| Geography and Geology of Fens Agriculture, Natural History, Food Growing and Roman and Saxon History. |
| To the left in an area that was once Whittlesea Mere and there is a pile of Bog Oak that has been pulled to the surface and in the corner of a Farmer's field. It is not like normal wood, but a cross between wood and coal, and cannot be cut with an ordinary saw, no more that coal can be cut with a hand saw. The question is, how and why it is brought to the surface? It is common practice for farmers to deep plough these fields to try and bring nourishment in the peat to the surface. Owing to peat shrinkage, these Bog Oaks are often caught by a plough, and are therefore a nuisance to the farmer, who pulls them to surface of the land, and places them in a pile. This is not a common sight nowadays, as most of the Bog Oaks have already been pulled to the surface, as peat is shrinking slower. |
| THE ABOVE AREA WAS ONCE COVERED WITH A FOREST In the distant background of the above picture is the area where the village of UPWOOD is, and together with the other villages like WOOD WALTON, WOODHURST, which all contain the word Wood. OLDHURST is also nearby and all lie to the east of the A1(M) between Peterborough and Huntingon. Their names alone suggest that whole area at one time was woodland, and all that remains nowadays is Monks Wood (which is a National Nature Reserve). (not in the above picture). The word 'Hurst' is a derivation of 'Hyrstinas', which means 'Forest Dwellers'. |
FORMATION OF THE FENS IN ICE AGE AND BEYOND Originally there were no British Isles, and the area we now know as the United Kingdom was joined onto mainland Europe, there was no English Channel, and it was possible to walk from Kent to Normandy without getting the feet wet. During the last Ice Age, the ice extended southwards as far as the Thames Valley, and of course the Fens were covered in Ice. With ice encroaching south it acted as a giant snowplough, and pulled clay southwards, to create the islands of Boulder Clay in the Fens, which extended for many miles around the British Isles, this explains why we are finding oil and gas (which originate from decomposing vegetation) under the North Sea. When the ice stated to melt, the Fenland Rivers (Nene, Welland, Ouse and Witham) were all tributaries of the Rhine, which ran out into the Atlantic between Scotland and Norway, as did the Thames, Humber and the Tyne/Tees. After the last ice age the sea was estimated to have risen about 100 feet. Which in turn covered the fens with sea water, it then receded and fresh water took over, the sea then returned and sea water took over, and so on. The Fen basin in the period when Britain was joined to the continent was high ground, and the water in the north sea rose and fell, it turned the Fens into Marsh. When the water was low the foliage that formed the peat survived, but when the salty sea water flooded in it killed the foliage and turned the area into a marsh, this was aided by the water washing down the rivers bringing with it silt from the hills of the Midlands. During this period, it can be seen how the bog oaks were formed, as they could not survive in salt water. The periods in the development of the Fens can be determined by botanists and paleontolgists, who have examined pollen seeds and animal remains in the peat and established the date they lived in the past. It is also reinforced by excavations near Chatteris, were the remains of Sea Animals have been located. During the drier periods land animals extended their habitats onto the Fens. The Fens are composed of Fluvial and Marine sediments, together with decayed vegetation in the form of Peat, and nearer the Wash the area is composed of Marine Silt, with land silt building up in old river beds further westward behind. Much of these flat fens resemble the country of Holland, and are also in an area called 'Holland'. (This original name was Hollow Land'). During the Later Stone Age humans started to occupy the fens, and their is evidence that their tools were make of flint excavated in Norfolk. Later still, man in the form of Iberians occupied the Fens, who gave way to the Celts, who shared the area with the tribes of the Girvii, the Iceni, and the Brythons (Britons from France). These were all later surpressed by the Romans. The Romans were the first to see the Agriculture potential of the Fens, but needed to build a sea wall, which in turn gave birth to places like Walsoken, Walton, and Walpole. Evidence can be found of Roman occupation of the Fens, as excavations reveal their coins, and pottery, and many other articles. Those that followed the romans,were more lawless, and the fens became a refuge for outlaws, and at the same time became a retreat for people who were suffering religious persecution, and the religious groups founded places like Crowland,Tthorney and Ely. Because of the pacifist nature of these groups they became easy pickings