Story behind UK's deadliest avalanche in Lewes revealed

Eight people were killed and seven homes were destroyed on December 27, 1836, when a huge build-up of snow on a cliff overlooking the town of Lewes collapsed and buried all before it.

The winter had been exceptionally severe across the entire country, with heavy snow, freezing temperatures and strong winds recorded from the end of October through until April the following year.

A period of very heavy snowfall across the South Downs began on Christmas Eve and continued over the festive season. 

According to the now-defunct Brighton Herald, snow “attained some height, yet, being unaccompanied by wind, it appeared no more than seasonable, and was rather welcomed than otherwise”.

However, snow continued throughout the day and into Christmas Day, with wind picking up in the evening, causing snowdrifts reaching more than ten feet high in some parts of the town.

The Brighton Herald reported: “The wind began to get up and soon increased into a perfect hurricane, whirling the snow in all directions with great force, and speedily putting an end to all description of travelling.”

The avalanche started on the chalk cliffs that overlook Lewes (Image: Supplied)

Snow built up at the top of Cliffe Hill, to the east of the town, which hung over the ridge and teetered over the town.

According to the Brighton Herald: “From the very commencement of the storm, vast quantities of snow were collected at the brow of the hill and, during Sunday night, the mass was materially increased, not only from the falling snow, but from that drifted by the wind.”

On Boxing Day, a build-up of snow fell from the top of the hill into a timber yard close to Boulder Row, prompting Robert Higham, the landlord of the Schooner Beerhouse, to warn residents to leave their homes until the danger had passed. However, many residents chose to ignore the warning.

A second warning was issued early on Tuesday morning, the day of the tragedy, after another partial fall drove in the window of a bedroom, followed by a third.

The danger of the situation became more prevalent to the residents of cottages most at risk, with some removing the little furniture they had from their homes, while others appeared “stupified and bewildered, not knowing what course to take”.

Mr Higham made a final attempt to encourage residents to leave their homes, grabbing the hands of two women in an attempt to pull them away from the danger, but to no avail.

Only four minutes later, at around 10am, disaster struck as the overhanging snow collapsed, triggering an avalanche of snow, which began “slowly and then with immense rapidity”.

Reporting the testimony of witnesses at the scene, the Sussex Weekly Advertiser reported: “The mass appeared to strike the houses first at the base, heaving them upwards, and then breaking over them like a gigantic wave. There was nothing but a mound of pure white.”

Timber merchant Charles Wille later told an inquest that he saw a crack form in a large quantity of snow on Cliffe Hill, which broke into two parts and “fell violently upon the tenements”.

Seven houses were crushed in the disaster, burying those trapped inside.

A force was formed by a W. Thomas in an attempt to rescue those caught up in the avalanche, but eight people were found dead.

Among them was 25-year-old Jane Boaks, killed while on a visit to see her mother; 82-year-old William Geer, who had refused to leave his home; and 34-year-old Susan Hayward, who had tried to persuade Mr Geer to evacuate.

A memorial plaque to those killed lies at South Malling Church in Lewes (Image: Google Maps)

Three mothers killed in the avalanche left behind large families; Mary Taylor left a family of 11 children, with Phoebe Barnden nine and Maria Bridgeman eight.

Two children were also killed in the catastophe; 15-year-old orphan Joseph Wood, killed while helping move some furniture, and 11-year-old Mary Bridgman, whose mother Maria was also killed in the disaster.

In total, eight people were killed; William Geer, 82, Phoebe Barnden, 45, Mary Taylor, 42, Susan Hayward, 34, Maria Bridgeman, 28, Jane Boaks, 25, Joseph Wood, 15 and Mary Bridgman, 11.

Their remains are interred at South Malling Church in Church Lane.

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Several more people inside the crushed homes survived but suffered various injuries.

The Brighton Herald reported: “The scene at this moment was harrowing in the extreme; the screams of the women went to unnerve and stupify with terror the men.”

The day after the disaster brought with it more snow. Three more homes were crushed, but no casualties were reported after homes in the area were evacuated.

The Snowdrop Inn in Lewes is named after the deadly avalanche (Image: Mat Fascione/Geograph)

Almost 200 years on, the disaster remains the UK’s most deadly avalanche.

A tablet at South Malling Church commemorates those killed when “the poorhouse of this parish was destroyed by a mass of snow”.

The Snowdrop Inn, named in commemoration of the disaster, was built four years later in South Street, on the site once occupied by Boulder Row - with its signage depicting the disaster.

The disaster was also brought to life in a painting, The Avalanche at Lewes.

Painted by an unknown artist, it captures the harrowing day in the aftermath of the disaster, as crowds sought to rescue those trapped.