According to the contemporary chronicler Matthew Paris, in his Chronica Majora and Historia Anglorum, on this day, the vigil of St Valentine, in 1247, “there was a great earthquake in many places of England, especially in London about the banks of the Thames, destroying many houses”.
Paris was also a Benedictine monk, scribe and illuminator of manuscripts, based at St Albans Abbey (see also February 2nd posting here). He was of French origin.
