1275 British earthquake

Last updated

1275 British earthquake
Glastonbury tor (the final climb) arp.jpg
Glastonbury Tor (pictured in 2010) showing the tower of the rebuilt St Michael's Church (C14)
Local date11 September 1275 (1275-09-11)
Local timeMorning
Magnitude6 Mw (hypothesised)
Areas affected London, Canterbury, Winchester, Glamorgan
Max. intensity MSK-64 VII (Very strong)
EMS-98 VIII (Heavily damaging)
ForeshocksNone reported
AftershocksNone reported
CasualtiesMultiple fatalities

On 11 September 1275, an earthquake struck the south of Great Britain. The epicentre is unknown, although it may have been in the Portsmouth/Chichester area on the south coast of England [1] or in Glamorgan, Wales. [2] The earthquake is known for causing the destruction of St Michael's Church on Glastonbury Tor in Somerset.

Contents

Earthquake

The annals of Waverley in Surrey report that the earthquake occurred "between the first hour of the day and the third" on 11 September 1275. [3] It was felt in London, Canterbury, Winchester and Wales, and may have been felt across the rest of England. [4] One account described how it was felt "chiefly in the west". [5] Neither foreshocks nor aftershocks are reported as having occurred. [6]

The earthquake caused the destruction of the 11th-century timber Church of St Michael atop Glastonbury Tor. [1] [7] It is likely that other buildings across the country were destroyed, and the annals of Osney reported that people were killed in the earthquake—"domus et ecclesiae in diversis locis Angliae subvertebantur et homines interficiebantur" ("homes and churches in different areas of England [were] overthrow[n]; the people being killed"). [4] The annals of Winchester state that the tremors were felt across the sea, which may imply it was felt in France, although the lack of corroboration from French sources may suggest this is a confusion with a different event. [1] One account described how "a great earthquake happened in many kingdoms, and chiefly in England, and floods of water also about maritime towns". [8] Similarly, Walter de Hemingburgh observed that "there was a general earthquake in London and in the kingdom of England, both in camps and towns, habitations and fields". [8] It is possible that the coastal effects of the earthquake are better attributed to unrelated inclement weather, as the word "earthquake" may have archaically referred to thunder. [8]

The British Geological Survey hypothesises that the extent and spread of damage suggests an intensity of at least 7 on the Medvedev–Sponheuer–Karnik scale ("very strong"), or 8 on the European macroseismic scale ("heavily damaging"). [9]

Epicentre

The epicentre of the earthquake is unknown. [4] Despite contemporary reports that assume the damage at Glastonbury Tor prove a Somerset epicentre, [10] it is unlikely that the epicentre was in the county, [2] and the destruction of the church is more likely attributed to the church's exposed position atop a steep and narrow hill. [2] A possible location is in the area of Portsmouth and Chichester. [1] This area is notable for frequency of earthquakes due to the presence of a deep north–south strike-slip fault. [11] This hypothesis is strengthened by the report of Thomas Wykes, who wrote that the shock was more intense on the south coast. [2]

A possible alternative epicentre is in South Wales. Edward Gamage, the rector in St Athan, Glamorgan, described an earthquake causing immense damage to Glamorgan and Somerset. Gamage, an antiquarian in the 18th century, wrote a history of the Strandling family of Bristol where he described the earthquake as occurring in the time of Sir John Strandling, which is probably the same as the 1275 event. This suggests an epicentre closer to Swansea and implies a magnitude of 6 Mw. [2]

Some sources [3] [12] [13] cite the earthquake as being a Cornish or French event, mistaking a reference to the destruction at "St Michael on the Mount" (the church on Glastonbury Tor) for occurring at St Michael's Mount or Mont-Saint-Michel. [9] The annals of Waverley refer to an earthquake affecting the whole country and destroying the church called "St Michael of [the] Mount", although no specific mention of the location of the church is made. [3]

Related Research Articles

The Modified Mercalli intensity scale measures the effects of an earthquake at a given location. This is in contrast with the seismic magnitude usually reported for an earthquake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glastonbury</span> Human settlement in England

