Loughborough Flooded – 31st July 1735

31 July 2020

“From Lightning and Tempest, good Lord deliver us, Amen.” A Loughborough prayer from 1735

Extract from: Chapters in the History of Loughborough (1883)’ by Rev W G Dimock Fletcher

The following Memorandum was wrote by Joseph Webster then Clerk of the Parish. –

‘Memorandum that on the last day of July 1735 there happened such an Inundation of Water in the Town that never was heard of by the ancients occasioned by a very great Tempest of Thunder Lightning and Rain which continued from half an hour after nine to half an hour after Three in the afternoon to the great astonishment of all ye Parishioners and Country both, it being on the Market Day Thursday.’

‘The Brooks from the Forest came down with such violence that in the space of an Hour ran through all the houses on the left hand the Malt Mill Lane over the Door Thresholds and thro’ the yards down to the Shambles, and the Fishpool the breadth of the Street against the Shambles ; and both Streams meeting at the end of the Shambles ran over the highest place on the Cornwall ; and thro’ all the Houses Gate Places and low Rooms on the West side of the Market place insomuch that the Waters stood up to their Bed Sides in their Parlers and floated their Vessels in the Cellars and would take an Horse up to the Belly ; and at the bottom of the Swan street up to the Saddle, and ran over the Walls of the Bridge going into the rushes and burst down a Garden wall on the Right hand the Bridge and so got more Liberty and then speedily abated to the Astonishment of all the Spectatours : which might say with the Psalmist, Oh come hither and behold the Works of the Lord what Destruction He hath brought upon the earth.’

‘And likewise –

“Thou art a god that doth foreshow they Wonders every Hour

And so doth make the People know they Virtue and thy Power

The Clouds that were both thick and Black did rain most Plentiously

The Thunder in the Air did Crack his Shafts abroad did fly.

To conclude from Lightning and Tempest from Plague Pestilence and Famine from battel & murder & from Sudden Death good Lord deliver us, Amen.”