PETERSFIELD.
A TERRIFIC WHIRLWIND.—On Tuesday morning last, soon after seven o’clock, this neighbourhood was visited by a storm accompanied by a whirlwind, causing destruction, terror, and alarm to an extent never before remembered, even by the oldest inhabitant. It was first observed hereabouts by a cottager’s wife, whose attention was arrested by an unusual and strange rushing noise of wind, who, thereupon called her husband, when they both observed an oak tree upon Beerland Farm, some distance off, in a state of violent agitation from the wind, some of its branches being broken off, while others were denuded of their leaves, which were flying within its whirl, and rising rapidly to a great height in a direction from west to east. Upon reaching the rushes, a piece of common land, through which runs the Alton, Alresford, and Winchester turnpike-road, is a pond, and here the scene was fearfully grand and novel, showing clearly the mighty and mysterious working of its power by forming the same into a whirlpool, and therefrom taking great quantities of water and mud, tearing off large branches from the oak and ash trees upon its margin, and carrying the same mixed with other matter, in a strange and rapid revolving column up the adjoining meadow, where, at the top it came into contact with the stone-coloured side of the railway Accommodation Hotel, which was quickly bespattered and covered with its muddy deposit. Here its destructive power commenced, which was exhibited in full force, stripping the lead from the hips of the building over a large space as if so much paper, and hurling the same to a great distance, one piece about a hundred weight being carried high up and to a considerable distance, near to the railway station. The next object of destruction occurred to the outbuildings of the Accommodation Hotel, standing a little on the right of the same, comprising the stables and a large shed or skittle-alley, attached together, in length 60 feet, and in width 20 feet, strongly constructed, covered with slate, and erected within the last five years. The open front of the shed part of the building was on the side exposed to the advancing whirlwind, which was observed coming up the meadow from the pond below in its terrific course, awfully appalling to those present who witnessed its approach, amongst whom were two sawyers, who being at work a short distance off, and watching the coming storm, had just reached the spot for shelter, when, the full force of the whirling current coming on they were compelled to lay hold of some stone pillars in front of the house, and by dint of great exertions managed to keep their standing during the alarming period of devastation. The whole roof covering the stables and shed were in an instant twisted off, even to the plating on the walls, being rent and torn asunder, when a great portion of the rafters, with the slate laths attached together of great weight, were hurled to a great height over a space of waste land, across the turnpike-road, and then thrown flat against a high bank, being a distance of 60 yards. At this fearful moment the awe-striking scene was appalling in the extreme, from the crashing and breaking woodwork, with hundreds of slates, hurdles, trusses of straw, the debris, &c., &c., from the stable and shed, rising to a vast height, and whirling together in terrific violence in the air, accompanied with a tumultuous rushing of the mighty whirlwind, altogether, produced such a scene of fear and alarm as was never before experienced in this locality. Luckily the only casualty we have to note was to a hen sitting in her nest being killed by a piece of timber falling upon her. Some of the slates in falling edgeways were found to be buried in the soil of the meadows to the depth of six and nine inches each, and broke woodwork, &c.,was scattered over a considerable distance in its progress, one slate falling upon the roof of the Blue Anchor public-house, on the London and Portsmouth turnpike road, a full half mile from the spot, and others further on in the parish of Sheet. Fencing for the protection of single trees from cattle was torn up with the stumps, and scattered about. Straw fell along, marking the track of the current over Sheet Common, and on the lawn of Westmark Cottage for two miles; and some carpenters, and others, working near the mansion of J. Bonham Carter, Esq., M.P., at Adhurst, St. Mary’s, observed in the distance what appeared to be straw, &c., carried round at a great altitude in its progress over Durford Wood, full three miles away from the scene of disaster in the Rushes. Many instance of perplexing fright occurred, amongst which we note the following, which may be relied on, as showing its effect upon characters little considered susceptable to its influence:— At the time the whirlwind approached the Rushes pond, an iron-nerved sawyer, hitherto of the name of ‟Mark Hobbs,” was proceeding from his domicile to his work, and just upon emerging from the road upon the common, he was so struck as to bring him to a sudden stand, when instantly turning upon his heel, as if under some electrical influence, with the steam well up, he proceeded in hot haste back along the road for half a mile to his home, holloaing, and crying out till he crossed the threshold of his door, when, in a state of affrighted bewilderment, he at once proceeded to drag his wife from her bed to the garden for safety. The house having but one floor, it could not have been from the fear of the upper story falling in; and the only account for the act afterwards given by the man was, in his own words, viz., ‟I really thought heaven and hell were coming together.” At Ramshill, in a field alongside the London and Portsmouth Road, a large number of navvies were employed excavating the soil for the purpose of forming the embankment for the Petersfield and Midhurst Railway now constructing, when the whole, in relation to the above stated cause, were so dreadfully dismayed and alarmed at the visitation, that they fled affrighted from their work in all directions for safety.
See also
5-Nov-1863
27-Aug-1863