Methwold Drainage Act 1854

JurisdictionUK Non-devolved
Citation1854 c. clxxxviii
ANNO DECIMO SEJTJMO & DECIMO OCTAVO
VICTORLE REGIN.E
****^********^**^*******¥^***^^^*****^^****^**^*
* *
Cap.
clxxxviii.
An
Act for the
more effectual Drainage
and Im-
provement
of
certain Lands
in the
Parish
of
Methwold
in the
County
of
Norfolk,
and for
other Purposes. [24th July 1854.]
w
HERE AS
an
Act was passed
in
the Thirteenth Year of the
Reign
of
King George
the
Third, Chapter Forty-five,
intituled
An Act for
draining
and
preserving certain 13 Geo 3,
Fen Lands and Low Grounds lying
in
the South Level, Part of the
c' 45,
Great Level
of the
Fens commonly called Bedford Level, between
certain
old
Rivers or Drains called Stoke River and Brandon River,
and
a
certain Level or District called Feltwell New District, and the
Hard Lands o/'Woodhall-m-Helgay and Helgay,
in the
Counties
of
Norfolk
and
Suffolk, whereby certain Fen Lands and Low Grounds
therein described were made One general District
for
the Purpose of
scouring, deepening, maintaining, and supporting
the old
Sewer
or
Drain called Sams
Cut
otherwise Sam's
Cut
Drain, and
a
certain
Sluice called Hunt's Sluice
at
the End thereof next the River Ouse,
and were also thereby made Two separate Districts
or
Divisions for
the Purpose
of
embanking and draining
the
same Lands; and such
Part, and so much of the said Fen Lands and Low Grounds as lay on
the South Side
of
Stoke River, Methwold Lode, and on the North
[Local'] 35
S
Side
3198 17° & 18° VICTORIA, C^.clxxxviii.
The Methwold Drainage Act, 1854.
to
Side of Sam's Cut, containing about Eight thousand Acres, were
thereby made the First District or Division for the Purposes of
Drainage under the said Act; and by the said Act it was directed
that the Waters of the said First District should be conveyed by One
Mil] into the Stoke River, and that the Downfall Waters of the
said general District, and of the said Two Districts respectively,
should be carried and conveyed to Sea by interior Drains into Sam's
Cut and through Hunt's Sluice into the River Ouse; and by the
said Act certain Persons therein named or referred to were appointed
Commissioners for executing the Powers of the said Act so far as
related to the First District, and the said Commissioners were em-
powered to heighten, widen, strengthen, make and maintain, and
support the North Bank of Sam's Cut, and all such interior Drains
running across Methwold and Feltwell Commons within the said First
District, as they should think proper, and also to execute other
Drainage Works within the said District; and it was by the said
Act declared that the said Drain called Sam's Cut and the said
Sluice called Hunt's Sluice should be deemed the joint common
Work of the Commissioners of the said Two Districts, and should be
opened, scoured, cleansed, and repaired at the joint Costs and Charges
of the said Two Districts respectively; and by the said Act the
Commissioners of the said First District were empowered to assess
and tax the Owners and Occupiers of all the Fen Lands and Low
Grounds held in Severalty or being private Property situate within
the said First District (except the said Common called Methwold
Common and certain other Lands therein mentioned), with yearly
Taxes at the Discretion of the said Commissioners, not exceeding in
any One Year the Sum of Sixpence per Acre: And whereas the Lands
called Methwold Common, and by the said Act exempted from the
Payment of the Taxes thereby authorized, form Part of the said
First District, and are entitled to drain into the said Stoke River (or
River Wissey) and Sam's Cut in the Manner provided by the said
AS
G. 3, Act: And whereas by an Act passed in the Forty-fifth Year of
e- 45* the Reign of His Majesty King George the Third, Chapter Forty-
eight, intituled An Act for inclosing Lands in the Parish of Meth-
wold in the County of Norfolk, the said Lands called Methwold
Broad Common were authorized to be divided and inclosed in the
Manner therein provided, and the Commissioners appointed to carry
the Powers of the said Act into execution were empowered to erect
such Engines and Mills, and to cut such Drains and Watercourses
upon the Lands so to be inclosed, as should be necessary for im-
proving Methwold Broad Common, and such Engines, Mills, Drains,
and Watercourses were to be maintained and kept in repair at
the Costs and Charges of such Persons as the said Commissioners
should direct; and by the said Act the said Commissioners were
empowered, for more effectually improving the said Common, to
make
17° & 18° VICTORIA, Cap.clxKsy'm, 3199
The Methwold Drainage Act, 1854.
make a Drain through the Tract of Land called Methwold Severals,
belonging to His Majesty in right of his Duchy of Lancaster,
to a Water Engine there belonging to His Majesty ; and it was
directed that such Water Engine, after such Drain should be made,
should be worked and used as well for draining the said Common
as the said Severals, and that such Drain should be kept in repair by
such Persons as the said Commissioners by their Award should
direct: And whereas the Commissioners acting in execution of the
said last-recited Act, by their Award dated the Sixth Day of March
One thousand eight hundred and seven, divided and allotted the
said Common, and directed certain Drains and Watercourses therein
described to be made for draining the same, and directed that the
Costs of repairing and working the Water Engine therein mentioned,
and of repairing the Sluices, Foot-bridges, and Tunnels, and of
maintaining the same in good Repair, and of keeping the said Drains
clear and open, should be paid by the King's most Excellent
Majesty, His Lessees or Tenants, and the several Proprietors and
Owners of Allotments in respect of Common-right Houses on the
said Common, their respective Lessees, Tenants, and Assigns, in the
Proportions in the Schedule in the said Act particularly mentioned \
and the said Commissioners appointed the Fen Reeves appointed at
the Court Leet holden for the Manor of Methwold on the Part of
Lancaster to be the Collectors, and to have the entire Management
and Application of the Monies to be so raised for the Purposes afore-
said
:
And whereas the Rate of Sixpence per Acre by the said first-
recited Act authorized having been found insufficient for putting in
execution the Powers thereof in relation to the said First District, the
Powers of the said Act in relation to the said District have long
ceased to be exercised, and there are now no Commissioners acting
in execution
thereof:
And whereas the Powers by the said last-
recited Act, and by the Award made in pursuance
thereof,
granted
for the Recovery of the Monies by the said Award directed to be
collected and applied by the Fen Reeves for the Maintenance of the
said Drains and other Works, have been found insufficient, and the
existing Powers for the Drainage of the said Lands are defective :
And whereas by reason of the defective Drainage and of the Liability
to Floods the Value of the said Lands formerly forming Methwold
Broad Common, and of certain adjoining Lands lying at the South-
west Corner of the said Common called Adventurers Lands,
bounded by a certain Drain called Ferry Dike North, by Part of the
said Common called the Queens Ground East, and the said Sam's
Cut Drain South-west, is greatly diminished : And whereas it would
be of great Advantage to the Owners and Occupiers of the said Lands^
and to the Inhabitants of the said District, if the said Lands were
erected into a separate District for Drainage under the Management
of a separate Body of Commissioners, and if further Powers for
deepening,

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