AN AMAZING AND PORTENTOUS SUMMER - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL RESPONSES IN BRITAIN TO THE 1783 ERUPTION OF AN ICELAND VOLCANO

This paper investigates the impact of the 1783 eruption of the Laki volcanic fissure in Iceland. This was the most violent, extensive and prolonged volcanic episode which has occurred in the northern hemisphere during the modern era. A detailed examination of newspaper accounts and other documentary evidence reveals the dramatic effect of the eruption on the weather over much of Western Europe. It is shown that Icelandic volcanic eruptions can cause serious environmental damage and extreme climatic disturbance in locations far from the source. Moreover, the evidence indicates a variety of human responses to the weather conditions ranging from panic to attempts to find a scientific explanation.