Glastonbury is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low-lying Somerset Levels, 23 miles (37 km) south of Bristol. The town had a population of 8,932 in the 2011 census. Glastonbury is less than 1 mile (2 km) across the River Brue from Street, which is now larger than Glastonbury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glastonbury Tor</span> Hill in Glastonbury, Somerset, England

Glastonbury Tor is a tor near Glastonbury in the English county of Somerset, topped by the roofless St Michael's Tower, a Grade I listed building. The site is managed by the National Trust and has been designated a scheduled monument. The Tor is mentioned in Celtic mythology, particularly in myths linked to King Arthur, and has several other enduring mythological and spiritual associations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Michael's Mount</span> Tidal island in Mounts Bay, Cornwall, England

St Michael's Mount is a tidal island in Mount's Bay near Penzance, Cornwall, England. The island is a civil parish and is linked to the town of Marazion by a causeway of granite setts, passable between mid-tide and low water. It is managed by the National Trust, and the castle and chapel have been the home of the St Aubyn family since around 1650.

On 23 January 1974 on the Berwyn Mountains in Llandrillo, Merionethshire, Wales, lights and noises were observed that were alleged to be related to a UFO sighting on Cadair Berwyn and Cadair Bronwen. Scientific evidence indicated that the event was generated by an earthquake combined with sightings of a bright meteor widely observed over Wales and northern England at the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1884 Colchester earthquake</span> Earthquake in Essex, England

The Colchester earthquake, also known as the Great English earthquake, occurred on the morning of 22 April 1884 at 09:18. It caused considerable damage in Colchester and the surrounding villages in Essex. In terms of overall destruction caused it is certainly the most destructive earthquake to have hit the United Kingdom in at least the last 400 years, since the Dover Straits earthquake of 1580.

The Dogger Bank earthquake of 1931 is the strongest earthquake recorded in the United Kingdom since measurements began. It had a magnitude of 6.1 on the Richter scale, and it caused a shaking intensity of VI (Strong) to VII on the Mercalli intensity scale. The location of the earthquake in the North Sea meant that damage was significantly less than it would have been had the epicentre been on the British mainland.

Though severe earthquakes in the north of France and Britain are rare, the 1580 Dover Straits earthquake appears to have been one of the largest in the recorded history of England, Flanders or northern France. Its effects started to be felt in London at around six o'clock in the evening of 6 April 1580, being Wednesday in the Easter week.

The 1984 Llŷn Peninsula earthquake struck the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd, northwest Wales on Thursday 19 July 1984 at 06:56 UTC. Measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale, it is the largest onshore earthquake to occur in the UK since instrumental measurements began.

The 1990 Bishop's Castle earthquake occurred near the town of Bishop's Castle, Shropshire, England on 2 April.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Market Rasen earthquake</span> 2008 Earthquake epicentred around Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, England

On 27 February 2008 at 00:56:47.8s GMT an earthquake occurred at Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. According to the British Geological Survey the earthquake registered a reading of 5.2 on the Richter scale, with its epicentre 2.5 miles (4 km) north of Market Rasen and 15 miles (24 km) south-west of Grimsby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grade I listed buildings in Somerset</span> Buildings of exceptional interest in Somerset

The Grade I listed buildings in Somerset, England, demonstrate the history and diversity of its architecture. The ceremonial county of Somerset consists of a non-metropolitan county, administered by Somerset County Council, which is divided into five districts, and two unitary authorities. The districts of Somerset are West Somerset, South Somerset, Taunton Deane, Mendip and Sedgemoor. The two administratively independent unitary authorities, which were established on 1 April 1996 following the breakup of the county of Avon, are North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset. These unitary authorities include areas that were once part of Somerset before the creation of Avon in 1974.

The 1663 Charlevoix earthquake occurred on February 5 in New France, and was assessed to have a moment magnitude of between 7.3 and 7.9. The earthquake occurred at 5:30 p.m. local time and was estimated to have a maximum perceived intensity of X (Extreme) on the Mercalli intensity scale. The main shock epicentre is suggested to have occurred along the Saint Lawrence River, between the mouth of the Malbaie River on the north and the mouth of the Ouelle River on the south. A large portion of eastern North America felt the effects. Landslides and underwater sediment slumps were a primary characteristic of the event with much of the destruction occurring near the epicentral region of the St. Lawrence estuary and also in the area of the Saguenay Graben.

