The Weather and The River Severn in Worcestershire
River Severn at Worcester
A polite conversation opener for the English is “The Weather”, but what is small talk now could have been literally a matter of life and death when people depended on the produce they grew and the animals they reared.
It was during the lifetimes of George of Timberdine (b. 1754) and George of Kempsey (b. 1791) that there were at least two occasions when there were extraordinary weather conditions. The first was on June 20 1802 when there was a hurricane in and around Worcester and one of two windmills at Kempsey was set on fire by the sails being whirled at such rapidity. The second was the once famous Worcester hailstorm of May 27 1811. The hailstones were 5 to 6ins in diameter. Almost every house and factory whose windows faced south-east had its windows destroyed in a few minutes. Affected were both Barr and Chamberlain's china manufactories, where 3,200 panes were broken. Gardens and fields of crops were laid to waste and the subsequent rainstorm caused the River Severn to rapidly rise by 20ft sweeping away herds of cattle on the riverside meadows.
Another George Hartwright (b. 1799) son of John and Elizabeth Hartwright nee Day formerly of Stonebow, Peopleton, was living in Peopleton when the Reverend George Dineley, the Rector wrote in the Parish Register that “From August 27th 1821 (the commencement of the harvest) to January 7th 1822 there were upwards of twenty floods and only two weeks during that time without a flood; most of the wheat, barley and beans were spoiled and very little wheat sowing could be done till the month of January 1822.”
Just three years before in 1818 the weather was recorded as being very unusual. In the February the temperature was minus 13O F. In April there was a tremendous gale accompanied by thunder, lightning and hail, which overturned the Worcester mail coach. The river flooded at least five times and yet in July the temperature was 89O F in the shade and drought conditions lasted for many weeks.
In 1855 the River Severn froze over. An unusual event which was commemorated by a quick thinking printer and music seller H F Sefton of 33 Broad Street Worcester. He set up a printing press to record the following:-
“Printed on the Frozen Severn River February 1855 at Worcester being the Second Time of Press working on the Ice here. The First was on January 25th 1795 by Grundy being 60 years ago.
Friday 23rd February and the Twenty-first day of the Severn Bearing.
1855: John Goodwin Esq. Mayor”
Parts of Worcester are less than 50 feet above sea level, and floods are often mentioned in print, as they caused so much damage and disruption to everyday life. Particularly severe floods have been recorded since 1672 with an inscribed plaque or stone on the wall of the Watergate on Kleve Way, North Parade on the riverside below the Cathedral. The most recent inscription is for the dramatic November 2000 floods.
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The Watergate at Worcester |
Flood level markers on
the wall at The Watergate |
An unusual feature of the River Severn is the “Severn Bore” which is a tide which when it meets ebbing water becomes a tidal wave and although it happens on a regular basis, the most impressive ones that sweep up the River Severn for 25 miles from Awre to Maisemore Weir near Gloucester, take place at spring tide nearest the spring and autumn equinox.
These days the spectators on the banks not only view the bore but also those who are trying to surf it. The current record is for 5.7 miles. See www.severnbore.ndirect.co.uk and boreriders.com
The River Severn was famous for its lampreys, a fish which looks rather like an eel, but is a parasite attaching itself to other fish by means of its rasping mouthparts. King John is said to have died of a surfeit of lamprey. Here is a recipe from the 1820’s cookery book used by its owner at The George Hotel, Whitchurch, Shropshire.
“To stew Lampreys as at Worcester
After cleaning the fish carefully, remove the cartilage which runs down the back, and season with a small quantity of cloves, mace, nutmeg, pepper, and all-spice; put into a small stew-pot, with a very strong beef-gravy, port, and an equal quantity of Madeira and sherry.
It must be covered close; stew till tender, then take out the lamprey and keep hot, while you boil up the liquor with two or three anchovies chopped, and some flour and butter; strain the gravy through a sieve, and add lemon-juice and some mustard. Serve with sippets of bread, and horse-radish.”
