Great news #ForPeatsSake
#CarbonSink #Bogs #Boglands #Fenlands #Wetlands
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Finally for now, some comments on Vermuyden. There were really no experts in this kind of drainage at the start of the 17th century. That being said, Vermuyden was the engineer with the most experience of anyone available. But he was clearly a massive pain… (1 of 4)
#fenlands #history #engineering
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While talking about draining the #fenlands, it is perhaps worth explicitly pointing out that this is a classic example of humanity thinking we understand enough about nature to manipulate it, only to discover that we really don't have a clue how complex the system is! You would… (1 of 2) #history
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I think the reformation had an impact on the big fen drainage projects of the 17th century. Several "Islands" in the fens, like Thorney contained big monastical communities. These monasteries owned a lot of fenland, but also knew how to utilize it, because the community… (1 of 3) #fenlands #history
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Who wanted to drain the #fenlands and why? It wasn't the people living here. It was the people in power and the people who owned the land. And, of course, they did it for money. The interesting thing is that power was changing greatly while all this was happening. (1 of 3)
#fenlands #history
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…aspects of the #fenlands. This book is about people. It digs deep into what it was that drove people to attempt drainage of the fens, and the impact on other people that this had. Of course, like all history, this is interesting in its own right, and, because… (2 of 3)
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"The Draining of the Fens: Projectors, Popular Politics, and State Building in Early Modern England" by Eric H. Ash
I finished reading "The Draining of the Fens: Projectors, Popular Politics, and State Building in Early Modern England" by Eric H. Ash. I'm going to make several posts on it, even though #fenlands #history is a bit obscure. 🤣
So far, I have read mostly about the technical/engineering… (1 of 3)
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"The state was legitimate insofar as it protected those rights and liberties, and it became tyrannous when it ignored them." - Eric H. Ash #fenlands
In other words a state is tyrannous when it rejects human rights and freedoms, regardless of political ideology.
Full quote: "The state was… (1 of 4)
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Despite what I said about Stormlight, my _only_ goal today is to finish this library book so my wife can return it! It's really good and I only have 98 pages left. #booksky #fenlands #libraries
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"Severals" is an interesting 17th century name for common land that has been enclosed into private areas. In the #fenlands, Methwold common in 1632 (north is right on map) is open for anyone with common rights to use, with flooding every winter. After drainage, much of it is in private ownership.
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A summer storm in the Fenlands of eastern England. Taken in 2012.
A thunderstorm approaches, deep in the Fens in eastern England. Summer 2012.
#stormhour #fenlands
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"Nor could fenlanders accurately be portrayed as unusually independent or un-willing to cooperate with their neighbors; if this had been the case, they could never have maintained their traditional economy and way of life. The basic socio-economic structure of fenland society was rooted not in the manor but in the larger framework of the village. In contrast with other parts of England, the boundaries of fenland manors did not generally coincide with parish or village boundaries, and many villages included some or all of several manors. Manorial control over local agriculture, and especially the all-important regulation of access to the common wastes, was therefore weak. Control was administered instead at the village level, requiring multiple manors to coordinate their activities together.” Fenland villages also had to learn to cooperate with one another, many stretches of common waste were so vast that they were bounded by several communities, each of which enjoyed some use rights within them. Villages sharing a common waste developed elaborate customs for “intercommoning” to determine who was entitled to put how many head of livestock on which parts of the fen at which times. Rather than being isolated, independent, uncooperative, and hostile to authority, fenland inhabitants were adept at negotiating, compromising, legislating, and disputing peacefully with their neighbors, because their common livelihoods depended on it."
I love this passage from Eric Ash's book The Draining of the Fens. This self organization of local community cooperation seems to come up over and over again when central administration is weak, and has benefits lost by central admin. #Fenlands #History
"Nor could fenlanders accurately... (1 of 7)
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Just got a new book out of the library here: _The Draining of the Fens_ by Eric H. Ash. Really looking forward to this one!
