The Yeovil Whirlwind Of 17Th November 1883

[Weather-history]

On the 17th November 1883, a tornado struck Somerset just to the west of Yeovil and fortunately just missed Yeovil to the south.

The tornado touched down around noon on the Saturday 17th November 1883.

In the village of Brympton, trees were uprooted.

An avenue of trees leading to Brympton House was thinned out and branches strewn everywhere.

In village of Alvington, several cottages were unroofed.

Several trees were uprooted in Henford, one elm with the soil still attached to the roots.

A padlock attached to an iron gate was snapped and the thick iron plate it was attached to was snapped in half.

A witness said it was a sight he would never forget with trees bent in every direction, branches and leaves scattered over the ground and the noise deafening.

One tree at the Alton plantation was totally stripped.

Alton House: a hamstone chimney was blown down through the roof.

Width of damage was about 150ft at its widest with scores of trees having their tops bent, crushed off, uprooted or partially uprooted at all angles.

Eyewitnesses said it lasted less than two minutes. Prior to it, there were very heavy clouds and an unusual darkness with rain falling in torrents but the rain ceased just as the tornado struck.