The Weather Diary of Sir John Wittewronge, September 1686

Read by Geoff Cordingley

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September 1686.

The beginning of this September cast the pond in the barn yard

-And the middle thereof the Moat, which was finished & cleared the 18th instant

Out of both these ponds I had much mud as very neare drest all the horserace

There were this year very few apples or pears at Rothampsted none, no quinces, few peaches no Apricotts, few Nectrines, few hopps, plenty of grapes

The 27th of this instant made (of 16 botts of Apples I brought) a Pearce+ of Cider: & beat my grapes; of which tunned-

The 28th a vessell of 17 gallons; & 2 qtes more put in a bottle; the same day beat over my apples again, & made of water Cider an Anchor*, & about 5 or 6 qts;

The 28th pickt all the grapes off the Vine by the Arches whereof made about 3 gallons of Wine

1 Indifferent fair cool day though sometimes cloudy W:SW

8 After a tempestuous night of thunder lightning & rain a fair dry hot day W:SW

15 A clear fornoon, a very close clowdy afternoon W:W

22 Some rain in the morning, after a very clear day W:almostN

29 A foggy morn again afterwards fair W:N

* Anker: A liquid measure of about 10 gallons, used for wine, cider and spirits.

+ Pearce: Sir John refers to a pearce of cider, but may have meant a terace, being 42 gallons of cider