one Corn Vessel laden for _London_,

stranded, and the Corn lost to the Value of about 500 _l._ and the

Persons narrowly escaped by a small Boat that relieved them next

Day: Many Houses ript up, and some blown down: The Churches

shatter'd, and the principal Inn of this Town thirty or forty pound

Damage in Tiling: At a Gentleman's House (one Mr. _Moses Bourton_)

near us, a Stack of Chimneys blown down, fell through the Roof upon

a Bed, where his Children was, who were drag'd out, and they

narrowly escaped; many other Chimney's blown down here, and much

Mischief done.

_Southampton, February the_ 7_th_ 1703/4.

_SIR_,

Yours I have receiv'd, in which you desire me to give you an Account

of what remarkable Damage the late violent Storm hath done at this

place; in answer, We had most of the Ships in our River, and those

that laid off from our Keys blown Ashoar, some partly torn to

Wrecks, and three or four blown so far on Shoar with the Violence of

the Wind, that the Owners have been at the Charges of unlading them,

and dig large Channels for the Spring Tides to float them off, and

with much a do have got them off, it being on a soft Sand or Mud,

had but little Damage; we had, God be prais'd no body drowned, tho'

some narrowly Escape't: As to our Town it being most part old

Building, we have suffer'd much, few or no Houses have escape't:

Several Stacks of Chimneys blown down, other Houses most part

untiled: Several People bruis'd, but none kill'd: Abundance of Trees

round about us, especially in the New Forest blown down; others with

their Limbs of a great bigness torn; it being what we had most

Material. I rest.

_Sir, your humble Servant_,

Geo. Powell.

_We have abundance of strange Accounts from other Parts, and

particularly the following Letter from the_ Downs, _and tho' every

Circumstance in this Letter is not litterally True, as to the Number of

Ships, or Lives lost, and the stile Coarse, and Sailor like; yet I have

inserted this Letter, because it seems to describe the Horror and

Consternation the poor Sailors were in at that time. And because this is

Written from one, who was as near an Eye Witness as any could possible

be, and be safe,_

_SIR_,

These Lines I hope in God will find you in good Health, we are all

left here in a dismal Condition, expecting every moment to be all

drowned: For here is a great Storm, and is very likely to continue;

we have here the Rear Admiral of the Blew in the Ship, call'd the

_Mary_, a third Rate, the very next Ship to ours, sunk, with Admiral

_Beaumont_, and above 500 Men drowned: The Ship call'd the

_Northumberland_, a third Rate, about 500 Men all sunk and drowned:

The Ship call'd the _Sterling Castle_, a third Rate, all sunk and

drowned above 500 Souls: And the Ship call'd the _Restoration_, a

third Rate, all sunk and drowned: These Ships were all close by us

which I saw; these Ships fired their Guns all Night and Day long,

poor Souls, for help, but the Storm being so fierce and raging,

could have none to save them: The Ship call'd the _Shrewsberry_ that

we are in, broke two Anchors, and did run mighty fierce backwards,

within 60 or 80 Yards of the Sands, and as God Almighty would have

it, we flung our sheet Anchor down, which is the biggest, and so

stopt: Here we all pray'd to God to forgive us our Sins, and to save

us, or else to receive us into his Heavenly Kingdom. If our sheet

Anchor had given way, we had been all drown'd: But I humbly thank

God, it was his gracious Mercy that saved us. There's one Captain

_Fanel_'s Ship, three Hospital Ships, all split, some sunk, and most

of the Men drown'd.

* * * * *

There are above 40 Merchant Ships cast away and sunk: To see Admiral

_Beaumont_, that was next us, and all the rest of his Men, how they

climed up the main Mast, hundreds at a time crying out for help,

and thinking to save their Lives, and in the twinkling of an Eye

were drown'd: I can give you no Account, but of these four Men of

War aforesaid, which I saw with my own Eyes, and those Hospital

Ships, at present, by reason the Storm hath drove us far distant

from one another: Captain _Crow_, of our Ship, believes we have lost

several more Ships of War, by reason we see so few; we lye here in

great danger, and waiting for a North Easterly Wind to bring us to

_Portsmouth_, and it is our Prayers to God for it; for we know not

how soon this Storm may arise, and cut us all off, for it is a

dismal Place to Anchor in. I have not had my Cloaths off, nor a wink

of Sleep these four Nights, and have got my Death with cold almost.

_Yours to Command_,

Miles Norcliffe.

I send this, having opportunity by our Botes, that went Ashoar to

carry some poor Men off, that were almost dead, and were taken up

Swimming.

_The following Letter is yet more Particular and Authentick, and being

better exprest, may further describe the Terror of the Night in this

place._

_SIR_,