6th April 1580: the London Earthquake
On this day in 1580 a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck London. Believed to have originated in the Dover Straits, it caused a pinnacle to fall from Westminster Abbey, and two children were killed by stones falling from the roof of Christ's Church Hospital. The poet James Yates wrote of the incident:
Oh sudden motion, and shaking of the earth,
No blustering blastes, the weather calme and milde:
Good Lord the sudden rarenesse of the thing
A sudden feare did bring, to man and childe,
They verely thought, as well in field as Towne,
The earth should sinke, and the houses all fall downe.
I’m trying to reduce my reliance on social media, as Facebook et al massively limit how many people can view links to external websites unless the author pays an extortionate amount to promote them. Please consider subscribing on the link below to receive a weekly email about London's fascinating history! (Your details will never be shared with any other parties)