Mendip is a former local government district in the English county of Somerset. The Mendip district covers a largely rural area of 285 square miles (738 km2) ranging from the Mendip Hills through on to the Somerset Levels. It has a population of approximately 11,000. The administrative centre of the district is Shepton Mallet.

The 1848 Marlborough earthquake was a 7.5 earthquake that occurred at 1:40 a.m. on 16 October 1848 and whose epicentre was in the Marlborough region of the South Island of New Zealand.

The 1906 Swansea earthquake hit near the town of Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales on 27 June. It was one of the most damaging to hit Britain during the twentieth century, with a small area reaching an intensity of VII on the Medvedev–Sponheuer–Karnik scale.

The 1185 East Midlands earthquake happened in England. It is the first earthquake in England for which there are reliable reports indicating damage. The moment magnitude of the shock was estimated to be above 5.0 and its intensity was placed at VII (Damaging) on the European macroseismic scale.

Seismic risk in Malta is considered to be low with little historic damage noted and no known victims. The archipelago is however in a potentially significant seismic zone and the risk to the population is probably undervalued.

The 1382 Dover Straits earthquake occurred at 15:00 on 21 May. It had an estimated magnitude of 6.0 Ms and a maximum felt intensity of VII–VIII on the Mercalli intensity scale. Based on contemporary reports of damage, the epicentre is thought to have been in the Strait of Dover. The earthquake caused widespread damage in south-eastern England and in the Low Countries. The earthquake interrupted a synod in London that convened in part to examine the religious writings of John Wycliffe, which became known as the Earthquake Synod.

An earthquake struck approximately 53 kilometres SSE of the town of Mansfield, in the Victorian Alps of Australia on 22 September 2021, at 09:15 local time. The earthquake measured 5.9 on the moment magnitude scale. The earthquake caused minor structural damage in parts of Melbourne and left one person injured. The earthquake was also felt in New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, South Australia and Tasmania. The earthquake was substantially stronger than the 1989 Newcastle earthquake that measured 5.6 and killed 13 people.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Notes on Individual Earthquakes". British Geological Survey. Archived from the original on 19 November 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Musson, Roger (9 July 2015). "What Was the Largest British Earthquake?" (PDF). SECED Conference 2015: 3. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 Fletcher, JR (2013). Short History of St. Michael's Mount Cornwall. Read Books. ISBN   9781447498544.
  4. 1 2 3 Musson, RMW (February 2003). "Fatalities in British Earthquakes". Astronomy & Geophysics. 44 (1): 1.14–1.16. doi: 10.1046/j.1468-4004.2003.44114.x .
  5. ↑ Proctor, Richard A (1884). Knowledge: An Illustrated Magazine of Science. p. 301. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  6. ↑ O'Reilly, Joseph P (1880). "Alphabetical Catalogue of the Earthquakes Recorded as Having Occurred in Europe and Adjacent Countries". The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. 28: 706. JSTOR   30079058.
  7. ↑ Crossley, John. "Glastonbury Tor, Somerset". uksouthwest.net. UK South West. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  8. 1 2 3 Doe, Robert K (2015). Extreme Weather: Forty Years of the Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (TORRO). John Wiley & Sons. p. 257. ISBN   9781118949955.
  9. 1 2 Musson, RMW (2008), The seismicity of the British Isles to 1600 (PDF), British Geological Survey, p. 37, retrieved 6 August 2019
  10. ↑ Davison, Charles (1924). A History of British Earthquakes. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ Press. p. 15. ISBN   9780521140997.
  11. ↑ West, Ian. "Earthquakes of the South of England – Geology Guide (new version)". University of Southampton. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  12. ↑ McCabe, Helen (1988). Houses and Gardens of Cornwall. Padstow: Tabb House. p. 122. ISBN   978-0-907018-58-2.
  13. ↑ Historic England. "THE CHURCH OF SAINT MICHAEL, St. Michael's Mount (1310728)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 6 August 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.