From the edge of Kingfishers/Astor Mews, looking up towards Red Villas, Garden Cottage and Hamble House, this shows the extent of the flooding towards the West End of the High Street, the river to the right (north) of the road (not as some maps would have it to the south). The Bridge to the Limes (R) is clearly covered. Astor Mews (L) has sandbags up but never suffered a worse incursion than to the end of the drive, all being built on the slope leading up from the river and the High Street.
Looking down from opposite Kingfishers, opposite the road to the picture above, to the Old Shoppe in the left centre background, you can easily see the extent of the flooding. Amazingly, the old Fish Shop (centre right with the tiles) escaped any damage at all, the inside floor being above the level of the water - much to the amazement of the then-owner Rosemary Henderson (now Bancroft: CR). Similarly, it appears the age of Bramble Cottage (next down) saved it from anything but cosmetic damage, and the solidity of Parsonage Farm (next on down again) prevented serious damage again! All in all, very lucky!
Some more details of Bramble Cottage, the Old School and Parsonage Farm. The Old School (centre, behind the green hedge) appears flooded but is, in fact, about a foot or more clear, being built on level of the higher slope behind all the houses on the High Street. Pumps were used in Bramble Cottage to keep much of the water from the rear.
Similar to the West End Picture above, but at a later time of day, when the water was truly at it's worst.
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Page Last Updated: 19th May 2002