History of Floods

Floods Timeline

"By a sudden inundation of the river Tyne, at Newcastle, a great part of the town wall, which extended along the Quay, was thrown down, and 167 men and women were drowned." 1339 Aug 15.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

 

Part of Tyne bridge, at Newcastle, was, carried away by a sudden inundation, and one hundred and twenty persons were drowned.

Loading

Great Flood of 1771

November 17, 1771

There was a 'Great Flood' on the Rivers Tyne, Tees, Wear, Eden and other rivers in the region, after torrential rainfall on the 16th and 17th November 1771. All the bridges in the Tyne Valley were destroyed or badly damaged, except for the bridge at Corbridge. This included the washing away of sections of the Tyne Bridge at Newcastle. On the Wear, 3 arches of the arches of Elvet Bridge in Durham were destroyed. The Tees valley was also badly affected, with the loss of  mills and houses. Reputedly, the River Tees was half a mile wide at Low Coniscliffe during the flood.

Learn more...

Loading

Flood of 1811

March 1811

The River Tees flooded at Yarm in March 1811. A line marking the water level is recorded above the garage of Flood Cottage. There is also a plaque on the south wall of the Town Hall on the High Street, also marking the height of the 1811 flood.

Loading

Feb. 2. - A most tempestuous wind accompanied with a heavy rain began to blow from the South-west, and continued with little intermission till the morning of the following day, when it abated. The rain caused a considerable flood in the rivers Tyne, Wear, and Tees. At Newcastle the fury of the wind drove the water forward with extraordinary violence, particularly against the bridge over which the spray was carried to a great distance. The low lands to the westward were all flooded....

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

Loading

A new bridge over the River South Tyne at Alston was under construction. However, the bridge fell in on the 10th November 1833 when there was flooding on the River South Tyne.

Loading

"Newcastle and the neighbourhood was visited by a severe storm, of wind and rain, as were all the western parts of the county. From the circumstance of the Tyne rising to an enormous height and overflowing its banks, the whole of the district below Blaydon, including Derwenthaugh, Scotswood, Dunstan, &c., was completely under water, and in many of the houses it was nearly up to the second floor. At the time of high water at Newcastle in the evening, the Close and the Quayside were completely flooded, the water extending on to the Sandhill and a considerable distance up the Broad-chare. Many cellars and warehouses in those situations were filled with water." 28th January 1834.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

Loading

Floods - September 1839

September 15, 1839

There was widespread flooding in Northumberland on the 15th of September 1839, following heavy rains on the preceding day and night. Communities around the rivers Wansbeck, Coquet, Till, Rede, Till & Tweed experienced flooding. Families living by the River Wansbeck, were roused by water rushing into their houses at 5am. In Morpeth East Mill and dwelling house the water nearly reached the first story. Norham bridge was badly damaged; Wooler and Otterburn were also badly affected by the floods.

Learn more... 

Loading

Heavy rainfall on Friday the 7th January led to flooding in Carlisle on Saturday the 8th January 2005. It was the worst flood to affect Carlisle since 1822, 3 people were killed, many homes and businesses were flooded, along with major transport and power disruptions. The amount of rain that would usually fall in two months fell in just one night on to ground which was already saturated from earlier rainfall.

Learn more...

Loading

Morpeth Floods, 2008

September 6, 2008

Following a period of sustained heavy rain the River Wansbeck burst its banks and overwhelmed the flood defences in Morpeth on the 6th of September 2008. Over 400 people had to be evacuated and almost a thousand properties were damaged.

Learn more...

Loading

Heavy rainfall on the 28th June 2012 caused widespread floods over Tyneside and parts of south Northumberland and Durham. The highest Newcastle storm total was 51 mm, of which 26 mm fell in 30 minutes, 32 mm in 1 hour and 49 mm in 2 hours. A total of 377 streets were reported flooded, of which 227 suffered highway damage. Over 500 homes had water in their property and 54 businesses were flooded.

Learn More

Loading

Floods - December 2015

December 6, 2015

Corbridge, along with many other places around the region, experienced widespread flooding on the 6th of December 2015, following 'Storm Desmond'.

 

Loading

Town Walls and Tyne Bridge damaged by floods

Great Flood of 1771

Flood of 1811

Storms lead to flooding

Alston - floods on the River South Tyne

Storm and Flooding around Newcastle, Jan 1834

Floods - September 1839

Floods in Carlile, 2005

Morpeth Floods, 2008

Floods due to Heavy Rainfall

Floods - December 2015

300 BCE
200 BCE
100 BCE
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
1100
1200
1300
1400
1500
1600
1700
1800
1900
2000
2100
2200
2300
2400
2500
2600
2700
2800
2900
3000
3100
3200
3300
3400
3500
3600
1170
1180
1190
1210
1220
1230
1240
1250
1260
1270
1280
1290
1310
1320
1330
1340
1350
1360
1370
1380
1390
1410
1420
1430
1440
1450
1460
1470
1480
1490
1510
1520
1530
1540
1550
1560
1570
1580
1590
1610
1620
1630
1640
1650
1660
1670
1680
1690
1710
1720
1730
1740
1750
1760
1770
1780
1790
1810
1820
1830
1840
1850
1860
1870
1880
1890
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1980
1990
2010
2020
2030
2040
2050
2060
2070
2080
2090
2110
2120
2130
2140
2150
2160
2170

Start by selecting a resource (photo or video)

Select Resource



Add to Timeline About Timelines    Disclaimer: these timelines are community generated content and in no way represent the views of Newcastle University. Notice and Takedown Policy.

ABOUT US

Co-Curate is a project which brings together online collections, museums, universities, schools and community groups to make and re-make stories and images from North East England and Cumbria. Co-Curate is a trans-disciplinary project that will open up 'official' museum and 'un-officia'l co-created community-based collections and archives through innovative collaborative approaches using social media and open archives/data.

LATEST SHARED RESOURCES