Witham Drainage. Act 1762
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1762 c. 32 |
| Year | 1762 |
(2 Geo. 3) C A P. XXXII.
'WH E R E A S the RiverWitham , in the County of Lincoln , was formerly navigable for Lighters, Barges, Boats, and other Vessels from the Sea, through Boston , to the High Bridge in the City of Lincoln ; but, by the Sand and Silt brought in by the Tide, the Outfall thereof into the Sea hath, for many Years last past, been greatly hindered and obstructed, and is now, in a great measure, stopped up, lost and destroyed, and thereby great Part of the low Lands and Fens lying on both Sides of the said River (and which contain together about one hundred thousand Acres) are frequently overflowed, and rendered useless and unprofitable, to the great Loss of the respective Owners thereof, the Decay of Trade and Commerce, and the Depopulation of the County: And whereas, in the Judgment and Opinion of experienced Engineers, and Persons of known Skill and Ability, the Navigation of the said River Witham , and the Outfall thereof into the Sea, are capable of being restored and maintained, and the said low Lands and Fens of being drained, cultivated and improved; but as the necessary Works, for the effecting the good Purposes aforesaid, cannot be made, done and performed without the Authority of Parliament;' May it therefore please your Majesty, that it may be enacted; and Be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That the said how Lands and Fens, herein after-mentioned and described, shall and may be drained and improved by, with, and under such Powers and Authorities, and subject to such Rules, Orders, Directions and Provisions, and by such Ways and Means, as are herein after-mentioned, directed, prescribed, appointed and provided.
II. And, for the better describing, specifying and ascertaining the low Lands and Fens, so intended to be drained and improved, Be it further enacted and declared, Thatthe same are situate, lying, and comprised within the several Parishes, Townships, Precincts, Territories and Places herein after-mentioned; that is to say, Such of them as are on the South Side of the RiverWitham , do lie in the City of Lincoln, Lincoln Common, Canwick, Washingborough, Heighington, Branston, Potter Hanworth, Nocton, Dunston, Metheringham, Blankney, Linwood, Marton, Timberland, Timberland Thorpe, Walcot, Billinghay, Billinghay Dales, Dog-dyke, North Kyme Fen, South Kyme Fen, Hart's Grounds, Great Beets, Little Beets, Rakes, Heckington Fen , including Lady Frazer's six hundred Acres, Ewerby, Howell, Asgarby, Great Hale, Little Hale , and some low Lands in Swineshead; Brothertoft, Anwick, Ruskington, Dorrington, Digby and Holland Fen ; and such of them as are on the North Side of the River Witham , do lie in Monks, Greetwell, Willingham, Fiskerton, Barlings, Stainfield, Bardney, Southrey, Tupholm, Bucknall, Horsington, Stixwould, Swinesike, Woodhall, Thornton, Kirkstead, Tattershall Thorpe, Thattershall Coningsby, Mareham, Hundle-house, Revesby, Middleham, Moorhouse, Meerbooth , Hermitage, Newholme, West-house, Langrike, Langworth, Swinecote, Hagnaby, Stickney, Wildmore Fen and West Fen ; and the said low Lands and Fens are bounded as follows; that is to say, By the high Grounds of Lincoln, Canwick and Washingborough , and thence by the Car-dyke from Washingborough to Thorpe Tilney , and by the high Grounds of Thorpe Tilney and the Car-dyke , from Tilney aforesaid to Billinghay Skirths , by the high Grounds of Walcott and Billinghay aforesaid, Digby, Dorrington, Ruskington, Anwick, Ewerby, Howell, Heckington, Great Hale , and Little Hale , from Billinghay aforesaid to Helpringham Fen on the West; by the common Fens of Helpringham, Bicker , and Donnington , and by the Southern Boundary of Holland Fen , from Helpringham Fen aforesaid to Boston on the South; by Kirton Holme , the South Bank of Old Hammond-Beck, Boston-West, Sibsey , and Stickney , from Boston aforesaid to Stickney-bar Green on the East; and by the high Grounds of Hagnaby , Grounds of East-Kirkby , high Grounds of Revesby and Mareham , Grounds of Tumby , and high Grounds of Coningsby , from Stickney-bar Green aforesaid to Tattershall-bane , and the high Grounds of Tattershall, Tattershall Thorpe, Kirkstead, Towery Moor, Woodhall, Stixwould, Horsington, Bucknall, Tupholm, Southrey, Bardney, Stainfield, Barlings, Fiskerton, Willingham, Greetwell , and Monks , from Tattershall-bane aforesaid to Lincoln , on the North-East and North; and from the said River Witham to the high Grounds of Lincoln Common , leaving Sincil-dyke twenty Yards on the West: And the same low Lands and Fens shall be deemed to consist of, and be divided into, six several Districtsor Divisions, to be respectively comprised within the