South England flood of February 1287

In February 1287 a storm hit the southern coast of England with such ferocity that whole areas of coastline were redrawn.

The course of the nearby River Rother was diverted away from New Romney, which was almost destroyed and left a mile from the coast, ending its role as a port.

The storm contributed to the collapse of a cliff at Hastings, taking part of Hastings Castle with it, blocking the harbour and ending its role as a trade centre, though it continued as a centre for fishing.

In all, the storm can be seen to have had a powerful effect on the Cinque Ports, two of which were hit (Hastings and New Romney), along with the supporting "Antient Town" of Winchelsea.

Together with a surge in January 1286,[2] they seem to have prompted the decline of one of England's then-leading ports, Dunwich in Suffolk.