13G 
Drainage of Wliittlesea Merc. 
Beyond this margin of silt, which varied in breadth from 50 to 
500 yards, and was valuable from the excellent reeds it grew, there 
extended, especially towards the south and west, where the level 
of the surrounding land was lowest, a large tract of peat-moss, 
which, though generally free from water during summer, was 
constantly flooded in winter. On the north and east sides the 
level of the surrounding land was higher — sufficiently high in- 
deed to be cultivated by the aid of windmills, and, approaching 
more nearly to the borders of the Mere, left less room for either 
the inner circle of silty reed-shoal, or for the outer circle of peat- 
moss. 
In addition to the area contained in the Mere, the reed -shoals, 
and the peat -bog, there was much adjoining low land, more or 
less under cultivation, which would naturally be included in any 
scheme for the draining of the water and waste land on which 
they bordered. 
At different times various schemes had been suggested for 
draining this district, but none had ever reached a state of 
maturity. One by Sir John Rennie attracted considerable 
attention at the time. The chief feature of this was the draining 
by the river Nene, which bounds the Middle Level on the 
north, as the Ouse, by which the present drainage is effected, 
bounds it on the south. At first sight the Nene appeared the 
natural outlet for the waters of the Mere, but there were reasons 
against its selection, among which it may be sufficient to notice 
that, besides moral difficulties, which then, as now perhaps, seem 
to be connected with the outfall at Wisbeach, the point of dis- 
charge was too far from the sea, and would be liable to the over- 
riding of the freshes or upland floods.* 
In 1839 notice was given of an intention to apply to Par- 
liament for a Bill to enable the owners of lands in and around 
Wliittlesea Mere to drain that district. The design remained 
for some time in abeyance, in consequence of the Nene scheme 
having in the meanwhile been brought forward. When the 
latter scheme was abandoned, a fresh application to Parliament 
was notified, but withdrawn in deference to the wishes of many 
landowners in the Middle Level, who proposed that an applica- 
tion to Parliament should be made in behalf of the Level gene- 
rally, for the enlargement of the powers of the existing Middle 
Level Act, so as to combine with the draining of the Mere and 
* This paper •n-ould be incomplete if the opportunity were not taken of 
recording the name of one individual with whom the scheme for the drainage of 
the Mere originated, and upon whom subsequently devolved the carrying out all 
the works of improvement. The name of Mr. John Laurance of Elton will long 
be remembered in connexion not only with the draining of Whittlesea Mere, but 
also with many other public and private works in the Fens, in which he has taken 
an active part. 