for the Vikings. King Canute eventually tried to impose law and order on the Fens, and was no doubt responsible for the excavation of the King's Dyke, or Cnut's dyke as it was then known that runs close to the River Nene south of Peterborough. During this time, the Vikings made excursions to the Fens, their shallow boats being ideal for the shallow Fenland Rivers. There is a record in the 19th Century of a Viking longboat being discovered at Manea. It apparently surfaced like the Bog Oaks, manily because of Peat shrinkage. Eventually, the agricultural potential beacame more apparent, and arable crops were grown on the arable land after draining, as this part of world which is sunnier, and drier than the remainder of the UK. It is reputed to have the same rainfall as Israel, and yet there is very rarely a hosepipe ban. The crops that were grown included Wheat, Barley, Potatoes, Sugar Beet and Fruit. Nowadays more exotic crops are grown. In addition farm animals were breed, like chickens for their eggs, grazing animals were encouraged to provide, milk butter and meat, and wild life was taken for food like fish and ducks. A person can see why it was called 'The Bread Basket of the Country'. The Domesday Book records very little evidence of humanity in the Fens, probably because it was still a large marsh, with the exception of the Boulder Clay and Gravel Islands which were mainly dry. The most popular figure associated with the Fens, is Hereward The Wake, who organised resistance against William the Conqueror. he was reputed to have been eventually betrayed by the Monks of Ely, and a battle took place. Excavations at Aldreth, near Ely indicated that a battle took place in the area, and this was no doubt the battle in question. The Fens and the clay valley to the south west, geologically divide the England into two halves. This clay valley, which is comparatively flat, originates the sources for the Fen Rivers, like the Nene, Ouse, Welland and Witham. The above is the simple description, in fact the clay is called Kimmeridge Clay and Amptill Clay, and separates the two Portlanian Provinces, underneath these clays are Cretaceous rocks resting on Palaeozoic rock. |
BLACK FENS (Peat Land - Natural History) In the peat lands to the west of the main fens were a number of Lakes (or Meres), these included Whittlesea and Ramsey Meres, also the smaller Trundle and Ugg Meres, but since draining the peat has now shrunk. Peat is an organic soil made up of plant and tree residues. Nowadays this area is not marshland or mere covered by reed and sedge, but a very valuable arable land well drained, with peat that was originally formed many 1000s of years ago. Many of the village names hint of a watery past. A village name ending in 'Toft' e.g. 'Langtoft' means 'Little Hill'. A village name ending in 'ey' e,g, 'Thorney' means 'Island'. The Romans created many dykes (canals not ditches or drains). One of these was the Fossdyke which linked the River Trent with the River Witham. Due to preservation by the water content of the peat, a microscopic examination of the peat can reveal the type of plants, or trees that originally grew on the area, and give an indication of the climate that existed in those times, it can also give an indication of any human activity in the area, and air pollution. It is possible to build up a picture of the area many thousands of years ago by detailed examination of this peat. There is evidence that many animals roamed the fens in the past, including Red Deer, Wolves, Woolly Rhinoceroses, Cave Bears. There is also evidence that many aquatic type creatures existed in this watery domain including whales, seals, walruses and sharks. These animals and fish that once roamed The Fens, and the wild plants, no longer exist owing to the intensive arable farming. Nowadays there are very few cattle and sheep in the fens. However, there are still many dyke sides and margins where many breeds of birds and plants flourish, including the larger birds like swans and herons, many of the original sedges and reeds can also flourish in these watercourses. The above details suggest that more should be done to create nature reserves in the Black Fens, before arable farming and the demands of the supermarkets destroys them completely. Charles Kingsley is well known for his lyrical comments, and stated about The Fens: ' They have a beauty of their own. A beauty as of the sea, of boundless expanse and freedom. Overhead the arch of the heaven spreads more ample than elsewhere. Sunrises and sunsets as can be seen nowhere else within these isles' Molluscs (Small hard-shelled animals). The local Fenland rivers and the mud flats of The Wash are high in calcium salts and chalk, therefore it is ideal for promoting water borne shelled animals, like snails and winkles. Crustaceans, tend to be small water borne animals with no internal skeleton, and antennae, examples to be found in the