several Limits herein after mentioned, and for the several Purposes herein after declared; that is to say, Thelow Lands inLincoln, Lincoln Common, Canwick, Washingborough, Heighington Branston, Potter Hanworth, Nocton, Dunston, Metheringham, Blankney, Linwood, Marton, Timberland, Timberland Thorpe, Walcott, Billinghay, Billinghay Dales , and Dog-dyke ; and which said low Landsare bounded as follows; that is to say, From twenty Yards below the North End ofSincil-dyke in Lincoln to Kyme Eau , by the River Witham , on the North; from the Little Bargate Bridge in Lincoln , to Kyme Eau aforesaid, by the high Grounds of Lincoln, Canwick and Washingborough , the Car-dyke, Thorpe Tilney , and North Kyme Fen , on the South; and from the said River Witham to the high Grounds of Lincoln Common , by a Line drawn at all Places parallel within twenty Yards from the East Side of Sincil-dyke on the West, so that no Part of the said Sincil-dyke , or the Rivers or Drains running under the Bar-gates, or either of the Gowt Bridges, shall be included within the said Boundaries; and from the River Witham to North Kyme Fen , by Kyme Eau and South Kyme on the East, shall constitute and be contained in the first District: AndHolland Fen, Harts Grounds, Great Beets, Little Beets , the Rakes, Brothertoft and all other the Inclosures in Holland Fen , and being bounded as follows; that is to say, ByKyme Eau , the River Witham, Boston West , and Kirton Holme , on the East and North; South Kyme, Heckington , and Great Hale , on the West; and the South Banks of Old Hammond Beck Swineshead , on the South, shall constitute and be contained in the second District: The low Lands in , and , being bounded as follows; that is to say, Bythe high Lands of the last-mentioned Places on the North, the RiverWitham on the South, the River Bane on the East, and Lincoln on the West, shall constitute and be contained in the third District: The low Lands inConingsby, Mareham, Hundle-house, Revesby, Middleham, Moorhouse, Hermitage, Newholme, Westhouse, Langrike, Langworth, Swinecote, Hagnaby, Stickney, Wildmore Fen , and West Fen , and bounded as follows; that is to say, By the old River Witham and Tattershall Bane on the West; by the high Grounds of Coningsby , the Grounds of Tumby , the high Ground of Mareham , and Revesby , the Grounds of East Kirkby , and the high Grounds of Hagnaby , on the North; by the high Grounds of Stickney and Grounds of Sibsey on the East; by Grounds in the Parish of Skirbeck and Boston East; and the Scite of the ancient River Witham on the South; shall constitute and be contained in the fourth District: The low Land inAnwick, North Kyme, Ruskington, Dorrington , and Digby , being bounded as follows; that is to say, By Digby Old Skirth-dyke , and the Dyke which is the Eastern Boundary of a Close now occupied by John Lane , and that Part of Digby Engine Drain which extends from the said Close to Digby Engine, Billinghay Skirth , and Billinghay Dales , on the North and East; Kyme Eau on the South; the high Lands of Anwick, Ruskington, Dorrington , and Digby , and the Car-dyke , on the West, shall constitute and be contained in the fifth District: Thelow Lands inSouth Kyme, Great Hale, Little Hale, Heckington , Lady Frazer' s six hundred Acres,Ewerby, Howell, Asgarby , and some low Lands in Swineshead , being bounded as follows; that is to say, By Holland Fen and Dog-dyke on the North; Helpingham and Donnington Fens on the South; Bicker Fen, Hammond Beck , and Part of the said Holland Fen , on the East; and the high Lands of Great Hale, Little Hale, Heckington, Howell , and Ewerby , on the West, shall constitute and be contained in the sixth District.
III Commissioners for Districts appointed.
III. And be it further enacted, That for the more effectual executing of this Act, certain Commissioners shall be elected within each of the said Districts, in manner hereafter mentioned; that is to say, Inthe first District there shall be eighteen Commissioners elected, one for and by each of the several Placesand Parishes herein before-mentioned, as comprised therein in manner following: The several Owners of Lands or Tenements of any Estate of Freehold, Copyhold of Inheritance or for Life, or for any Term of Years wherein not more than one Half of the Value is reserved as a Rent, which Land shall lie within any one of the said Places or Parishes comprized in the said first District, and shall be of the yearly Value of five Pounds; and the several Farmers at Rack-rent of any Lands or Tenements lying in such Parish or Place, and being of the yearly Value of fifty Pounds, shall meet in the Parish Church, or other most usual Place of publick Meeting to do Business, in the Parish...
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