History
Floods on St Swithin's Day, 1973
On 15th July, 1973 - St Swithin's day - Whiston had what was then the heaviest rainfall in one day.
Construction to build the new Greystones Estate had begun and the earthworks for the new road across the dyke were in progress. Only one small pipe for the stream was used and residents who saw it commented that this would not be substantial enough when it rained heavily.
On that wet Sunday, it held water behind like a giant lake and people who lived in the houses on the bend on Moorhouse Lane near the Churchfields gate complained. The following day, the workmen, instead of releasing the water gradually, let it go and flooded all properties at the side of the dyke.
Houses on Chaff Lane View across from the Sitwell got flooded for the first time ever, it is said that Mrs Shaw in Delft Cottage (was Moorhouse Cottage) was up to her armpits in water.
A week later, after a weekend of heavy rain, the Dyke flooded yet again, a giant beech tree blew down from across the road at Vanstone Cottage and just missed flattening Delft Cottage.
©2004