Feature Article - explore some of the history of Essex
THE EARTHQUAKE OF 1884
How Essex was hit by the strongest earthquake in England's history.
Wivenhoe, High Street c1955
Reproduced courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection.
Wivenhoe: struck by the Essex earthquake of 1884.
On the morning of Tuesday 22nd April 1884, Colchester and the surrounding parishes were stuck by the strongest earthquake ever to strike the British mainland. Measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale it damaged over 1250 buildings.
According to witnesses, the earthquake, which was centered on Colchester, Wivenhoe, Langenhoe, Peldon and Abberton, lasted for about 20 seconds and by the time it had finished, churches, houses and cottages were left badly damaged.
Newspaper reports of the time described the destruction. In Abberton gable walls were cracked, and roofs and chimneys collapsed. The schoolhouse was rendered unusable and the foundations of Roman Hall were damaged to such an extent that it became uninhabitable. A new rectory in the course of construction was also badly damaged.
Langenhoe Church was badly damaged. Masonry tumbled from the tower crashing onto the roof of the nave and chancel. The nearby rectory was also damaged.
In Peldon it was reported that every single house damaged in some way. The Church was also badly damaged and the Rose and Crown Inn was wrecked. At Winvenhoe the Church turrets collapsed and at Winvenhoe Hall chimneys and the front of building collapsed.
No fatalities were reported but the financial cost was great , especially to the poor whose flimsy cottages were damaged.
Some images of the destruction appear on the Earthquake Engineering Research Center web site.
Place links: Colchester | Wivenhoe | Lagenhoe | Peldon | Abberton
Sources:
Times 23 April 1884
Times 24 April 1884
Times 25 April 1884
Times 26 April 1884
Penny Illustrated 26 April 1884
Penny Illustrated 3 May 1884
Useful links: Article on the earthquake on the Colchester Archaeological Trust web site.
