The draining of the Bourne South Fen

This fen lies on the west side of the River Glen and is bounded on the north by Bourne Eau, on the south by Bourne and Thurlby Pastures and on the west by the Car Dyke. It contains 850 acres and was first reclaimed by Thomas Lovell for the Adventurers of Deeping Fen and drained by a culvert under the Glen, which is maintained by the successors of the then owner, John Heathcote. This land was exempted from taxation to Deeping Fen by the Act of 1738. 

By an Act passed in the reign of George III, a clause was inserted to the effect that if the Deeping Fen Trust lowered the bed of the Glen, they should first lower the culvert which carried the water from Bourne South Fen and Thurlby Fen Pastures, and the right to drain thereby was confirmed.

By another Act passed in the same reign, for allotting and draining the fen lands and commons in Bourne, which included this fen, power was given to Sir Gilbert Heathcote [a principal landowner] to take soil for the repair of the South Fen Bank, to the extent of 60ft. from the bank beyond the six score feet originally appropriated for that purpose.

By this Act this District was reputed then to contain 870 acres, and was allotted by the commissioners for the purpose of a cow pasture, to be used by the owners of houses and toftsteads in Dyke and Cawthorpe.

Experience having shown that this cow pasture did not answer the purpose intended, being incapable in its then state of supporting the cattle de-pastured on it and being frequently overflowed with water, an Act was obtained for enclosing it. John Parker of Edenham, Thomas Hogard of Spalding, and Edward Hare of Castor, were appointed Commissioners for dividing, allotting and draining the fen.

Four acres of the fen were allotted for getting materials for the repair of the roads in Bourne and the remainder was divided among the owners of commonable houses and toftsteads in the parishes of Bourne, Dyke and Cawthorpe. The commissioners were directed to set out such roads as they considered necessary, and also a road to the old enclosures of Sir Gilbert Heathcote called the South Fen Pastures and to make drains and erect engines for taking the water off the land.

The herbage on the four acres set apart for the roads, and also on that for the repair of the South Fen bank, was vested in the Surveyor of Interior Drainage, the rents to be applied in maintaining the works, power being reserved to the Vestry at the annual meeting held at Bourne on the Monday after the 5th of April, " to give leases to such industrious inhabitants, not renting or occupying lands or tenements to the amount of £8 per annum, to keep and de-pasture upon any of the roads and ways within the parish such number of oxen, cows and calves as the majority of the said inhabitants shall think most proper, but no other species of cattle whatever. If the owners or occupiers neglect to scour out their drains after 14 days' notice, given by the Surveyor of Interior Drainage, the work is to be done by the surveyor and the expenses recovered from the defaulter."

The commissioners were directed, as far as possible, to make an equal distribution of the water issuing from the spring in the South Fen amongst the several allotments.

In the award, directions were given as to the embanking and draining and orders made as to the raising of money to pay the surveyor and defray the annual expenses. The award was to be enrolled with the Clerk of the Peace of Kesteven, copies being supplied at the rate of twopence per 100 words.

The works, after the award was made, were to vest in the Black Sluice Commissioners, appointed under the Acts, 5th and 10th George III, and the duty of maintaining the drainage was then to devolve on that trust.

The commissioners were empowered to levy a tax, not exceeding a shilling an acre, for the maintenance of the works, recoverable by distress on the goods and chattels found on the lands charged with the taxes in arrear.

The right of Sir Gilbert Heathcote to drain the South Fen Pastures and Thurlby Fen Pastures in the same manner as they were then drained, and of the Earl of Exeter to take water from the Glen for his two decoys in the precincts of Bourne and in Bourne Fen Pastures were reserved.

Up to about 1871, this land was imperfectly drained, partly by gravitation by the drains made by the commissioners under the powers of the Act of 1772, and partly by scoop wheels worked by horses situated in different parts of the fen.

In 1871, an order was obtained under the Land Drainage Act of 1861 constituting this a separate Drainage District which was confirmed by Parliament. Under this order a board was formed with power to lay rates and carry out works for the drainage of the district.

A centrifugal pump driven by an 8 hp portable engine was erected at the lower end of the fen and the water lifted over a dam into the main drain which carried it away through the culvert under the Glen into the Counter Drain, and so by the Vernatt's to the Welland.

The Counter Drain at Tongue End where it runs the entire length of the road
through the village and is known as Counter Fen Drove.

An Injunction in Chancery was applied for by the Deeping Fen Trustees to prevent the use of this pump on the ground that the lifting of the water by steam power was an excess of the right which this land had to send its water to the Deeping Fen Drainage System. The action was not proceeded with and the board was allowed to continue the use of the engine.

From the annual taxation return for 1892-93, the amount raised from taxes in this district was £177, maintenance of works cost £103, salaries and management £14, interest £46, repayment of loan £30, totalling £193. The amount of loan then outstanding was £930.

Thurlby Fen: Contains about 1500 acres. The first drainage of this fen was effected by one of the adventurers who reclaimed fen. A main drain was cut which carried the water of this and Bourne South Fen by a sunken culvert under the Glen into the Counter Drain and so by the Vernatt's to the Welland.

By the Deeping Fen Act of 1738, these lands, then computed to contain 336 acres, being part of the "Free Lands" which had been awarded to the Adventurers for their recompense, and were exempted from any payment of the taxes then imposed on the ground that they had been embanked and preserved at the sole charge of the owner, Sir John Heathcote.

By the Act of 1801, these lands were not included in the area of land subject to the Deeping Fen taxes, and the right to drain by the culvert under the Glen was confirmed.

By an Act passed in 1802, the Common Fen, stated to contain 1,000 acres, was, with other common lands, enclosed. John Burcham, John Trumper and Edward Hare were the commissioners appointed to divide and allot the land.

See also The draining of the North Fen

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