The Draining of the Fens 185 



River became the main channel of the Ouse. The Seven Holes Sluice at 

 Earith' kept the waters of the Ouse from flowing into the Old Bedford 

 River (see Fig. 49). The fmal warrant of adjudication came in March 1652. 

 Successive changes in the administration of the realm wimessed the com- 

 pletion of the machinery for preserving the works of the drainers, until, 

 finally, there was passed the General Drainage Act of 1663. 



Fig- 49- 

 Seven Holes Sluice and Hermitage Sluice. 



The highest point to which high spring tides flow is at Brownshill Staunch, some 

 2J miles above Earith Bridge. 



At first, great success followed upon the works of the drainers. Culti- 

 vation was introduced on land diat, as far as record went, had never before 

 known a plough. As Thomas Fidler wrote in 1655, "the best argument 

 to prove that a thing may be done is actually to do it". But time was not 

 to fulfil these hopes. Despite many praises, it soon became evident that all 



' Thus it protects the Washlands. But if the water coming down the upland Ouse 

 is considerable it is opened — in summer rarely, in winter more often. 



