The 1999 total solar eclipse over Truro, Cornwall. Filmed and Edited by Phillip Wills 

I was 12 when this happened. Now I'm 33, married with two kids. Makes me emotional.

This shows how frightening a solar eclipse would have been for people in the past. It must have inspired many myths and fears.

Thank you so much for posting this. I travelled with my boyfriend (now my ex-husband) to Penrith where we sat on the cliff. Bizarrely I don’t recall the darkness but I do remember how cold it went. Happy memories!

I was in a field above Fowey, Cornwall. It was a surreal and surprisingly spiritual experience watching the huge shadow of the moon coming across the sea towards us from one side of horizon to other... then everything went dark and the birds and gulls went quiet .The experience gave me just a glimpse of the vastness of creation and the universe - even how enormous just our own solar system must be. Thanks for posting this vid that brings back these memories.

The most beautiful part is no one on their phones. they are all just enjoying the moment with there jaws dropped i would give all my belongings to go back to 99

Thanks for uploading this. It gave me goose pimples watching it again. Strangely emotional.

Im a proud Cornish-boy and i remember standing on mount Kernow, from here you can see a 360degree of this fine county, , it was se eerie hearing the birds going from making sounds to absolute quiet. You could not hear a single thing, apart from the beating of your heart, theres something primordial that triggers your self consciousness and that flight or fight. Then slowly day goes from night , night back to day then the world starts again, i will never forget this

I remember the wildlife went nuts just before totality, the birds went crazy flying about hiding in bushes and trees, cats and dogs ran for cover underneath things like cars and into houses. Then just as quick as it got dark the sun came blazing back and it was roasting hot again. Mad altogether!

I was 19, I was there I remember it well. But what I'll never forget was the Perseids meteor shower (storm) that night. I watched it from out campsite and although I've observed hundreds, maybe thousands of shooting stars I've never seen a display as impressive as that night, massive colourful streaks every few seconds. I never hear any mention or record of it being so special. I

Same here. Now 33 with 2 kids. Remember it clearly. I was in Devon. What an experience!

I remember seeing this eclipse from the harbour walls at Portsmouth; it wasn't quite total in this locality, but very close to it (99.6% coverage if I remember rightly). Luckily, the cloud was sufficiently thin enough so as to see the eclipse very clearly indeed, the sun's disc being reduced to the thinnest of slivers and our shadows being absolutely pin-sharp on the ground. The landscape all around went a greyish pastel kind of colour, the seagulls flying in confused paths in the skies, with a short squall and small waves suddenly springing up for a few minutes. We could also see the street lights coming on over on the Isle of Wight. This is an event I shall remember for the rest of my life, being 55 at the time.

Just beautiful.. remember like yesterday.. showed my youngest child hes 10..in 2021.. I was in Yorkshire watching with my 2 eldest daughters.. they are 30 & 29..now. My youngest daughter .. But a twinkle in my eye then. I got quite emotional watching that. Thank you so much. 🌒 Magical! 🕊️💫💛

Atmospheric electricity on the spires of the cathedral near the end

I was 11 when we got up at 1am to be driven down to Cornwall to see this! Loved it, absolutely beautiful!

Wow, I remember this like it was yesterday. Watched it from north Wales age 16.

I was 5 - my dad drove us to Eastbourne for a week's holiday - 7 of us stayed together and went to the beach to see the Eclipse. I didn't really understand what an eclipse was at that age but I'll never forget that experience. The seagulls squawking as it got dark and the excitement from everybody - I was almost frightened by the mass event. Such a memory! There was also an airshow on the same holiday so the excitement of loud fighter jets doing aerobatics over the sea was so exciting!

I was only 7 when this happened but Its one of my most vivid memories, I remember standing in our back garden with our glasses. It's a shame I couldn't comprehend the significance of it at the time. Very fortunate to have witnessed it however

We had totality in Marldon, Devon, where my grandparents kindly put me up for a few days. We walked on a hilltop where the local TV mast was. The kids howled like wolves as it went pitch black. Was a great moment in my life, was aged 21 back then. Next one in the UK isn't until 2090, so guys, we'll have to go abroad if we are ever to see another totality.

21 years ago today... i remember it so clearly,I was 11 and living in redruth 33 now family,job I had completely forgotten about it

I was in Falmouth at this time. Simply amazing. Thanks for this video!

Ah thanks for this. I was at Marazion, watching the darkness rush in over St Michael's Mount from a hillside. Very very spooky & singular experience. Can't believe it was over twenty years ago.

next Eclipse event in Truro is August 12 2026 with 95% of Totality for roughly 2 minutes

I was working at an Army Barracks and we were allowed to go out side and watch it! What an amazing Birthday gift! Everything went dark and The light started to come back. The light shown on a £1 coin. I was so skint! And I really fancied chocolate! That £1 coin bought me the best two choco bars of my life! I probs should have kept that pound lol

I was 8 in August 1999. Dad and I woke up at stupid o clock to drive around the whole of Cornwall before finding space at Prawle Point in Devon! Such a shame about the cloud, but were on a cliff and managed to see the umbra/shadow coming towards us across the sea at a huge speed. It went very dark, cold, birds went insane and we could see the sunset colours on the horizon. A very unique experience, but heartbreaking that we missed such a spectacular visual spectacle when it would have been absolutely perfect without cloud cover - which, naturally, started clearing almost immediately afterwards. My parents were in Wyoming today and got a much better view! Bring on 2024. I intend to complete my total eclipse experience by seeing it properly!

