The Snowdrop Inn in Lewes commemorates a deadly avalanche that hit the town in 1836.
On Christmas eve 1836 a snow storm blew in across the South Downs. In Lewes, by the evening of Christmas Day a snowdrift reportedly 20 ft deep had built up against the sheer edge of Cliffe Hill. Seven houses stood beneath this, called Boulder Row, owned by South Malling Parish. The residents didn’t want to leave their homes even after a snowfall on Boxing Day destroyed a neighbouring timber yard. The day after Boxing Day the huge snow drift fell onto the houses, destroying them and an unknown number of occupants. Eight bodies were recovered.
FEATURED IMAGE: Missjensen at da.wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lewes-udsigt.jpg
More reading: https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Lewes-Snow-Drop-1836/
Wikipeida: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewes_avalanche
Sussex Bylines: https://sussexbylines.co.uk/community/history/the-lewes-avalanche-christmas-1836/