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2. St. Aubyn, J. P. Week St. Mary, North Cornwall.—The tower of this church stands on very elevated ground, and has lofty pinnacles, three of which have been struck at different times, on each occasion one of these pinnacles was shattered, and had to be taken down and rebuilt. Some of the stones are held by iron cramps, but no iron or other metal spindles. The roof of the tower, as well as that of the church, is slate, without spouts, and there are no lightning conductors to the building. There is open country all round the church, and no tree of any size within a mile of the tower.

The following detailed report was received direct from the Rev. G. H. Hopkins, the rector of the parish:—

An Account of the position of the Church of Week St. Mary, in the County of Cornwall, and the effect of Lightning upon the Pinnacle and Tower when struck for the fourth time this century on November 8th, 1878.

Situation of the building.—The situation of the church is at the northern angle of an extensive triangular plateau, which towards the south is much broken by small valleys and low hills, while the high land is for the most part moor, broken in places by cultivated ground and small plantations. Within a quarter of a mile from the church, on three sides, the ground commences to fall very rapidly to a depth of 200 or 250 feet; it is three miles from, and nearly 500 feet above, the sea; to the N.W. lies Widemouth Bay, one of the very few breaks in the cliff along the coast of North Cornwall; the entire extent of this break is quite a mile-and-a-half; between the Bay and the extremity of the plateau, at which the church is built, the surface is broken by low hills, only one of which exceeds 250 feet above the sea level, and this exception is separated by one valley from the church hill; half a mile south of the church is the highest ground in the parish, but neither this nor any hill for several miles exceeds in height the pinnacles of the tower. The elevation of the building above the surrounding country can be better understood from a local rumour that 28 churches are visible from the battlements of the tower, and the average size of a parish attached to each church is 6000 acres. The highest point of the pinnacle is 90 feet above the ground.

No mines or spring of water beneath it.—There is no evidence of the existence of any metalliferous lode in the parish, and certainly no such attractor of electricity lies beneath the church, nor is there any spring of water near the foundations; but as the surface soil is clay, the rain water has no means of flowing away, except over the surface, and a few hours of moist weather make the soil like a wet sponge.

Circumstances.—The tower was struck at 6.45 a.m. on November 8th, 1878, the weather having previously been gusty, with sudden storms of hail and rain as each heavy cloud came up from the sea: many times during the night the downfall of hail was very violent, and it was during one of these storms that the single electrical discharge took place; the hailstones were considerable, both in number and size, when the flash occurred, and they certainly commenced falling before the shock took place.

Brightness of the flash.—The brightness of the lightning was intense, and I have been at some trouble to inquire into the effect which it had upon those who saw it. I was awake, and the lightning illuminated the room through double chintz curtains and dark-green blinds, the windows looking away from the church, and being more than a quarter of a mile from it; during the storm a farmer took refuge in a closed cattle shed, 200 yards from the church, and he spoke afterwards of his impression that he was surrounded by fire; two farmers going to Camelford fair, were at the time waiting on the road, a mile-and-a-half from the church, and their impression was that they were enveloped in flame, and the flame came between them; these experiences were given to me at different times, and were independent evidences of individual opinion. At Holsworthy, eight miles away, in a direct line, two ladies were attending their sick mother, and the vividness of the lightning obscured the brightness of the light of two candles and a paraffin lamp.

The loudness of the thunder.—The loudness of the clap of thunder was very great; of course it shook my house; and a neighbouring rector, who lives three miles away, in an adjoining parish, felt the effect of the clap to an extent which was very unusual; at Camelford, lying W.S.W., and distant about twelve miles, with a considerable range of hills between, the thunder was not heard; but two miles nearer, and in the same line, it was just heard: this latter station being on the summit of the range; at Holsworthy, lying E.N.E., it was heard as an awful peal; at Kilkhampton, which lies directly N., and separated by a broad broken valley, the thunder was blamed with causing colts to break through a fence from terror, and the distance is ten miles. I am unable to give any further account either of the distance the thunder was heard, or of the intensity of the light of the flash. As the wind was blowing from the west, with a slight bearing towards north, the effect of the wind upon the sound is evident.

Effect upon the pinnacle.—The S.W. pinnacle (A) was struck, and apparently the effect of the lightning was not felt upon the two uppermost stones, namely a small cross and a truncated cone, which supports it at the summit, both of granite. It may be remarked that the entire facing of the tower is granite, the interior masonry being made up of small stones of different kinds, which exceeds 3 feet in thickness, while the blocks of granite which face the tower vary from 10 to 12 inches in thickness, and in some cases are of immense size and weight. As soon as the current could reach that part of the pinnacle which is made up of courses of separate stones, the mischief commenced, and the effect was to force the stones out all round the axis of the pinnacle, so that in the same course many of the stones were separated by intervals of from 1 to 5 inches; one great block, measuring 2 feet in length, was thrown right out, but fortunately fell outside the tower walls, and left a gap in the pinnacle opening towards that quarter from which the storm came. The entire pinnacle was shattered, and all the courses of stones which make it up dislocated, as well as the two courses of stones which lie beneath it. The fierce rain storms had long ago washed away all the mortar from between the stones which compose the outside of the tower, and probably every shower wets the interior of the masonry; and this was especially the case at one part where there is a considerable leak of drainage from the roof of the tower.