My daughter Yvette was here on her trip to England. She had no idea it was going to happen. She was in the right place at the right time. On a cliff high up in Cornwall.

Remember watching this on the big breakfast while I was getting ready for school!

I was 15 at the time. I don't remember the sky going pitch black on the Isle Of Wight but it did go grey and duller. It was a cloudy hazy morning so didn't really see the eclipse, just caught glimpses of the sun. I do remember it went slightly colder and the birds went silent. Was eerie but cool. I'm now 39 and can't wait to see another one with my 8 year old daughter. For now, we will make do with the lunar eclipses. Lol

Cape Cornwall 11 August 1999 11.10 Just 2 minutes and clouds got in the way , still only another 70 years to wait til the next disappointment .

I was sat up on the Cliffs at Porthtowan. Magical moment!

I was in Plymouth, on a rise overlooking the railway station. What struck me most was how quiet the birds went. And when it was over, a child said, 'Can we do it again, daddy?'

I have to say I don't remember it going this dark, yes it got darker but this is more like night in this video.. I'm wondering if the video has had the exposure lowered in editing software, that's what it looks like to me sorry! :D I was 35 at the time, and watched it from Falmouth, not one of my photos are this dark either.

I was 19 in 1999, I watched the eclipse from my work place , it didn't get as dark as in this video tho....back then I didn't have a phone or the Internet, I didn't know much about it , when I think back to that time I wish I'd booked the day off work to witness it with family.

I was lucky this day because I secured tickets for boat that stopped mid English channel where the sky was clear. Most amazing thing I have ever seen.

I too shared this wondefrul, life-affirming experience in a farmer's field above Mousehole,Cornwall with a herd of young cows who crowded closer and closer as it got nearer totality. They were as freaked as me. Magic. What's the music?

I was up on Pentire headland with my parents. We did get a break in the clouds very briefly and did see the moon about half way across. I still remember it but was 9 years old at the time. 31 now! :(

I turned up several hours late but amazingly got to see the exact same thing anyway. Lasted for ages too :)

I was born 6 days before eclipse. I was born in 17 August 1999.

I was in East Sussex during this, life was better in 1999

You don’t realise how much of a historic this moment was as a child. I think I was about 11 when this happened. I believe our next one is in 2090, not sure if I’ll live to 100 but hopefully in my kids lifetime they’ll be able to see the phenomenon!

I was in Penzance on this day & if I remember right, the sky was clear the day before & after! 🙄 It was still quite something with it going dark during daylight hours!

I was there too with my family and my late grandad, I was a couple weeks shy of turning 7 but I remember looking up and watching the sky turn dark so clearly

I was 16 when this happened, I was at a family members house, we didn't see much as it was cloudy but I remember it going dark

I was at home in Lelant - right on the line of totality - you cannot imagine just how disappointed I was that it was cloudy. Then the sky went dark - just like night time. and then a miracle - the cloud cleared for about 20 seconds and we saw totality just for those brief moments. It was as if the gods had decided to smile on us for those few seconds. Very Very memorable. Since then I have seen a 89% totality and a 99% totality but nothing to compare with the solar eclipse over my home.

I was 18yrs old. At work in McDonald's and I made sure I had my lunch then just to sit outside and see it

Goosebumps!

Twenty Three years ago to the minute......🌞+🌚

I was up on st Agnes beacon watching the eclipse was awsum

Thanks Lucy. Where did you see it from? I think the atmosphere was amazing where ever you were!

I was 10 thanks for making me feel old now

Not a phone in sight either. People just experiencing the moment. Great to see.

It starts at 2:58 :)

Eclipse is very shocking. Feels like the end of the world. So cold and dark

I was 9 and I wish to god I could have appreciated this now at 32

I was working in the police and it made no difference to my day . Still damned busy . 😂

Thats when we had our Last Sun Eclipse,Back in 1999,Remember that day,I was working at my first Factory then,I also remember going outside at breaktime,Every where was almost getting like night time,Even all the workes also saying best make the most of it,Not have any more Sun Eclipse till the year 2090,Be the next one,I be 112 years old in 2090,If im still here by then to see the next one,So no idea why they got on the news that there be another Sun eclipse coming now,wft some people not all tuned up lol

I somewhat remember this was out at the time in west London where I life but out somewhere.

And even earlier than that. There is a total solar eclipse this Saturday also over the USA.

This was a better Britain

I was 7 and my mum taped sunglasses to my face

thanks you are good

I think I was in Portugal when this happened about 8 years old

I remember the Pope looked through a glass darkly to watch this. It didn't look too impressive to me, aged 12. Didn't even get dark, like they said it would.

It was the same in London pitch black the birds was going crazy. We was using welding glass looking at the eclipse just before it was full eclipse clouds mess it up lol

oh yes i was abot 5 when this happened i was born in 1994

Next eclipse is in USA in August. Crosses the whole country. Best place to watch is probably Kentucky.

Can always count on good old UK to be gray and cloudy

2019 anyone?

Not a single shot of the eclipse

What is that floating thing that appears in the sky on the horizon at 2:57?