The corn trade

The corn trade

Arable farming has been one of the mainstays of the local economy in Bourne and cereal production has played an important part. Wherry's grain warehouse in South Street was built in the late 18th century to handle the wheat, barley and oats grown by local farmers who delivered their yield by horse and cart which waited outside while the sacks were hauled up by gantry.

Older inhabitants of Bourne have fond memories of some of the horses used in this exercise, particularly a white Shire called Flower. This horse was owned by the proprietors and was regarded with some public affection and continued in employment until 1967.

The building stood empty for more than 10 years and there was serious concern about its future because other similar properties have either been allowed to fall down or have been demolished in the name of progress. There were fears that this warehouse might suffer the same fate although it was eventually acquired by local businessman John Wand who intended to use it for storage and renovation began in 2000 with the addition of a new roof but work on the project was halted for several years and the building began to deteriorate until 2006 when it was put on the market with a price tag of £500,000 and quickly sold for redevelopment as residential accommodation for old people together with the adjoining piece of open land.

The scheme was submitted for planning permission in the autumn of 2006 by Mill Developments Limited and approved by Bourne Town Council. It is proposed to convert the warehouse building into six retirement flats with an extension to the adjoining land where another 18 flats will be built, all construction work to be in keeping with the current period appearance of the main property and work is expected to start during the summer of 2007. Dr Robert Fuller of Bourne Civic Society, welcomed the scheme. "It is quite a high density development but one that demonstrates sensible use", he said. "The listed building will be preserved and the extension suitably matched."

The corn trade during the 18th and 19th centuries resulted in the construction of many similar wholesale warehouses around the town and although most have disappeared, some survive and have been converted for modern commercial purposes or have been demolished and the sites redeveloped. A four-storey grain warehouse overlooking the car park in Burghley Street was used for flax processing in the early 20th century and until recently for storage and distribution by Nursery Supplies (Bourne) Ltd although this firm has now closed down. The building stands empty but is being occasionally maintained and was re-painted during 2002 and its future is now uncertain. In Cherryholt Road, a similar building on the banks of the Bourne Eau is used for car auction sales and other enterprises.


Two of Bourne's old grain warehouses, in Burghley Street (left), now earmarked for redevelopment, and Cherryholt Road (right), currently used for commercial purposes.

CORN CAUSES CIVIL UNREST

There was a corn riot in Bourne in 1740 when a gang of angry townspeople tried to prevent a consignment of grain from being sent by barge to Spalding along the Bourne Eau. This was a year of rising prices and a scarcity of food and they resented corn grown locally being sent to feed people in other parts of the country when they themselves were hungry.
John Halford of Bourne wrote to local landowner Sir John Heathcote at his residence in Epping Forest: "We have had a Disturbance by the Mobb at Bourne. They cutt some sacks of wheat in the boat and obstructed its passage to Spalding for a time but was quel'd seasonably by Officers of the Town and 5 women committed to the House of Correction; I am glad to hear all reports concerning your Honr's having a hand in exportation of corn and being besett in your coach are falss. I always believed they wear only the mallicious invention of hatefull and disaffected persons against Authority and Superiority."

NOTE: The spelling in the letter is as written.

REVISED JANUARY 2010