Tag: Lincolnshire

What in Heaven’s Name?

There are over 100 types of clouds, according to the World Meteorological Organization’s International Cloud Atlas. Whether it was unusual clouds that appeared over Grantham in 1829, or a sign from the heavens, something strange was in the air as the sky over the town was transformed into something never before seen .

“On Tuesday evening the 6th instant the inhabitants of Grantham were agitated by a very extraordinary appearance in the heavens: about half-past seven o’clock the Eastern and Western parts of the horizon seemed as two prodigious columns of fire issuing from immense volcanoes; the clouds were extremely disturbed, and the rack, riding in opposite directions, portended an elementary war. The vane and steeple of the church were quite illuminated; and the effect produced upon the houses in the town (principally of brick) is scarcely to be described: they reflected a strong fiery red, and appeared as if viewed through one of Claude Lorraine’s glasses of that color. During the time of the curious appearance, which was nearly half an hour, the air was particularly close and warm: a considerable degree of anxiety was depicted upon the countenances of all who viewed the phenomenon, and in the impression of religious awe which the mind received, the beautiful idea of the Royal Psalmist was strongly enforced, wherein he describes the Supreme as “riding on the wings of the winds and directing the storm!” The unusual appearance had vanished by eight o’clock, but in the mind’s eye of those who had sensibly beheld it, left a trace which will long continue.”

Stamford Mercury, 16th August, 1811.

A Tipsy Cow

There are plenty of animals that are said to get drunk on their travels. Honeybees can get drunk off of tree sap and are often attacked by their sober companions, elephants on sweet fruits and monkeys in Caribbean hotel resorts sneaking sips of cocktails purchased by their guests. In 1829, one cow belonging to a merry man called John Bull decided it was her time to get tipsy.

“DRUNKEN COW.- John Bull is often drunk, why may not his cow get tipsy sometimes? A curious affair took place at Bulwell, Notts, on the 6th inst.: Mr. Adin, having been brewing some ale against the feast, set it outside the building to cool; a cow, attracted to the spot by the odour, tasted it, and finding it as pleasant to the palate as it had been to the smell, actually drank the whole, consisting of twelve gallons and a half! It did not seem to do her any harm.”

Stamford Mercury, 16 October 1829.

Fire at The Crown Inn

With heartbreaking scenes unfolding in Paris upon the fire of Notre Dame, it brings to mind the sadness many would feel if some of our own beautiful buildings in Stamford went up in flames. There are many jaw-dropping spaces dotted around the town that no doubt fear the consequences of a fire – in 1811, however, The Crown Inn, now known as The Crown Hotel, suffered a scare of its own.

“On Monday evening, about nine o’clock, a fire was discovered at the Crown Inn in this place. It was occasioned by some fire having communicated (through a flue of the scullery chimney) to a beam in Mr. Piercy’s bed-room, and had probably been burning many hours before it was discovered by Mrs. Piercy, who had been attracted to the room by the cries of one of her children, (a fine boy about 3 years of age,) who had not long been put to bed. At the instant she opened the door, a column of smoke extinguished the light of a candle that she held in her hand, and the room was soon after in a blaze. Her cries quickly brought Mr. P. to her assistance, who, with great difficulty, and at the hazard of his life, tore down some stout wood-work, &c. and so fortunately prevented the flames spreading further; had an interval of five minutes more elapsed, the child must have perished, and the whole premises would, in all probability, have been consumed.”

Stamford Mercury, 12 April 1811.

The Philosopher’s Stone

Even if you haven’t heard of J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter series, the philosopher’s stone is legendary. In 1823, a letter from New York states the efforts made to discover the stone and the philosophical instruments designed to bring about the creation of diamonds.

“PHILOSOPHER’S STONE.- A letter from New York, dated June 9, says – “If the long-sought-for philosopher’s stone, by which baser substances could be transmuted into gold, has not yet been found, an invention of still greater importance has at length crowned the efforts of American chymists. It has long been known that the diamond, the most precious of all substances, is composed of carbon in its pure state. But although the powers of chymical analysis have been sufficient by repeated experiments clearly to establish this fact, yet the knowledge of it was of no practical importance to the world, because the powers of synthesis failed, and no mode had been devised of imitating nature by uniting the constituents of this precious gem. In other words, the philosopher was able to convert diamonds into carbon, but he was ignorant of the art of converting carbon into diamonds. If the experiments of Professor Silliman can be relied on, this desideratum has in part been supplied. The last number of his Journal of Science contains an article on the philosophical instrument called the Deflagrator, invented by Professor Hare, of Philadelphia, by which it appears that charcoal, plumbago, and anthracite, have been fused by the power of that instrument, and transmuted into diamonds”. “

Stamford Mercury, 18 July, 1823.