Tuesday: The news on Tuesday morning demonstrated the fact that the heavy rain of the previous day had but served to augment the damage to property and increase the ruin in all directions … … In this district matters were brought to a crisis. The river Lemon was higher than on Monday, swollen by the freshet brought down from the hills, causing it to overflow in several places. The Marsh district suffered the greatest. In consequence of the high tide the water as it came down could find no outlet. Lakes then formed behind Lower St. Paul’s Road, covering several acres, and reaching as far as the banks of the railway. The water got into a large number of the houses, and a boat was requisitioned for the convenience of the inhabitants. Fields near Forde House were converted into lakes, the tributary of the Teign which runs past there having overflowed its banks. Nearly all the low-lying land in the neighbourhood was covered with water, in some places two or three feet. The farmers had apparently anticipated what was coming, as very few cattle could be seen. There are, however, one or two serious losses. Among those which have come to hand are the loss of thirty sheep by Mr. Mark Knowles, cattle dealer, of Newton. The sheep were in Pinsent’s Meadow, on the Kingsteington Road on Monday, and only five out of the thirty-five were saved. His loss is estimated at around £75 … …
(Also) … … Bovey suffered considerably by the storm. The river Bovey overflowed its banks on either side. The bridges leading to the station were inadequate to carry off the rush of water, the houses in the neighbourhood consequently being flooded. In some of the houses everything of a movable nature was floating about. A fine sheep dog belonging to Mr. H. Pinsent was drowned. The mails arrived about three hours late. Railway traffic between Newton and Teigngrace on the Moreton line was stopped, persons wishing to travel to Newton having to come by road. …
[Reference to a similar flood in the area on December 16th, 1853, – with a detailed description]
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.
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