#booksky #fenlands #libraries
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I live in the Walpoles, and it seems that the historic churches were built here not because they are on a roddon island, but rather because of this bank of marine silt between the sea and the peat fens. This was something I didn't realize until just recently! (3 of 3) #fenlands
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Fenlands
Map showing peats, clay with roddons, and marine silts.
If you look at most maps of the fenlands (e.g. first image), then almost all the area in the previous map is considered "fenlands". However, it's not always clear that there is a large swath of marine silt between the peat fens and the sea--the green area in the second image. (2 of 3) #fenlands
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Overlay of usual winter flooding from the 1646 map (north to right) on a current map with approximate locations of historic churches.
Overlay of usual winter flooding from the 1646 map (north to right) on a current map with approximate locations of historic churches. Almost all the churches (ex Upwell/Outwell) are outside of the area that would usually flood in the 17th century, or else are on "islands". #fenlands #fens (1 of 3)
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Outwell and Upwell from the 1646 map of drowned fenlands.
OS map of Outwell and Upwell
It's interesting that the Upwell and Outwell churches are both in the area that was usually flooded in the winter. Looking at the modern OS map, the churches are both on local rises, but only at 5 meters above sea level, they seemed pretty exposed. #fenlands #fens
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Beaupré Hall in its ancient state
Other places on the 1646 map don't exist anymore. However, there are often nods. For example, where Beaupré Hall was is now a housing estate, but the road is called Beaupre Ave after the house. #fenlands #fens #history
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaupr%...
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OS map of Coldham and Coldham Hall.
Real estate listing for Coldham Estate
It's interesting to look at the places as they are now. For example, "Coldham House" on the 1646 map can be seen today as "Coldham Hall", with the bank marking the edge of the previously flooded area now a track and a public right of way. The estate was even for sale! (3 of 3) #fenlands #fens
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Zoom of drowned fens
There is a strong correlation between this routine flooding and places where medieval churches and other buildings are found--that is, on "islands" and silt banks that did not routinely flood. This can be seen zooming in to the Guyhirn area. (2 of 3) #fenlands #fens
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Drowned Fens from 1646
I've been learning about how the flow of water along the Great Ouse and the Nene has changed from pre-history to now. This involves looking at a lot of old maps, like this one from 1646 (before major drainage projects) showing the areas (shaded) usually flooded in winter. (1 of 3) #fenlands #fens
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Sculpture in a window at Ely Cathedral.
We were lucky enough to take in Sean Henry's sculptures in the ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ exhibition at Ely Cathedral. For me, the combination of the cathedral and the sculptures formed a kind of spiritual gestalt effect. Very powerful.
#ElyCathedral #Fenlands
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A medieval church with a round tower.
St Andrew's Church, West Dereham. This is a great example of Norfolk's round-tower churches. The main tower is 12th century, with the octagonal belfry added in the 16th century. Right on the edge of the fenlands. #Norfolk #Fenlands
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A medieval keep inside earthworks.
Castle Rising Castle. This is very near where we live, but just outside the fenlands. Constructed 12th to 16th centuries. And there is a very good pub over the road in the village.
#Norfolk #Fenlands
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The remains of a Bronze Age axe found at Must Farm.
#Archaeologists discovered the settlement, known as Must Farm, during the 2015-2016 field season in the #Fenlands. The settlement, which dates to around 850 B.C.
#Archaeology
(📷 Cambridge Archaeological Unit) 🏺 AncientBlueSky
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Exciting news about an upcoming publication about the wildlife and habitats of the incredible #Fenlands. This book is sure to be an inspiring read and lavished with mouth-watering photographs #fens @CambsBirdClub @WWTWelney @wildlifebcn @Fauna_Flora1948...
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Gonna be a hot one! #fenlands #nofilter #walking @ Little Thetford www.instagram.com/p/B1inpeagSQe/
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