The Weather Diary of Sir John Wittewronge, February 1686

Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies Ref: DE/Lw/F14

To listen to the audio clip, click play on the bar below the image on the right.

February 1686  

Weather glass very high.

The 3rd instant being Wednesday in the morning the weatherglass stood within a very little of 3 degrees above fair & so continued till wee went to bed; On Thursday it fell but little for it stood at night full two degrees above fair, by Friday night the 5th when wee went to bed it stood just at fair; it stood between fair and changeable till the 18, & then got up to fair & there continued the 19th & 20th the 21th it fell below fair and the 22th fell to one degree of changeable.  

Friday the 11th instant made an end of soweing my thetches*. And the same day drawn off a hogshead of ould Apple John Cider which conteyned above 20 dozen of bottles.  

The 11th, 12th, 13th and 15th sett the box that grew in the Knott in the borders in the garden next to gravel walks.

An extraordinary dry February; there fell neither hail, snow, nor one shower of rain from the beginning to the end of the month .

1st  A delicate fair warm day   W:S

8     A close darck calm day, no sun apeairing yet warm   W:W

15   Close, darck, cold, sower, day but very calm   W:N

22   No frost, clear fornoon, cloudy afternoon   W:W

28   A hard frost & a very sharp cold clear day   W:E

Thus ended this month without one shower of rain from first to last.

* Thetches: possibly vetch, an agricultural crop grown as forage; also a name for pea straw.