fenland waters are cyclops (fresh water plankton), and water fleas. Most of the above are the stable diet of fish, therefore The Fenland rivers are rich in fish, including the eel and their young known as Elvers. Fishermen can be seen in rows along river banks about 10 metres apart, and one of the favourite fish of these anglers is the Silver Bream which can weigh up to 5 lbs (2.50 kilos), and feeds on larvae. Amphibians (half fish and half animals), e.g toads, frogs newts, these are in abundance in the shallow waters around The Wash. These type of creatures spend part of life in water and part of their life on land. This includes the 'Lincolnshire Yellow Belly' a breed of newt still in existence north of Boston in Lincolnshire. Insects, which includes moths, butterflies, dragonflies and various breeds of fly, including mosquitoes which carried Ague, a Fenland form of Maleria, which was inflicted on early residents. Wild plants of the Fens, in the waterlogged areas, these include frogbit, water lilies, plankton, water parsnip, duck weed, and on dry land they include, foxtail, reed, docks, knotweeds, sedge, rushes, fen bradstraw, water buttercup and crowfoot. Mammals (animals that have adapted to a water borne environment),, which includes bats, rats, voles, rodents, mice, stoats, foxes, weasels, otters, and the coypu, which is a native of South America, and was originally brought to this country for it's fur. Birds of the Fens, the more common species being Herons, Tits, and many breed of Duck, and Goose (of which many migrate into the area), Owls, Bittern, reed Warbler, Marsh Harrier, and many others that do not live in the area, but migrate into it in the winter months The Fen folk were self supporting insomuch that the sheep gave them wool and meat, the cattle provided milk, butter and cheese. Dried out peat (turf) made a good fuel to keep fen folk warm in the winter, but it was slow burning, bellows often needed to be employed to make it burn, but it could be cut from the ground, but needed to be dried before burning. Reeds provided them with thatch and weaving. And ducks and fish were always available if they wished to have a change of diet. Other well known names from the past have made references to the Fens, Cromwell employed the 'Fen Tigers' as roundheads as he supported their views, Samuel Pepys referred to the Fens in his diary, Lord Orford wrote about the Fens in his book 'A Voyage Around The Fens' ('Voyage' is a very interesting word, as his travels were by boat), Daniel Defoe made reference to fen fish being transported to London still alive in barrels of water. One of the natural compounds produced by fen men in the past was salt which was transported all over the country. Bearing in mind in those days the Fens were undrained, therefore there was only one way to transport the compound to a location where it could be transported to the cities. The transportation of this compound was by boat, and those days the boats were able to traverse right up to the hills to the west. The boats went to a place called Saltrey were the salt was unloaded. This place is now known as Sawtry and is situated on the A1(M) south of Peterborough. [Top] |
| RECENT HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE IN THE FENS. The greater area of Fens for Agriculture purposes extends from Lincoln in the North, Cambridge in the South, and to The Great North Road (or the AI) to the west, or the north to south 'Bullock Road', which skirted the water logged fens of the past to the West and runs nearly parallel to the AI on higher ground. (This is reputed to be the way tolls were avoided on the Great North Road). The land yields many different results, depending on it's type. For example the area south of Wisbech is the best fruit tree growing area in the whole of England. The silt land near to the wash was originally washed down the rivers, and although lightweight and rich, it is best for some crops. It is commonly called Marsh e.g. Holbeach Marsh and Terrington Marsh, whereas the black peat Lands further to the west, are rotted vegetation, are best for other types of crops. In recent years fenland agriculture has become more mechanised, with workers sitting on the seats of diesel or petrol propelled driven implements and vehicles, but many years ago when farm implements were horse drawn, the worker often walked behind the horse and implement, and in the course of a working day would walk many miles. Evening seed sowing, and corn scything was done standing up and moving forward. When it came to planting, as well as walking, workers were called on to often bend down. But things started to change, years again poor farmers in the Fens used donkeys to pull ploughs and do other farm work, they were the cheapest mode of transport. A donkey that declined to work was called a 'Jibber', one that was crippled was called a 'Screw', and these donkeys were generally called 'Jerusalem