The Weather Diary of Sir John Wittewronge, May 1686

Hertfordshire Archives and Local Stduies

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May: 1686 

The beginning of May this yeare there was more grass in my grounds than ever I remember: so soon in the year which was caused by the great & frequent showers of rain from the latter end of Aprill till the 17th of May.

But it was the unkindest year for all mannor of fruit that I ever knew: almost all apple & peare tree leaves were eaten up of catterpillars, as also the fruit or els blasted*.  They eat also other leaves & almost all the rose budds,

There were this year no froggs, no wasps nor hornetts, no Akorns, beechmast, Ashkeyes

The 28th of May instant were my sheep shorn I doe not remember they were ever shorn on so cool a day.

The 29th I began to mow grass, in the little pithtele+ pt of the hopground orchard

The 30th eat a mess of my own pease to dinner & 3 hartichoaks to supper, which were the first of each wee had this year

1st A dry fornoon a very wett afternoon & cold         W:NE&N

8 A dry, fair day & very cool                                   W:SW&S

15 A close clowdy dry warm day very calm             W:SW

22 Another clear warm day                                    W:SW&W

29 An indifferent clear but very cold day                  W:WNW

* Blast: to produce a blight upon plants, to stop or impede their growth or cause them to wither by a cold, dry or pestilential wind; to wither under the influence of blight.

+ Pithtele: a pightle is a Hertfordshire word for a small field.