THE STORM: On Saturday last a very severe storm burst
over this town [Hertford] and neighbourhood. The storm commenced
about six o'clock in the evening, and lasted with more or less fury
for some hours. The lightning was very vivid, and the peals of
thunder resembled continued discharges of artillery. In Hertford,
the rain poured down like a rapid torrent, as though a river were
emptying itself through large outlets. ...
At Essendon considerable damage was done. The storm
raged with great fury, and was accompanied by hail, similar to that
which fell in the metropolis. Some the hail stones, which were
picked after the storm, measured three inches in circumference. The
damage done to the gardens and green houses of C. J. Dimsdale, Esq.,
of
Essendon-place, was very extensive. Besides large quantity
of fruit being bruised, and vegetables cut to pieces by the terrific
showers of hail, no less than 3000 panes of glass were broken. Many
of the windows of the dwelling-house were also destroyed. The houses
the village and the old church also shared in the devastation
occasioned by the "pitiless storm." After the showers were over, a
great number of birds were found dead.
Camfield-place, the seat of Baron Dimsdale; and
Bedwell, the scat of Sir
Culling Eardley Smith, have also suffered injury, scarcely less
extent than that described to have occurred at Essendon-place.
At Bedwell Park farm, where a boy in the service of
Mr. Rayment was in charge of a horse and cart, the horse, affrighted
by the vivid lightning, started off, throwing down the boy, who
received such severe injuries from the cart passing over him, that
he died a few hours afterwards.
At Hatfield ...
Hertford Mercury, 8th August 1946