322 



Farming of LincolnsJdre. 



last century, under the powers of an Act passed in 1795, the 

 drainage and enclosure of a greater part of the Isle of Axholme 

 and other districts adjoining was effected on a much more ade- 

 quate and permanent system than that which guided Vermuj^den's 

 improvements. Several large drains were executed, which are 

 now used both for draining and warping the land, a clause in the 

 Act permitting adjacent proprietors to employ them for the 

 latter purpose. The canal running westward from the Trent at 

 Keadby was also constructed about the same time, having a 

 soakage drain on each side of it for draining the country, and for 

 delivering warp on each side for several miles inland ; and, in 

 case these side-drains should at any time be warped up by the 

 sediment, sluices were provided to let water out of the canal to 

 scour them out clean. 



The general surface of the low land in the Isle of Axholme 

 sinks as it recedes from the river Trent, and is several feet lower 

 than the level of high-water. The highlands, which constitute 



times as many as those who agreed to it. The whole scheme was merely a device for re- 

 plenishing the monarch's purse ; and though it might create a demand for labour, and 

 place the poorer commoners in more comfortable circumstances, still it was like adminis- 

 tering a distasteful medicine against their will, and while inducing more comforts it de- 

 stroyed tlieir independence, reducing them from the freedom of self-maintenance to a state 

 of dependent servitude. Accordingly, when the Parliament itself had set the example 

 of denying the omnipotence of the Sovereign, the inhabitants insisted on again having 

 their rights of common, refusing to be any longer bound by the King's decree. In 

 keeping with the manners of the times this demand was enforced by arms, — they arose 

 in tumults, broke down the fences and enclosure of 4000 acres, destroyed all the corn 

 growing, and demolished the houses. The flood-gates of Snow sewer were drawn up, 

 which, by letting in the tides from the Trent, soon drowned a great part of Hatfield 

 chase. This was done for seven weeks togetlier, men letting in the tide at every full 

 water, and keeping the sluice shut at every ebb — " divers persons guarding the sluice 

 with muskets, and saying that there they would stay till the whole level were drowned 

 and the inhabitants forced to swim away like ducks.*' Another sluice near Misterton 

 having been pulled down, tlie river Trent broke down the banks and overflowed the 

 whole level, so that the barns and stacks of corn were flooded to at least a yard in 

 height. This work of destruction is on too extensive a scale to be considered as mere 

 mischief, and evidences a widely-spread discontent among those who had held rights of 

 commonage. In 1645 the inhabitants of the Isle of Axholme threw down a great part 

 of the banks, and filled up the ditches, putting cattle into the corn and pastures of 

 those that had been adventurers for the draining. A petition of the participants against 

 these outrages states that after the expenditure of at least 200,000/. in those works, 

 the tenants of the manor of Epworth had laid waste at least 74,000 acres of land, and 

 destroyed a great quantity of rape and corn growing, by forcibly keeping and depas- 

 turing their cattle thereon ; also demolished very many houses, burnt others, cut and 

 burned the ploughs, beat and wounded those that were ploughing or offered them any 

 resistance, and resisted the participants in levying taxes for the repair of the works. 

 The aim of the rioters was to obtain possession of their ancient commons, and the whole 

 of theij proceedings demonstrates that, however advantageous the drainers may have 

 represented the work to be, the persons who possessed the first claim to profit would 

 much rather have retained their olden privileges and habits of living. Disturbances 

 were continually kept up until 1714; and what the forces of the army had been 

 unable to quell, seem to have been quieted at last by an Act of Parliament against 

 rioting. 