Effect upon the tower.—The course of action of the current was from the pinnacle to this leakage, where a stream of water was running down the wall and between the granite facing and interior masonry; the downward course of the water was arrested by the belfry light, and then has to fall to the masonry below the window; just above the window a large block of granite C (outside measurement 2 feet by 14 inches), was thrown out in such a way that it hangs like a halfopen door, the projecting edge being that which lies just below the leakage, and standing out about 10 inches from the wall; across the belfry window runs an horizontal iron bar, and at the bottom of the window lies an old iron bar; the stonework beneath this bar was much knocked about. From that spot the effect of the lightning disappears, until it reached an immense carved granite block D, which lies on the south side of the tower, and very near its south-east corner; and a few feet below this the leaden gutter E (through which part of the roof drainage is poured to the ground), runs some feet down the wall towards the earth, but does not reach the earth by 12 feet. The immense carved granite block is broken into two almost equal parts by a line parallel to its vertical edges, and the two parts are separated by quite half an inch; the fracture of the stone is not quite straight nor clean, and the parts of the stone do not project beyond the surface of the tower. I have been unable to trace the course farther; it may have passed along 70 feet of leaden gutter, between the nave and south aisle (F) to the east end of the church, or gone to ground at the base of the tower. Three or four days later, during a very high wind, a second stone fell from the pinnacle; this same stone had been partially thrust out on a previous occasion in 1865. Upon examination the pinnacle was found to be in such a precarious condition that a single blow with a hammer on one small stone would have endangered the whole.

Previous injuries.—On October 19th, 1843, at 10 p.m., the S.E. pinnacle (B) was completely torn down, and two courses of stones just beneath it were greatly damaged. The line of action of the current was to the north-east edge of the tower, towards the leaden gutter, between the nave and north aisle, over this it threw out a great block of granite; from that point it passed along the leaden gutter and across the roof at the north aisle, to a strong iron bar running vertically down the third out of the four north windows; this window was considerably damaged, and still bears marks of rough usage; how it happened that two other windows near the tower, and similarly fitted up with iron bars, were passed untouched is a mystery; to some extent all the windows in the church were somewhat damaged, the framework being of wood they were much shaken, and partially separated from the masonry. This was probably caused by the effect of the current upon the air in the building: the direction of the damage being due to the outward pressure.

In 1812 the north-east pinnacle was struck, and also some little time before 1688, as there is a stone engraved with that date upon it, and the date of the tower is the close of the fifteenth century.

The dates of these misfortunes have been as follows:—

About 1688 N.E. pinnacle.

1812 N.E. pinnacle.

1843 S.E. pinnacle.

1865 S.W. pinnacle.

1878 S.W. pinnacle.

The north-west pinnacle appears to have escaped, and it stands just over the tower stairs. The south-east pinnacle, which was struck in 1843, was at that time surmounted by a weathercock.

There never has been a lightning conductor to any part of the church.

One word further. I have been the holder of the benefice since the autumn of 1876; last summer the specifications for the complete restoration of the church, at a cost of £2000, were sent to me by the architect; before forwarding the same to the Bishop of the Diocese I supplied the omission of a lightning rod in the specification.

Meteorological Notes.—It is a noteworthy fact that on each occasion during this century when a pinnacle has been struck, the season has been between November and March, with one electrical discharge during the storm. It is also remarkable (an experience founded certainly on only two summers, but during that time the rule has been invariable) that all round the neighbourhood summer thunderstorms may be passing in their usual fitful manner of storm and sunshine, but immediately a summer thunderstorm passes over this village there is a complete break in the weather for eight or ten days.

Rainfall.—1877: 49·11 in., 213 wet days; 1878: 48·03 in., 212 wet days.

3. Baker, A. J. Rosherville Church, near Gravesend.—The west gable of the south aisle was struck by lightning, although close to the tower and spire which were provided with a lightning conductor, and received no injury.

5. D. Brandon. St. Ann’s Hotel, Buxton.—In 1875 a chimney-stack was shattered by lightning, the concussion in the flue drove fire and smoke into the drawing-room, displaced the mantle-piece, and broke many panes of glass. The hotel occupies half a crescent, the stack being in the middle of the crescent. The building had no lightning conductor, and there were no trees nearer than five or six hundred feet.

