 Overview of Lewes in 2008; the avalanche started on the white chalk cliffs to the right | |
| Date | 27 December 1836 |
|---|---|
| Time | 10:15 GMT (UTC) |
| Location | Lewes, East Sussex, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 50°52′20″N 0°01′22″E / 50.87222°N 0.02278°E |
| Cause | Heavy snowfall |
| Deaths | 8 |
| Property damage | Seven homes destroyed on South Street |
| Deadliest avalanche ever recorded in the United Kingdom | |
The Lewes avalanche occurred on 27 December 1836 in Lewes, East Sussex, when a huge build-up of snow on a chalk cliff overlooking the town collapsed into the settlement 100 metres (330 ft) below, destroying a row of cottages and killing eight people. It remains the deadliest avalanche on record in the United Kingdom.[1][2]
- ^ National Meteorological Society - Weather extremes Archived 2008-11-20 at the Wayback Machine (PDF) p.11, Retrieved 24-05-2010
- ^ "A brief history of snow" The Guardian, 07-01-2010. Retrieved 24-05-2010