The Sun.
London, England, 1829-04-15 00:00:00

FALL OF A ROCK AT NOTTINGHAM,

To strangers unacquainted with Nottingham, it will be
necessary to premise that most part of it is built open rock,
which forms different rising hillocks, and some parts on
perpendicular cliffs, having streets running below, so that
one house seems actually built upon the roof of another.
This is the case with the High Pavement, on which many
of the most respectable houses are erected, as well as the
County Gaol, St. Mary's Church, &c. ; and beneath the
High Pavement about 150 feet is Narrow Marsh, the oldest
street in the town. Considerable apprehensions have for
several years been entertained, that a portion of the rock
above Narrow Marsh, between the County Gaol and
some brick arches (which hail been erected for secu-
rity), was separating from the main body, especially at
the back of the house occupied by Mr. Carpenter
Smith. It was not, however, that till within these few
days tkat the fissure opened to any extent which could
be considered alarming. Small portions of the rock and
sand kept falling dining the past week, but still nothing
immediately serious was feared ; and, though in the event
of falling no power could have prevented the houses below
from being crushed, yet no persuasions could induce the
inhabitants to quit the premises. On Sunday the fissure
at the back of Mr. Smith's, and running through his
garden, opened to that extent, and continued to yawn so
fearfully, that the Magistrates deemed it necessary to warn
the inhabitants below of their imminent danger, and re-
commended an immediate abandonment of their houses.
To-day the symptoms of a fall grew still more alarming,
and the residents of four of the buildings where the rock
threatened most, were induced to quit ; but it required
magisterial authority, in some instance, to effect this, as
several individuals complained of the shortness of the
notice for departure.
About half-past seven this evening (Monday), a tre-
mendous fall of rock (some hundred tons) took place
nearly at the back of the Loggerheads public-house, in
which it appears the landlord, Mr. Clodkin, then was. In
about three minutes the whole extent of cliff gave way,
and five houses were crushed into one general wreck.
Near the spot where the first portion which broke away
1 fell, the flaps of a coat were visible, and in a few seconds
a young man was dug out in a state of insensibility, but
shortly afterwards recovered, having only received a few
bruises. Reports were circulated that others were under
the ruins, hut up to the latest hour no more bodies have
been found.
Mr. Wright had been assured that his house was per-
fectly safe, and, therefore, he removed nothing. A few
minutes before the catastrophe he left home ; and at that
time there was a man working at a frame up stairs, and
two women below with his wife. Mrs. Wright says she
heard a noise like thunder (that part of the rock most
distant from the house gave way the first), but, without
entertaining any particular idea of danger, she went to the
street door, which she found it impossible to open. With-
out a moment's hesitation she threw open the casement
and leaped into the street, but fell. The man (name:]
Slack) was coming down stairs from his work, and, with
the other two women, made their exit by the same way ;
but it must have been the work of a few moments, for
Mrs. Weight, as soon as she recovered the use of her
legs, ran into an entry immediately opposite (by the side
of the Lord Byron public house), and then turning round,
saw her house one shapeless mass of ruins. Slack de-
clares that, at the time he jumped from the window, the
back part.of the house was crushed in, and some of the
front fell on his legs in his efforts to escape.

CATHOLICS IN PARLIAMENT.--The
EARL or SURRRY, eldest son and heir to the premier
Peer of England, the DUKE OF NORFOLK, will shortly
take his seat in the House of Commons for Horsham, one
of the boroughs of the illustrious Duke, in the room of
Mr. HURST, who accepts the Chiltern Hundreds. Thus,
the British Catholics will be the first to reap the fruits
of Irish industry, and talent, and perseverance. Let the
electors of Clare look to their ten pound freeholds—they
will be shortly called upon to use Ahem for Mr. O'Corr-
, Imes return.—Dublin Freeman's Journal.