224 HULL SCIENTIFIC AND FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB. 



the bank of " 1800." Oldham, in one map, figures a channel 

 round in 1850, and Mr. Butterfield's map suggests the same; 

 this arises from the two small drains figured on the Ordnance 

 Map on the north of the Island, but these do not run parallel 

 for any considerable distance, and are only ordinary ditches, 

 except where the present Winestead drain bounds the Island 

 on the north-east. 



After the junction of the Island to the mainland in " 1800," 

 banks were built across the creek which was left on the 

 north-east, at the end of Evendyke Plantation (in 1799 or 

 1807, Poulson*), and at the old Winestead Clough (1819-20, 

 Poulson), enclosing two small areas which are marked on the 

 Ordnance Map of 1824. With regard to the former, Poulson 

 says, "Mr. Watt shut out the tide ; " this would have been 

 impossible unless there had been a previous cross bank 

 further west. 



The triangular mud flat which then remained to the 

 east of the Island rapidly warped up, and further enclosures 

 were made in 1826 and 700 acres in 1850. The 

 bank of 1850 was completed in eight months, and was 

 built of the clay from the foreshore ; the construction of the 

 last (1897) occupied several years, a chalk foundation being 

 first laid down, and as the material then obtained from the 

 foreshore contained a large proportion of sand, some diffi- 

 culty is experienced in maintaining it. Oldham in 1854 

 wrote: "A few years will prepare a large increase . . . 

 which . . . will add about 3000 acres." The area enclosed 

 in 1897 was 336 acres:! the chalk foundation was planned to 

 enclose 522 acres, but in spite of the time occupied on the 

 work the rate of increase failed to realise expectations, and 

 the area had to be reduced. Though work has been con- 

 tinued on the part left between the present bank and the 

 chalk bank as originally planned, little progress has been 

 made. 



Patrington East Growths seem to have been enclosed in 

 three sections, and the limits of these can still be traced. The 

 old beach is marked by the present footpath to Patrington 

 Clough. These enclosures appear to have followed the Sunk 

 Island enclosures of 1826, 1850, and 1897 respectively. 



The actual salt-marsh on the Yorkshire side of the Humber 

 between Hull and Spurn is not very extensive. A strip 

 .about ten yards wide runs for about a mile along the Sunk 



* Poulson gives two dates on pp. 463 and 465, vol. 2. 

 1" Three fields, 100 acres, 117J acres, 118J acres. 



