314 



Farming of Lincolnshire. 



there ought to exist more summary powers for compelhng adja- 

 cent occupiers to cleanse their drains than costly and dubious 

 actions at law.* Between Humberston and Louth, west of the 

 liOuth navigation, is a considerable breadth of ill-drained land; 

 the water-courses pass beneath the canal, and at the enclosure of 

 North Thoresby, in 1837-40, the drain-water was conducted 

 under the navigation by an elliptical iron culvert 250 feet in 

 length. On the east side of the canal are extensive tracts of 

 lower ground called fens." They formed unenclosed watery 

 wastes or commons, but some of them (as Grainthorpe Fen) have 

 been completely drained. Others termed *' ings," belonging to 

 various towns, yet remain (at particular seasons) in a wet condi- 

 tion. The low land between Carlton, Sic, and the sea, appears 

 to have been anciently partitioned by parallel banks extending 

 across it, so as to defend the parishes from neighbouring floods ; 

 and both Great Carlton and Gayton-le-Marsh had each a wind- 

 engine for pumping out their water. Eastward of Alford, though 

 there are many small undulations of the surface, are some very 

 low grounds, there having been in the parishes of Bilsby, Ilut- 

 toft, Thurlby, Cumberworth, &c., no less than 10 windmills for 

 raising the drain- water. The parishes of Burgh and Winthorpe 

 have an outfall by gouts in the bank, but the bed of the sewer 

 lying in a shifting sandy beach was frequently silted up, and the 

 chief part of these parishes, with Skegness and Croft, now dis- 

 charge into Wainfleet Haven by means of a new cut of three 

 miles in length, executed fifteen or sixteen years ago. 



The next drainage to be described is that of the Ancholme 

 Level. The river Ancholme rises atSpridlington, on the oolite hills, 

 and, flowing northward, receives at Glentham the river Rasen 

 from the chalk hills at Teal by. It then continues along the flat 

 for about 19 miles, and, augmented by numerous drains and 

 becks from both east and west, issues by Ferraby sluice into the 

 Humber. This long and narrow district contains probably about 

 28,000 acres that are below the level of high water spring-tides ; 

 the surface sinking gradually from about that level of elevation 

 at Bishop-Bridge, to 4 J feet below it near Kelsey, about 9 feet at 

 Brigg, and rising again to only 3 feet at Ferraby, under high- water 

 mark.t It was very anciently embanked from the overflowings 

 of the Humber ; but the river had a very tortuous course, and was 

 enfeebled and choked up by the alluvial deposits of the tides. J 



* It has been suggested that if the same powers were given against ])rivate indivi- 

 duals as are now given against Railway Companies for obstructing drainage, a great 

 boon would be conferred upon the lowland farmer. 



f The Section accompanying this Report is incorrect 



X In the reign of Edward II. the channel from Brigg to Ferraby, which had wont 

 to be 40 feet broad, was much silted up, and in many places not 3 feet in width, the 

 adjacent meadows and pastures being frequently overflowed and drowned. 



