OF THE 20TH OF NOVEMBER, 1887. 
37 
I believe tbe time to have been 8*20. The morning was fine 
and clear—the air very still. I was walking slowly along, when 
suddenly my attention was arrested by a noise different in character 
from any noise that I am familiar with. I stood still and listened, 
and in a moment it flashed upon me that it must be an earthquake 
or an explosion. It left a distinct impression of something having 
happened in the distance. It is difficult to describe the length or 
duration of the sound; it lasted, as far as I can tell, while you 
might count 10 with deliberation; and it came to me from the 
S.W. of Shelford, in the direction of Royston. I experienced 
nothing but the sound.— Letter from, a Lady redding at Shelford. 
[Royston is due S. W. from Shelford.] 
Barrington. —There were two shocks, at 7*50 and 8*20 respec¬ 
tively. I was in church at the time, but did not perceive the first 
shock, as the bells were then being rung, nor did any of the 
ringers. Others of the congregation, however, then on their way 
to church, describe it as being stronger than the latter shock, 
which took place during the stillness of the service, and was very 
perceptible. A heavy muffled roar seemed to spread beneath our 
feet, accompanied by a distinct trembling of the ground. The 
whole church shook, and the doors rattled under this tremor, which 
certainly passed from S. to IS". On feeling it I was reminded of 
the old stories current in these parts as to the cannon at Waterloo 
being thus heard here as if from underground, and concluded that 
it must be a heavy explosion very far away. Others thought that 
a high wall bounding the churchyard had fallen. One old labourer 
describes the sensation “ as if a load of turnips were shot down at 
my door.”— Edward Conyleare , [vicar of Barrington,] Barrington 
Vicarage, Cambridge. 
Shepreth.— I was just going out, when I heard a peculiar noise 
very much like a long, heavy roll of thunder a long distance off, 
which ended with a distinct boom ! boom! (twice). I went back 
at once into my house, and looked at the clock (it was then about 
8*20). I thought it very probable some explosion similar to that 
at Erith some years ago had occurred. My idea at the time was 
that the noise came from S.E., or perhaps more correctly S.S.E. 
In fact I am certain in my own mind such was the case. There 
certainly did not seem any “ quake” of the earth, and (if I may 
so express it) the noise seemed to be more in the air than in the 
earth. A friend of mine named Jenkins, who keeps the Shepreth 
gate-house on the Gr.JST.R, heard the noise when in his house, and 
thought some heavy vehicle had driven up to the gate. This would 
again point to the fact that the noise came from S.E. or S.S.E.— 
S. S. Clear, Shepreth , Royston. 
Thriplow.— Several persons here, about 8 o’clock, heard the 
unaccountable rumbling sound, and thought it to be some serious 
calamity in London. The most distinct report of it came to me 
from one of my shepherds. He tells me the underground sound 
came from the W., and shook the earth and trees, causing the 
small birds to startle off.— Joseph I. Ellis, Thriplow , Royston. 