7. J. Colson. Twyford Moors, near Winchester.—Struck by lightning in June, 1878. This building (of which a plan is given) was provided with one lightning conductor fixed to the tower. The upper terminal branched into five points, about four feet above tower roof; the conductor, which was ⅜-inch copper wire-rope, was attached to the upper part of the tower, with glass insulators, and in the middle nailed to the wall through lead flashing, then carried down rain-water pipe into cesspit. The point of the building struck by the lightning was distant about sixty-four feet horizontally and sixteen feet vertically from the upper terminal of the conductor. Damage done was very slight, tiles and laths being knocked off, but no sign of scorching. The conductor was not injured; there are no trees near the building.

C	Conductor.
*	Point struck.
P	Rain-water pipes attached to iron gutters.

7a. St. James’ Church, West End, Hants.—Struck by lightning at 5 p.m., on June 12th, 1875. The church stands on the top of a hill with many trees near, it is built of brick with a lead ridge to roof, iron and lead gutters, iron rain-water pipes P, and two iron chimneys. The spire is of brick, with stone angles fixed by iron cramps; the spire was finished by an iron bar at the top, but was not provided with a lightning conductor. The damage done to the spire was considerable, as shewn in the engraving, making it necessary to pull it down, but the tower was not injured. Stones from the spire were thrown through the trees at B, which are 126 feet distant from the church, cutting off some of the boughs. The tree at A was untouched.

St. James Church, West End, Hants.

12. T. Hawksley. Several Steam Chimneys not provided with lightning conductors; upper portions knocked down, chimney split or often skinned by the lightning, i.e., the four and a half inches of brickwork taken off; details not given. Now uses Gray’s system of lightning conductors for such buildings, which is found successful.

13. A. Hill. In South Africa houses are generally roofed with corrugated iron, and protected from lightning by planting a circle of high trees round them.

14. G. J. Hine. All Saints’ Church, Nottingham.—Struck about twelve years ago; tower and spire 150 feet high, with one conductor of half-inch copper wire-rope, with platinum terminal, and secured by insulated brackets, but earth contact only two feet long at time of accident the rest having been stolen. The lightning passed down the conductor till within six feet from the ground, where it passed through a wall of solid masonry four feet six inches thick, displacing some of the stones, to an inch-iron gas pipe inside the church. In passing off along the gas pipes under the floor, it so far disarranged them as to cause a considerable leakage of gas, which was set fire to by a candle some hours after the accident and exploded. There were no trees, only a few shrubs near.

16. J. Jerman. Alphington Church, near Exeter.—Tower struck about March, 1828; the church had no lightning conductor. The tower was rent through the masonry vertically, damaging parapet and ungearing and injuring bells, which were being rung at the time; one ringer was killed, and some of the others had the heel-plates melted off their boots. There are few trees of any size near the tower, which surmounts all adjacent buildings; it had pinnacles and a weathercock on the top, and a lead roof with spouts, no down pipe. Very few casualties from lightning occur in Devonshire.

18. E. J. Law.—The tower, surmounted by a cast iron vane, of a house built under my superintendence, was struck; the slates stripped from the roof, and the charge apparently escaped down the rain-water pipe; it divided, however, and passed to an adjoining ridge, chipped a piece off the iron cresting and hurled it some twenty yards from the building. Lightning conductor ordered, but not erected; cast iron ridges to all the roofs. Large infirmary within two hundred yards and high church tower within three hundred yards, and houses nearer, of equal height to the one struck, and with cast iron crestings, none of these were injured.

18a. St. Sepulchre’s Church, Northampton.—Vane on top of spire struck by lightning, passed down the rod, then to frame of one of the spire windows, and thence to clock face, from clock face it passed down the gas pipe, leaving no further trace.

19. T. Hayter Lewis. Lewisham, 1872.—Zinc chimney of house struck; lightning went down flue A, thence to a gasalier (glass) B, broke it to pieces and passed harmlessly to the other end of the house where the pipe ended at C, broke through a partition there and the window D, and passed down the rain-water pipe E to the earth.

SECTION.

19a. Wandsworth, 1875.—Chimney of house struck and damaged as shown in sketch, lightning then passed along eaves gutter F, and down the iron water-pipe G, doing no further injury.

PLAN AND ELEVATION. PLAN.

19b. Addiscombe, 1878.—Chimney struck above H, the lightning passed down flue, slightly injured the chimney-pieces, and apparently passed through the two open doors to the road, as the tenant standing at J distinctly felt a shock.

19c. Forest Hill.—Chimney (K) struck, lightning followed gutters shown by dotted line in sketch, part no doubt escaped by pipe L, but some passed along gutter to M doing slight injury to brickwork there, the window N was broken, and the gilt bead under cornice in rooms K and O was blackened.

