What was the Great Flood of 1607 and how has it inspired your novel?
In January 1607, a storm surge or tsunami swept up the Bristol Channel, killing 2,000 people. Travelling at about 38mph, the wave reached a height of around 7.5 metres (25 feet), surging inland as far as Glastonbury Tor. January 1606 had witnessed the brutal execution of the gunpowder plotters, including a Jesuit priest. I realised that the natural disaster, striking a year later, would have stirred up the cauldron, with some claiming it was God’s retribution, others that vengeful Jesuits had conjured up the wave.
What happened in the aftermath of the flood in Bristol?
Homes and workshops in low-lying areas were destroyed, whereas buildings in streets on higher ground escaped. The honeycomb of cellars beneath…
