ExploringLINCOLNSHIREon foot52 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAYLINCOLNSHIRE WALKSExploringLINCOLNSHIREon footBishopbridge to Brandy WharfThis month8217s walk visits North Lincolnshire8217s New
River Ancholme for a tranquil riverside walk.Having done this walk on a cold,
blustery spring day I felt on
reflection that it was perhaps
better reserved for a summer outing; so
here it is! The terrain is easy throughout
with fine views eastwards to the Wolds
from a part of the Ancholme valley that
is quite flat and low-lying. The contours
of about 5 metres present quite a contrast
with Lincolnshire8217s highest ground of 168
metres seen near Claxby Top a mere 6
miles away and clearly visible.
One of the main reasons for
straightening the Ancholme was land
reclamation for farming. Ice Age
glaciations had covered the area with
clay soils that left it prone to flooding,
and the dialect word 8220carrs8221 that
appears in many local names means
low, swampy land - an apt description
of the valley8217s original terrain. Another
revealing name met on the walk is the
South 8220Ramper8221; a road raised above
flood levels. The first straightening of
the river was done in the 16308217s and
until then the Ancholme, which rises
near Spridlington, had pursued an
extremely tortuous course to the
Humber ending in a tidal creek at
South Ferriby. Even today to the east of
the 8220new8221 river, our OS maps show
clearly the river8217s former meandering
course, which is still followed by C20th
parish boundaries.
An Act of Parliament in 1767
authorised further improvements but the
expected trade failed to materialise until
further widening, begun in 1820, had
made the river fully navigable as far as
Bishopbridge. This work was the result of
proposals sought from John Rennie, and
his son of the same name (Sir John), and
upon its completion sixty-ton boats
could reach as far southwards as
Bishopbridge. The 8220new8221 warehouse
there (which still stands) was a boon to
local farmers for the bulk of trade on the
8220New Ancholme8221, as it became known,
was in agricultural produce.
Harlam Hill Lock was designed by Sir
John Rennie and built in 1827 at a cost
of 1632,027 as part of his planned river
improvements. It was formerly known
as Snitterby Carr Lock and there was
once a bridge there too.
In 1828 there was even a grandiose
plan to extend the New Ancholme
from Bishopbridge to the River
Witham below Lincoln. This idea was
short-lived however once (one
suspects) the immense engineering
difficulties and water supply problems
involved in the descent from Uphill052-053:Layout 1 19/5/08 09:20 Page 1
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