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Storm surge on southern coast of England
In February 1287 a storm hit the southern coast of England with such ferocity that whole areas of coastline were redrawn. Silting up and cliff collapses led to towns that had stood by the sea finding themselves landlocked, while others that had been inland found themselves with access to the sea.
The town of
Winchelsea
on
Romney Marsh
was destroyed (later rebuilt on the clifftop behind).
[1]
Nearby
Broomhill
was also destroyed. The course of the nearby
River Rother
was diverted away from
New Romney
, which was almost destroyed and left a mile from the coast, ending its role as a port. The Rother ran instead to sea at
Rye
, prompting its rise as a port. The storm contributed to the collapse of a cliff at
Hastings
, taking part of
Hastings Castle
with it, blocking the harbour and ending its role as a trade centre, though it continued as a centre for fishing.
Whitstable
in Kent is also reported to have been hit by the surge.
In all, the storm can be seen to have had a powerful effect on the
Cinque Ports
, two of which were hit (Hastings and New Romney), along with the supporting "Antient Town" of Winchelsea. Meanwhile, the other Ancient Town of Rye was advantaged.
This was one of two huge storms to strike England in 1287. The other, known in the Netherlands as
St. Lucia's flood
, struck in December, the following winter. Together with a surge in January 1286,
[2]
they seem to have prompted the decline of one of England's then-leading ports,
Dunwich
in
Suffolk
.
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