South Holland Drainage District South Holland IDB

wiseman s sluice , pumping station on south holland main drain

the south holland drainage district established act of parliament obtained in 1793. @ time, main drain old shire drain, had been cut clowes cross tydd in 1629 adventurers of bedford level, group of venture capitalists. drain known south eau or old south holland drain, , outfall river nene @ tydd gote through sluice. prior obtaining act, landowners in south holland had engaged george maxwell , john hudson draw plans drainage scheme. maxwell land agent , engineer, while hudson surveyor. made initial inspection in november 1791, after employed others conduct full survey. returned in august 1792, , maxwell measured fall on proposed route 8 feet (2.4 m) in 14 miles (23 km). estimated cost of project £18,000, of cutting of drain accounted £8,450 , construction of sluice @ peters point on nene, £3,100. plans received, , formed basis act of parliament.

commissioners appointed act, responsibility ensuring drainage of district. 3 of them, including maxwell , surveyor edward hare, set raising £38,400, , work began under supervision of civil engineer thomas pear. project took 3 years complete, pear died in 1795, , work completed son, called thomas pear. area of drainage district set @ 30.31 square miles (78.5 km), subsequently increased 56.87 square miles (147.3 km). act included special provision lord s drain, owned adventurers of deeping fen, , fed water fen through tunnel passed under welland. commissioners paid adventurers £1,500, , took on responsibility it. in addition new main drain, running 14 miles (23 km) sutton bridge wheat meer drain, project included 2 other drains. highland drain 5 miles (8.0 km) long, , lowland drain 4 miles (6.4 km) long. 3 bridges carry roads constructed @ dereham drain, @ gedney drove, , between long sutton , tydd st mary. main sluice, completed in 1795, consisted of 3 arches providing outfall 26 feet (7.9 m) wide.

the scheme included provision drainage engines, 1 in sutton st mary or tydd, pump main drain nene, , other on lord s drain. land owners west of welland still route water under welland lord s drain on payment of suitable fees. in order finance scheme, commissioners charge acre tax, not exceed £2 per acre, spread on 3 years, , apportioned based on benefit landowner receive works. outfall of river nene inadequate, , new 1 constructed in 1832, towards south holland trustees contributed £7,000. consequence, allowed lower own outfall, did in 1852. new sluice 31 feet (9.4 m) wide, , cill level 6.33 feet (1.93 m) below ordnance datum, 5 feet (1.5 m) lower original sluice constructed in 1795. sluice controlled drainage of 53.13 square miles (137.6 km) of land, , when tide locked water levels in nene, levels in drain rose 3.7 feet (1.1 m) above ordnance datum.

at southern extremity of drainage district lies sutton st edmund. commons enclosed in 1797, , act of parliament obtained drain them in 1809. first recorded steam-powered pumping station in fens erected there in 1817, pump water south holland main drain. double-acting machine, of 10 or 12 hp (7.5 or 8.9 kw), removed in 1834/5, when north level main drain constructed , no longer needed.