PLAN AND ELEVATION.

19d. University College, London.—A chimney has been struck on two occasions, but little damage done; the lightning passed off by gutters and rain pipes which enter the drains; the top of the dome, which is of stone, has escaped.

21. J. Murgatroyd. St. Mary’s, Crumpsall, near Manchester.—A lightning conductor from spire touched the eaves gutter, and a gas pipe touched the end of this gutter. The lightning passed from the conductor along the gutter to the gas pipe, melted it, and set the church on fire by igniting the gas.

22. T. Oliver.—Never had a building damaged during thirty years practice; uses ½ inch copper rope for lightning conductors, in contact with any iron work near, and buried 8 feet in ground in ashes.

23. Wyatt Papworth.—Tall spire struck. The church stands in an open position with no large trees near. It was provided with an iron lightning conductor ¾ in. diam., fixed with iron holdfasts, and carried down inside the spire and tower into ground; the top of it was said to be attached to a bold copper finial on the spire about 150 feet from the ground, and 50 feet above ridge of roof; the lightning is supposed to have first struck the finial, it slightly deranged some beds of masonry in upper part of spire, then descended by iron rod to belfry, melted a gas tube in the floor, and set fire to the belfry by igniting the gas.

23a. House in country road. The lightning struck chimney-pot, descended flue to fire-grate and there divided, one part passed to fire-grate below and damaged the gasalier, another part destroyed a box of clothes near grate, then passed out of door into another room, struck the grate and passed into room below doing no further damage.

23b. Another house situated at the corner of country road with high trees near, lightning followed bell wires, stripping paper, &c.

23c. At a third house, chimney pot struck, shaft and eaves gutters damaged.

24. J. L. Pearson.—Weathercock of a tall spire in an exposed situation struck.—There was a wire rope conductor attached to the bar carrying the vane and passing down inside the spire and out at the belfry window, the bells being connected with it; it was attached to the tower by ordinary metal hooks, and was carried 6 or 8 feet into the ground, and about 10 feet from the base of the tower, the strands being spread out. The conductor was bent about very awkwardly under copings, and in some places, at right angles, the damage was very slight, and was limited to projections of mouldings close to a bend in the conductor about 20 feet above ground. The conductor itself was uninjured. Some insignificant trees 100 yards distant.

26. E. C. Robins. St. Matthias’s Church, Brixton.—No conductor, although the church had previously been struck. I have now put one up, leading its lower end into a cistern of water. The portland stone terminal cross was shattered, and the stones of the cornice of the two topmost stages were displaced.

28. H. S. Snell. The Holborn Union Infirmary, Upper Holloway, in course of erection.—Conductor not fixed. Apex of tower roof, 160 feet from ground, having only roof timbers, some lead-work A at apex, and vane (gilded iron) fixed. The damage commenced just below lead-work on apex, and three out of four hips were much torn and shattered, necessitating taking down and rebuilding; the hips were each framed in three sections, bolted together with iron bolts, and in nearly every case the bolts seem to have specially attracted the fluid causing slight charring. One of the dormer windows B was also separated from the spire. The fluid appeared eventually to have been attracted by the water-pipes, which rise to top story of building, and so passed away. It will be noted as peculiar that the iron vane was not touched, and that the damage commenced immediately below it. [The damage evidently occurred only where the conducting materials were absent, the iron vane and the lead would naturally bear no trace of injury.—Ed.] No trees nearer than 150 feet, and these much below the top of tower.

32. J. B. M. Withers. Detached house, near Sheffield, in course of construction.—No conductor; the top of a chimney fifty-two feet six inches above the ground was struck and deranged but not thrown down. The nearest ironwork was an ordinary cast gutter, twenty feet from the top of the chimney. No trees within sixty yards of the building.

34. G. Wrottesley (Col. R.E.). Chimney shaft of a laundry at the Barracks at Gravesend.—No conductor. The chimney shaft, forty feet high, was entirely destroyed by a heavy charge of electricity as low down as the eaves of the building—at this point iron gutters went round the building and outside the chimney shaft, and the charge passed harmlessly away to the earth by the rain water pipes P. Not a brick was left in place above and not one disturbed below the gutter; the shaft appeared as if cut off by a knife at this point. No trees within 100 or 150 yards. The disruptive force was so great that the bricks were scattered over a radius of 200 feet, and the slate roof was riddled like a colander by the brickbats.

ELEVATION AND PLAN.

36. E. N. Clifton. Bethnal Green—A four-roomed house, one of a row, with a V shaped roof, was cut in two by lightning; a fissure was made in the front and back walls, and also in the middle plaster partition. The fluid entered the house between the front windows and passed through the partition and back wall, rather to the side of an iron pipe at the back which was the only metal near. No trees in the neighbourhood.