io8 Lincolnshire Notes & Queries. 



made a deep cutting from Boultham along the east side of what 

 is now the High-street called the Sincil Dyke, and two deep 

 cross drains from the Witham to the Sincil Dyke. These 

 works still exist, though of necessity somewhat curtailed in 

 size. By this means they were able to make the present High- 

 street from Canwick common as far as the Wickenford, i.e. the 

 ford at the Vicus or village, and the Brayford. The position 

 of the church of St. Mary-le-Wigford or Wickenford, and the 

 fact that New-land was taken out of the Brayford, is abundant 

 evidence that the river at those points was a large stream, and 

 not the puny river that it now is. The fact that there were 

 two fords, one of which divided the Ermine-street, is evidence 

 that the river was too wide for a bridge, and was crossed either 

 by the ford or by boats. 



The Fossa or Fossdyke was evidently afterwards continued 

 at least as far as Boston. All this is not mere conjecture, but 

 is fortified by history. 



For more than 1000 years after the Romans had gone, the 

 Witham ended at the Brayford in Lincoln. 



The historian, Leland, who wrote about A.D. 1550, thus 

 deals with the subject: "The river of Lindis fleateth a little 

 above Lincoln towne and maketh certain pools whereof one is 

 called " Swanne Pool." And again : "There be four ferys 

 upon the water of Lindis betwixt Lincoln and Boston. To Shut 

 Fery 5 m. Tatershaul Fery 8 m. To Dogdich Fery I m. 

 To Langreth Fery 5 m." 



I have lately come across a pleasing ballad by Jean Ingelow 

 called "The High Tide on the coast of Lincolnshire, 1571." 

 In that ballad the river at Boston is called the Lindis, and not 

 the Witham. Thus the authoress speaks of " Reedy Lindis," 

 "the Lindis Flow," "the Lindis raging sped," "Sunny Lindis 

 floweth." The ballad is evidently taken from an older ballad, 

 or from tradition, in either of which events it is important as 

 corroborating Leland. 



In Dugdale's History of the Embanking of the Fens there is 

 the following account of this locality : 



" In the 4Qth year of Edward the 3rd (the term being then 

 kept at Lincoln) the Jurors of divers Wapentakes in that 

 county did exhibit a Presentment in the Court of King's Bench 

 importing that the channel called the Fosdyke extending itself 

 from the river of Trent at Torksey to the city of Lincoln 

 having been anciently open and full of water so that ships and 

 boats loaded with victual and other vendible commodities did 



