Great Storm of 1703

On Friday, 26 November 1703 (Julian calendar), an Atlantic hurricane, now known as the Great Storm of 1703, wreaked havoc across southern England and at sea.

It is believed that as many as 15,000 people were killed, including more than 2,000 sailors who had been aboard a fleet of warships that were driven on to the Goodwin Sands, an extensive sandbank lying some six miles east of Deal where the North Sea becomes the English Channel. An estimated 53 vessels were lost including thirteen men-of-war which were returning from action in the Spanish war. The original Eddystone Lighthouse was destroyed with six people killed including its builder Henry Winstanley (1644–1703).

On land, many of the deaths were the result of falling chimney stacks which could not withstand the wind speed. London was badly hit and there was extensive flooding in the West Country, especially around Bristol and on the Somerset Levels.