Racehorses'. Slightly better off farmer's used cart horses for ploughing, as they were more powerful. After harvest time Traction engines were employed to thrash corn, and these were often owned by contractors. A thrashing 'train' consisted of four items, the Traction engine, which was connected to the 'Drum' by a driving belt from the fly wheel of the traction engine belt (the drum actually thrashed the corn), the straw that was then delivered to an elevator, which in turn delivered the straw into a 'bat-tying' machine, which tied the straw into sheaves, and the sheaves were stacked for later use. When setting up of all this machinery, priority had to be given to the location of the stack to be thrashed and It would have to be considered that steam traction engines also require a regular supply of water and coal. Stacks were thatched in order to throw water away when it rained. We must not forget that the reason for this operation was to get the corn into bags so it could be processed (This could also apply to crops like Barley, Oats. Peas, Tares and Beans). The sacks that were gathered could weigh over two hundredweight. It was customary for children to be part of the thrashing team, and that would probably mean playing truant from school. The main job of the children would be to carry water for the traction engine. Thrashing could be a dusty job on a dry day, and muddy job on a wet day. The dirtiest job of all was working in the 'Chaff Hole', a location where neither corn or sheaves came out of the drum. This chaff was raked up and given to animals as feed. Out of the harvest season, the traction engine had other uses, two of them would be stationed at either side of the field which pulled a plough backwards and forwards between them. The plough had a seat for a steersman, and these traction engines communicated with each other by a series of prearranged whistles. Today there is very little ploughing, and if undertaken it is by a powerful tractor, which pulls several plough shears. Nowadays it is common place to see improvised inorganic scarecrows, but years ago small boys were employed to chase off Pigeons and Crows that took a liking to a crop. Before the thrashing train, harvesting probably encompassed the greatest change in Fenland Agriculture. Originally all standing corn was scythed, and bundled up into sheaves by hand. The Scythers were very skilled in this work, and carried a rub-stone in a leather bag, called a rub bag, and it was a great skill keeping the blade sharp. Eventually this work was mechanised with the help of the 'Thrashing Train'. Loose corn stems were bundled into sheaves, which in turn were stacked upright in fields to dry. As can be imagined, this decreases work that took several weeks, down to a few days. Eventually came along the combine harvester with it's air conditioned cab, which does the above work in less that a day, and also thrashes the corn as well, and leaves the straw in a line behind it, which was subsequently burned, but this is now illegal. It goes without saying, that harvesting was much less efficient in early days and much corn fell to the ground. A chicken hut on wheels was brought into the fields and the chickens were allowed to pick up the fallen corn. After they had roosted in their hut in the evening, the entrance was secured, the chicken hut was pulled by a horse to another field, or part of the same field. Another tradition that existed then, and still exists today in a different form is the 'Harvest Supper'. Originally, the land owner at the end of the harvest would lay on a feast for the workers (this could involve man and women) who had been employed in the fields In between years the corn was 'thrashed' out of the ears of corn by wood frails hinged with eel skins. In the early days these steam engines did not have wheels and because of their weight which was difficult to move. Then some bright 'spark', put them on wheels, so they could move under there own 'steam', and they became 'Traction Engines' and developed other uses. In the days when farm workers were less well off, the husks of oats were collected up, and used as a substitute for feathers in mattresses. With regard to what happened to the straw stems, these were used for animal bedding, roofing, corn dollies and many other things. It then became common practice for farmers to possess their own threshing tackle, and hire in a Traction Engine from a contractor and hook it up to the thrashing tackle. Then someone invented the combine harvester, and all changed. Today, helicopters and light planes are used to spray fields in a matter of minutes without leaving tracks in the crop. In the past horse drawn sprays were employed that often took all day to do a field, and left marks in the crops. Nowadays we have problems with migrant workers employed doing manual labour in the fields, in years gone by this work was undertaken by Irish labourers, Gypsies (Diddicoys) and women. The Gypsies were fruit pickers, but in periods where there was no fruit, the men turned to scissor and knife grinding, and the women went front door to door, selling pegs and lace. These gypsies had a wonderful system, and still do have today, insomuch that the oldest person (male or female) is in charge, and everyone else does their bidding, regardless or whether the person is senile or not. The Irish had a wonderful system for getting to work which might be several miles away from where they were living. They often had one bike between a number of them. In a case of two Irishmen, one rode the bike and left it half way and walked the rest. The second man started walking and when he got to the bike he would get on it and ride to the destination. Invariably, both Irishmen used to arrive at work about the same time. Preservation of crops has always been a problem, years ago potatoes were harvested and piled into a corner of the field in a long heap, covered with straw and than earth up to keep out the frost. These heaps were called 'Potato Graves', nowadays potatoes are stored in buildings that are slightly heated. Using horses created work for many trades, the Blacksmith attached horse shoes (even cows had protective shoes, if they needed to walk some distance), the Harnesser, dealt in leather for the bridles etc, and always carried a stock of head bells, plumes, horse brasses. On mechanisation, the blacksmith put metal tyres on the wooden wheels of carts and repaired farm implements, and horse brasses disappeared into museums. In the fens, pigs and chickens were always free range, and they spawned their own trades, like the 'pig killer', who often doubled as a vet. If a pig had an incurable complaint, the 'Pig Killer' would comment with a little humour, 'I will have to kill it to save it's life'. The actual killing was far from humane, it would be done by cutting the pigs throat, and hanging it by the back legs so the blood drained away. But, if the pig was curable, the pig killer would say so, and recommend a cure. There is one other agricultural feat that could only be undertaken in the flat fens. The agricultural land was often wet, and carts would sink into the ground. The trick was to get the produce from distant fields to road going vehicles without the road vehicles becoming stuck fast. This was undertaken with help of small rails attached to sleepers that could be moved without too much trouble, and the produce was loaded into small trucks which were pulled by horses to a location near the road. This was the origin of the caterpillar tractor, it became capable of laying down a track as it travelled across the field, there is not a great deal of imagination required to see where the word 'Tractor' originated. |
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| Many thousands of years ago in Holme Fen in drier times the whole area below was a dense forest, and many of the trees being oak collapsed under the later onslaught of sea water and remained preserved underground in the wet peat after draining |
| In the background are the range of low hills on the western fringe of the Fens which contain the 'Bullock Road' and the 'AI(M)'. |
| LINKS BETWEEN FENLAND NATURAL HISTORY & MODERN AGRICULTURE. The mears have all but disappeared, but they have been compensated to a certain degree by the large areas of water that gravel workings and other man made areas of water produce. The Wash has been reduced in size, but still covers a vast area. All these water borne areas encourage ducks and other waterborne fowl, and so do the washes which still flood, and in the winter, and are adopted by swans from frozen Siberia, and many other places. Warblers inherit gravel pits, as does vegetation like Greater Bladderwort, Spearwort and provide feeding for the Little and Great Crested Grebes, Tufted Ducks, Moorhen and Pochard, and also provide nesting materials. The Wash can provide a brief rest for a longer journey for Brent Geese, Pink Footed Geese, Teal, Shelduck, Mallard and Wigeonby, and therefore they can be seen in huge flocks over the mudflats. On the North West corner of the Wash, just south of Skegness is an area called Gibraltar Point which is a National Nature Reserve. By far the majority of the Fens were turned into valuable arable land which produced too many cereal crops, so the European Union a few years ago introduced 'Set-Aside' (This relates to farmers being paid NOT to cultivate land). Since it's original introduction these areas they can be strips of land at least 10 metres wide at the side of marshes and drains. Which have the advantage of herbicides and insecticides not spreading to wildlife areas. There is another advantage for wildlife in 'Set-aside', the soil as opposed to the fields is not disturbed or sprayed, and there is more wildlife under the ground than above it, therefore the friendly bugs, insects and worms can thrive. |