8 8 4 ▁at ▁ 0 9 : 1 8 . ▁It ▁caused ▁considerable ▁damage ▁in ▁Col chester ▁and ▁the ▁surrounding ▁villages ▁in ▁Es sex . ▁In ▁terms ▁of ▁overall ▁destruction ▁caused ▁it ▁is ▁certainly ▁the ▁most ▁destruct ive ▁earth qu ake ▁to ▁have ▁hit ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁in ▁at ▁least ▁the ▁last ▁ 4 0 0   year s , ▁since ▁the ▁D over ▁Stra its ▁earth qu ake ▁of ▁ 1 5 8 0 . ▁ ▁At ▁ 9 : 1 8   am ▁the ▁earth qu ake ▁struck , ▁cent red ▁mainly ▁in ▁the ▁villages ▁of ▁W iven ho e , ▁Ab ber ton , ▁Lang en ho e , ▁and ▁P eld on ▁causing ▁the ▁surrounding ▁area ▁to ▁rise ▁and ▁fall ▁viol ently ▁as ▁the ▁waves ▁spread , ▁last ing ▁for ▁around ▁ 2 0 ▁seconds . ▁ ▁Me as uring ▁ 4 . 6 ▁on ▁the ▁Rich ter ▁magnitude ▁scale , ▁the ▁effects ▁were ▁felt ▁across ▁England , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁in ▁northern ▁France ▁and ▁Belg ium . ▁ ▁The ▁earth qu ake ▁dam aged ▁about ▁ 1 , 2 5 0 ▁buildings , ▁including ▁almost ▁every ▁building ▁in ▁W iven ho e ▁and ▁Ab ber ton , ▁and ▁in ▁settlement s ▁all ▁the ▁way ▁to ▁I ps wich . ▁The ▁medieval ▁church ▁in ▁Lang en ho e ▁was ▁significantly ▁dam aged , ▁as ▁were ▁those ▁in ▁the ▁villages ▁of ▁L ayer - de - la - H aye , ▁L ayer ▁Mar ney , ▁L ayer ▁Bre