The Bourne Eau in 1892

The unsatisfactory state of the Bourne Eau is not a new phenomenon and in the late 19th century, there was great concern that the river had become not only impossible to navigate, but also a serious health risk. As with today, no one would admit responsibility for its upkeep and it was left to one of the local newspapers, the Stamford Mercury, to campaign for something to be done but it took many months to achieve.

The Bourne Eau begins at the Wellhead and then runs through the town to Mays Sluice in Cherryholt Road and out into the fen as far as Tongue End where it joins the River Glen, a total length of 3½ miles. In past times, the waterway was navigable and large boats came up to the quayside behind Eastgate loaded with coal and other commodities and returned with cargoes of grain and hides. But when the boating traffic ceased, the waterway fell into disuse and became neglected and a dumping place for rubbish, despite frequent demands for it to be better maintained.

On Friday 26th February 1892, the newspaper reported: "The river near the Mason's Arms in South Street is in a very disgraceful condition. The sanitary authorities should at once take steps to have it cleared out." 

This was sufficient for action to be taken and a month later, on Friday 25th March, the newspaper said: "The nuisance of which we complained recently, arising from the neglected condition of the South Street section of the Bourne Eau, is to be speedily remedied. The sanitary authorities have decided to deepen the river bed eighteen inches, to thoroughly cleanse the channel and to insert a grating in the upper part of the stream to prevent the passage of obstructive matter. At the same time, prosecutions will be instituted in the event of wilful pollution or obstruction of the river."

By May 27th, the work was underway and the newspaper felt justified in making its original complaint: "The depth of the ancient fever-breeding mud now being dug out of the bed of the town section of the Bourne Eau will convince the most sceptical that our reiterated advice as to the necessity of cleaning out the river bed was not an alarmist cry but had its foundation in solid fact."

But there was still concern that the river further downstream was also in need of urgent attention because the report went on: "It cannot, however, be too emphatically insisted upon, that the hygienic work must be continued beyond the Granary Bridge [now Mays Sluice]. Here the town section ends and is administered by less responsible authority. If both the river bed and the Weir Dyke beyond this point are not properly cleaned out, the neglect will amount to a public danger and a scandal. We believe, however, that it will be done and at an early opportunity."

The poor state of the river at this point had already been highlighted by the newspaper on February 12th when it reported: "Attention has been called to the condition of the Bourne Eau between the Eastgate Quay and Tongue End. It is stated that Kesteven County Council are the responsible authority for this waterway. Whether it be the county council or the Black Sluice Commissioners, its present condition is a disgrace and whoever takes up the question seriously will be rendering a public service. What was once an important navigable stream is fast becoming a meandering dribble of muddy pollution."

The Black Sluice Commissioners were due to meet on February 19th and the newspaper advised: "It will be an excellent opportunity for them to take up the Bourne Eau question and, if the responsibility for the state of its channel depends upon them, to take steps to remove what has become a menace to health, a probable source of destruction to property and an abominable eyesore. If, however, the onus of the work does no devolve upon them, it would be well that they should bring the matter before the authorities who are responsible. For one thing is absolutely certain. Something must be done and that too, without delay."

The commissioners however, decided that they were not to blame and the Stamford Mercury looked elsewhere for the culprit, returning to the attack on Friday 15th April: "It is to be hoped that Kesteven County Council will at an early date take cognisance of the deplorable condition of the Bourne Eau from the Eastgate granary to the outfall at Tongue End. The channel has not been cleaned out since 1860 and then only in a perfunctory manner. Its condition may therefore be easily imagined. If the duty of carrying out this long needed work of maintenance does not belong to the council, it is probable that it rests with them to set the law in motion in the interests of public health against the persons responsible for the nuisance."

The state of the river was now a major talking point in the town and the Black Sluice Commissioners set up a nine-member committee which made an on the spot investigation on Saturday 16th April and examined the entire length of the river from Eastgate to Tongue End and although their findings were not made public, the newspaper had obviously been given some inside information because their correspondent subsequently reported: "It is devoutly to be wished that the outcome of the visit marks the first step in the direction of the long needed sanitary work of cleaning out the Bourne Eau. The initiative in all probability does not lie with the commissioners but the work is imperative and although they have a primary duty to preserve the right bank, it is clearly a case of united action with the owners of the left bank, namely the Marquess of Exeter, Lord Willoughby de Eresby and Mr William A Pochin [Lord of the Manor of Bourne Abbots]. I do not for one moment believe that, were they approached on the question, they would refuse to immediately give their sanction to the commencement of the work."

Several weeks went by without a sign that the work would be undertaken and on Friday 10th June, the newspaper printed a reminder to those responsible: "No intimation has yet been given as to the action to be taken with respect to cleaning out the lower section of the Bourne Eau and Weir Dyke. The work must be done and it is to be hoped that it will not be delayed, particularly in view of the hot summer which we are likely to have, or a grave responsibility will be incurred in certain quarters."

By the following month, the work was in hand and for the first time in many years, the Bourne Eau soon became an attractive waterway, so pleasant in fact, that when the town celebrated Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in the summer of 1897, decorated gondolas took guests on trips along the river. Today, it has returned to the state it was in the late 19th century and once again, no one appears to be accountable. Anglian Water is now the overall authority for rivers and drainage but riparian owners also have a responsibility in these matters and so who should agree to undertake the work? We would also require a press campaign to draw their attention to the need for such a project but our local newspapers no longer seem to have the heart or the expertise for such an undertaking.

WRITTEN JULY 2003

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