the form of an inverted cone, the apex of which was near the earth. It had a rotary motion, and dissipated itself in a heavy shower, instead of a torrent or a deluge as was feared it might do.
On the night of June 26th, a heavy thunderstorm passed over St. Leonards and Hastings, during which what is popularly called a “fire-ball”, descended in a field near Bunger Hill, in the parish of Ore, where the ground was pierced to a considerable extent. Another thunderstorm occurred on the 27th of September, and the lightning which immediately preceded a deafening detonation, killed two sheep belonging to Mr. Edward Farncomb. Whether these were the sheep that, one morning, were taken to the railway station to be conveyed to the London market, this deponent sayeth not; but he doth aver that when Mr. Gilbert, the Goods-station clerk, asked in a jocular strain, the bearer of the said sheep if they died by the visitation of God, the reply of the man was — “I’m sure I don’t know, but they died in the night".
On the 6th and 7th of October a strong gale caused a very high sea, which swept the parades, both at St. Leonards and Hastings, whilst the large bank of beach at Bopeep was cut through, the sluice choked up, and the adjacent levels were flooded. At Yarmouth, too, a Hastings boat named “Betsy” lost all of her nets, ropes and other gear. The gale commenced on a Sunday, as did also a terrific gale on the 24th of November. During the later storm, notwithstanding that the tides were falling away from their maximum spring-tide run, the waves bounded over the parades in grand style, and once more broke down the wall in front of the new houses then building east of Warrior Square, to be called “Lossenham”. At that place the earth was scooped out even into the road outside of the parade railing.
A Scrap of Ancient History
The houses which were next to “Lossenham” were built for Mr. Woodford, and were called “Agincourt Terrace”, for the supposed reason that in an ancient chartery, in the British Museum, is preserved the following:
“Kyng Henry the Fyfte rayned Kyng of Yngland IX yere and more; and in the third yere of his reyne he wan Harfleur by a sege; and on the Friday in the fest of St. Cryspyn, and Cryspryngam erly in the mornyng, he dubbyd Sir Robert Woodford Knyght, and many odure at that Sege beyng present; and anon, aftr that same friday he faught manfully agens a 100,000 of frenchmen at Agincourt, and had the victory of them. And toke the Duke of Orlyaunce, and odur Dukes and grete Lordis of F’nce; and there was slayn of frenchmen yt day thirteen thowsand. And after, he wan ye cytie of Paryse, and mykill all F’nce. And he made his brodr Sir John the Duke of Bedford, Regent of all Fraunce. And after that at the IX yere of his Reygne, he passed to God Almighty, on whos soulle J’hu have m’cy. Amen.”[1]
Public Amusements
On Friday, the 18th of January, the annual Batchelors’ Ball took place in -
- ↑ Transcriber's note: Brett is partially quoting the “Woodford Chartulary”, Woodforde of Ansford House, pp 762, Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, Volume 4, 1888. Pub. Henry Colburn.
