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Interactive version ©2006 R.J.PENHEY

The Bourne Archive

FNQ

Fenland Notes and Queries. Edited by Rev. W.D. Sweeting, Rector of Maxey.

Part 22. July  1893. (estimated)

This quarterly periodical took the form of a forum in which people sent in questions about the history, ecology and so on of the Fens and the region’s environs and others replied with some sort of answer. Some ‘answers’ seem to have been spontaneous, so qualifying as ‘notes’.

Because of its length, the whole article was spread over four FNQ articles of which this is the last. The first is FNQ 338. Two print versions are available. These include only the text of the 1500 document, one in the original Latin, the other translated. Each of the print versions combines the relevant material from FNQ 338, FNQ 380 and FNQ 425. The present article, FNQ 468 deals with the nineteenth century.

The editor, Sweeting signed this last article but that claim to authorship seems to apply to the set of four.

I have inserted national grid references to facilitate the placing of the names mentioned on a map. These are unqualified where I estimate the probability of their accuracy to be greater than 95%. Otherwise an indication of estimated probability is given.

R.J.P.

Bookmarks: – Deeping Fen Severals     Donington  Market Deeping  Spalding    James Digby

Administration

468 – The Limits of Kesteven and Holland (338, 380, 425). – The precise boundary between the Parts of Kesteven and Holland has been a matter of dispute even in the present century1. In the 55th and 56th years of the reign of George III2. Acts of Parliament were passed “for the more easy assessing collecting and levying of the County Rates.” And in the latter Act provision was made for the settling of disputes about the boundaries “of Parts of Counties and other places of distinct and separate jurisdiction”; two Justices were to be appointed for each such separate jurisdiction, the bounds of which were in dispute, and they were to examine the matter, inspect documents, and take evidence, and then cause two maps or plans to be prepared, which should be deemed to be finally decisive of the question.

A County Rate having been made in 1815 for the Parts of Kesteven and Holland, in the course of the proceedings “Doubts arose touching the Boundaries of the ancient inclosed Lands called the Severals lying in Deeping Fen.” The Parts of Kesteven accordingly, on 10 Aug., 1816, nominated the Rev. S. E. Hopkinson and the Rev. W. T. Waters ; and on 6 Aug., the Parts of Holland nominated the Rev. M. Johnson, D.D., and the Rev. W. Moore ; to fix and determine the boundaries. In the report of the proceedings at Quarter sessions at which these nominations were made, it is said that steps had been taken to levy a County Rate, and “that such Proceedings had been delayed and now finally suspended by the difficulty of ascertaining what proportion of the ancient inclosed Lands called the Severals in Deeping Fen was situate” in the Parts of Kesteven and Holland respectively.

The four Justices made their report on 7 July, 1817. They had first settled the mode of proceeding at a meeting held at Donington 10 Oct. 1816. On 7 Nov. they met at Market Deeping, and took evidence ; they examined maps, plans, and surveys, and other records and documents ; and they ordered a plan to be made of the Lands in question, having the boundaries precisely laid down. A description of these boundaries was advertised, and a meeting held at Spalding, on 3 Dec., to receive any appeal or objections. At this meeting some objections were made, but, after due consideration, they were all overruled. The Surveyor was then directed to stake out the Boundaries, and when this was done, the four Justices, on the 16th and 18th days of May, 1817, perambulated and viewed the whole of such boundaries, from Kenulph’s Cross to the river Glenn. The boundaries thus “ascertained and determined,” are given in the following terms : –

Beginning at the old River Welland at or near Kennulph Cross3 extending thence in a Northwardly direction by the West End of Crowland Wash to the Navigable River Welland across the River the Banks and Forelands and thence in the same direction along the East side of a certain Dike called Raisens Dike between lands belonging to the right Honourable George Canning and the right Honourable Lord Carrington for the space of Four hundred and ninety two yards or thereabouts to the fourth Boundary stone4 set down by us to ascertain the said Boundaries between the said Parts of Kesteven and Holland  from thence in a Westwardly direction along the North side of the said Dike called Raisens Dike for the space of two hundred and eighty six yards or thereabouts up to the fifth Boundary Stone5 set down by us aforesaid and thence in a Northwardly direction along the East side  of the said Dike called Raisens Dike between the said Lands of the said George Canning and Lord Carrington to the South Drove6 from thence in an Eastwardly direction along the south side of the said South Drove to the West end of Lands belonging to William Cowling7 thence in a diagonal direction towards the West across the said South Drove as set out by the general Commissioners for the inclosure of Spalding and Deeping and other Commons8 from thence in and Eastwardly direction along the North side of the said South Drove to lands belonging to William Goodall9 thence in a Northwardly Direction between Lands belonging to Thomas Evison the said William Goodall and Fairfax Johnson Esquire or Land sold by the said Fairfax Johnson to the said William Goodall respectively to Littleworth Turnpike Road10 across the said Road and from thence in the same direction between Lands of Mary Bourne and William Fitzhugh Esquire to the North Drove across the said Drove11 in the line as set out by the General Commissioners from thence in a Westwardly direction by the North side of the said North Drove to a Mill Drain12 and thence in a Northwardly direction along the East side of the said Mill Drain through Lands belonging to Robert Jones Adean Esquire and on the West side of the Lands belonging to the Heirs of James Digby Esquire to Counter Drain Bank across the same and the said Drain and from thence in the same direction between lands belonging to the said Robert Jones Adean Esquire and the Heirs of James Digby Esquire to the River Glenn13.

Along the boundaries so fixed were erected 22 stones, each stone marked on the East side with a number (from 1 to 22), the letter H and the date 1817, and on the West side with a number, the letter K, and the same date.14 Comparing this description and the plan annexed, with the smaller Ordnance Map (one inch to the mile), I find that in this latter the boundaries are marked in exact agreement with the terms of the report.15

Ed.

Footnotes: –

1 ^ The nineteenth.

2 ^ 1815 and 1816.

3 ^ grid ref. TF209092

4 ^ TF206097

5 ^ TF204097

6 ^ TF194123 This is about the position of Oggott (Cross in the Flags).

7 ^ TF215135 This far, the boundary follows the modern boundary of Crowland parish but nowhere except between Kenulph’s Stone and ‘the Navigable River Welland’ is it the boundary between the modern South Kesteven and South Holland districts.

8 ^ TF213137

9 ^ TF209134

10 ^ TF202147

11 ^ TF175174

12 ^ TF174174

13 ^ TF159191

14 ^ This picture of Kenulph’s Stone (right), the remnant of the Kenulph Cross at grid ref. TF209092, with its 1817 Commissioners’ stone mounted on it is taken from FNQ 402, which deals with the boundaries of Crowland. On the original engraving, the number 1 is much clearer. The position of the sun in the picture and the description above are consistent in making this the west side though it may be seen as two sides: north-western and south-western. Its position is marked on the 1824 Ordnance Survey map.

15 ^ While the 1824 Ordnance Survey map does not give information on land ownership, it is otherwise entirely consistent with the description given. It is by comparing this with a modern OS map, on which the national grid is included, that grid references may be estimated.

 

 

 

 

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