125 
I. 
AN ACCOUNT OF THE SEVERE WINTER OF 1739-40, 
AND OF ITS EFFECTS IN THE COUNTY OF 
NORFOLK IN THE YEAR FOLLOWING. 
Extracted from the Journal of Robert Marsh am, F.R.S., of 
Stratton Straioless, ( now in the possession of the Revd. II. 
P. Marsham, of Rippon Hall,) 
By Thomas Southwell, F.Z.S. 
Read 26th May, 1875 , 
“The winter of 1739 and spring of 1739-40, was uncommonly 
severe. Tho cold began very early ; y e 5th of November it began 
to snow and freeze ; which frost continued for a fortnight ; and y® 
ice wou’d bear a man. Y® 25th of December at night, or y® morn- 
ing of y° 26th the very severe season began ; with a strong easterly 
wind, and sometimes a little snow. y e 28th, 29th, and 30th, viz., 
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, one could hardly bear y* air. The 
30th y® thermometer sank below all y' marks, [This thermometer 
was mark’d down to 7 below Farenhcit’s freezing point of 32, so 
this was below 30 of Farenheit,]* and y® Water and Beer froze 
all Day in y® Hall at Stratton wildest a large wood fire was kept 
blazing, and y® urin in my chamber-pot froze to a Cake under my 
Bed four nights successfully, viz., from y® 27th, and from that Day 
to y® 8 U 1 of January inclusive, y® urin froze. The ice was near 
two inches thick in one Night in a well at Haynford, and near 
six Inches thick on y® Heath y® first week. During y® severity 
of y® weather I found y® Water pour’d out of a Bottle upon my 
Window (y® casement shut) froze almost instantaneously. In 
five seconds ’twas Ice. After y® 8 th of January y® cold abated 
a little, but on y® 23rd, 24th, 25tli, 26th, and y® fore part of 
y® night of y® 27th it froze in y® House ; then y® Cold abated, 
and on y® 30th, 31st, 1st and 2nd of February, it thaw’d in y e 
Day, tlio’ on y® 1st at Night, it froze extremely sharp; 3rd and 
• This is evidently added subsequently. — T.S. 
N 
