THE great Cumbrian floods of 2005 and 2015 had a significant precedent in 1771.

Starting in the North East in November, when most of the bridges on the River Wear were swept away, the tempests zoomed Westward to Carlisle where horses were drowned in stables in the centre of the city and cattle were lost near Botcherby Mill.

By the end of the month the River Eden, in Westmorland, ‘swelled higher than ever before. Many families had it deep in their houses, it was 18inches in the church and 15 yards of the new wall at the gaol were beat down’.

In December the London Press reported that ‘from Kendal in Westmorland we hear that they have had constant heavy rain for three days and nights and many dreadful misfortunes have happened.

When three men were standing upon Wennington Bridge looking at something coming down the river, the bridge fell in and they all perished.

One of the men was drowned within sight of his wife and family, being just before his own door. At Beetham, graves were washed open and corpses and coffins were floating for some time’.