Fanning of Lincolnshire. 



295 



Eau* and the North Level Main Drain to the Nene at Gunthorpe 

 sluice. These new works, opened in 1834, in connexion with 

 the Nene outfall improvement, gave this district a good natural 

 drainage ; but further improvements are contemplated. The 

 present wooden bridge over the Nene (at Sutton Bridge, below 

 the South Holland sluice) has a dam o^ stones at its foundation, 

 which so impedes the current as to create a fall of from 2 to 3 

 feet, A new bridge is now in course of construction that will 

 obviate this impediment^, and so give to South Holland, Portsand, 

 and also to far more important districts in the neighbouring 

 counties, the benefit of this additional fall.f 



The first drainage of Deejping Fen — about 25,000 acres of the 

 lowest Lincolnshire fens, lying between Spalding and Market 

 Deeping, bounded by the rivers Welland and Glen — was in the 

 reign of Charles W. This was done by raising the water by 

 windmills into the main drains; the river Welland having been 

 more anciently embanked, and several drains and sluices con- 

 structed at the attempted drainage in the time of Charles I. The 

 land was thus freed from inundation during a part of the year, 

 and continued until 1801 a region of open common, producing 



exceeding store of grass and hay." In 1801 the Inclosure Act 

 was procured, and the North and South Drove drains were cut, 

 to take the water from more than 40 mills. The Fen was gene- 

 rally under water in the winter months ; but in a tolerably dry 

 spring, with the assistance of the wind-engines (which were on 

 almost every farm), the farmers managed to sow oats by the end 

 of April, the greater part not being sown before the middle or 

 latter end of May. In 1824-5 the present steam-engines (of 80 

 and 60-horse power) were erected at Pode Hole, near Spalding, 

 and the drains were deepened, the expense amounting to 55. per 

 acre for 4 years and from 2^. to 45. per acre for years afterwards. 

 The drains were insufficient, however, for carrying the drain- 

 water to the engines, and still the windmills were kept up. In 

 1831, &c., the old drains were deepened 3 feet, and a new one 

 excavated on the west side of the district ; and not one windmill 

 has been used since this improvement. The outfall for the 

 engines is the Vernatts Drain, which unites with the Welland a 

 few miles below Spalding. It is probable that the outfall im- 

 provements of this river, when the channel has been straightened 

 quite to deep water in the Wash, will give a natural drainage to 

 Deeping Fen. The internal drains are of the best description, 

 and kept remarkably clear from weeds and cot." About 4000 

 acres lying farthest from the engines are not well drained, the 



* Pronounced " Ee," " O," and " Or,'' in different localities. 



t 1851. ^ This is now finished; and the fall at low water is, we believe, reduced to 

 less than 6 inches. 



