Notes on the Geology of South Ferriby. 71 
by Mr. C. Fox-Strangways that at a quarter of a mile west of 
Ferriby Sluice, and at Ferriby Hall, 150 yards and 80 yards 
respectively have disappeared since the Ordnance Map for the 
district was made.” 
From the above facts it will be seen that the waste of land 
near South Ferriby is a serious matter to the landowners and 
farmers. Possibly the only persons to benefit are the antiquarians 
and geologists, who are thus enabled to pick up various relics and 
examine new sections as the cliffs are washed away. 
But whilst this waste is going on, land is also accumulating 
near by. 1 refer to Read’s Island. Apparently about 1820 no 
part of this land appeared above the water. After that date 
however a sand-bank, then known as Ferriby sand, formed, and 
increased in size. About 1840 the Reads of Burton Stather 
_ obtained it on a lease from the Crown, and it has since borne the 
name of Read’s island. The lease expired about 1870, and the 
island was sold to the Humber Conservancy Commissioners, who 
had “ obtained an Act of Parliament for changing the flow of the 
channel, embanking 575 acres immediately, erecting new buildings 
-and making other extensive alterations.* 
In 1853 Mr. Oldham recordsf{ that 80 acres were then em- 
banked, but there was “ beyond the banks more than double that 
quantity.” He adds :—‘ From the time the island assumed its 
present state, or rather its climax of magnitude, a very deep 
channel existed between it and the Lincolnshire coast, which was 
generally used by river steamers coming down at Jow water ; 
-and during all this time the current has impinged with great 
“severity on nearly the whole of the coast from Wintringham to 
; South Ferriby, causing a serious loss to Lord Carrington, Sir John 
Nelthorpe, and others. Here again changes are going on, and 
instead of the deep channel on the south of the island, the current 
has taken a direction from about Brough to Ferriby on the north 
side of the island, leaving the south channel comparatively 
hallow ; and I am also sorry to add considerable loss is taking 
place to the east end and north side of the fore shore of the island, 
*“White’s Lincolnshire, 1882, pp. 293-294. 
. ics t“On the Physical Features of the Humber, Report, Brit, Assn. 
* 
