April 6, 1580 Earthquake: Dover Straits, United Kingdom

Occurred about 6 pm local time. This event is referred to as "The Dover Straits Earthquake of 1580." It is also called "The London Earthquake" because of the damage incurred within London, including 2 deaths. There were deaths in France as well, but the number is not verified. There were several aftershocks. Neilson et al. Reference #3945 did an extensive study of the historic accounts, and concluded that the (Richter) magnitude was in the range 6.2 to 6.9. "It is suggested that this earthquake may have been caused by movement along a fault of Variscan trend at a depth of about 33 km; that is, at the base of the crust."

Reference #1879 states that the earthquake was felt: "Throughout England, especially at London, Dover, and the whole of Kent. Also in France at Boulogne, Calais, Paris, etc., in Belgium at Brussels, Malines, Cologne, etc. in Zealand, and Holland. Most violent in England." Reference #3495 generalizes this to "a large part of England, northwestern and northern France, and the Low Countries."

This is one of the most celebrated of all British earthquakes, supposedly alluded to by Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet. The epicentre was undoubtedly between Dover and Calais, and the earthquake was felt over most of England, certainly as far as York and possibly as far as Edinburgh in Scotland (the dating of the Edinburgh report is uncertain). Also the earthquake was felt over much of Northern France, throughout the Low Countries, and perhaps also in Germany. Damage was caused in Kent and the Pas de Calais/Low Countries area, and also in London (where two apprentices were killed) and as far away as Ely and Leicestershire. There were also casualties in the Low Countries. (reference #14327)