|
|
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| − | [[File:The River Wissey at Hilgay - geograph.org.uk - 230314.jpg|right|thumb|350px|The Wissey at Hilgay]] | + | #REDIRECT [[River Wissey]] |
| − | The '''River Wissey''' is a river in [[Norfolk]]. It rises near [[Bradenham, Norfolk|Bradenham]], and flows for nearly 31 miles to join the [[Great Ouse]] at [[Fordham, Norfolk|Fordham]]. The lowest 11.2 miles are navigable.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ==Course==
| + | |
| − | The Wissey rises near [[Bradenham, Norfolk|East Bradenham]] in [[Norfolk]], and thence it flows for nearly 31 miles through [[Necton]], [[North Pickenham]], [[South Pickenham]], [[Great Cressingham]], [[Ickburgh]], [[Northwold]] and [[Stoke Ferry]] before joining the River [[Great Ouse]] south of [[Downham Market]], specifically in the small parish of [[Fordham, Norfolk|Fordham]].
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | The course of the river has altered, as it originally flowed to Wisbech, which derives its name from the river.<ref name=blair>{{harvnb |Blair |2006|p=67}}</ref> Historically, it has also been known as the River Stoke or Stoke River.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | The Stringside Drain flows into the river from the north, just upstream from the A134 bridge at Whittington. This forms the present head of navigation, as boats up to at least 60 feet can use the junction to turn round. Below the bridge, a wharf served the maltings owned by Whitbread in the 19th century. A footpath runs along the northern bank of the river, and is in good condition from Whittington to Wissington. Stoke Ferry, with its fine windmill sits close to the northern bank of the river, protected from it by flood banks.<ref>{{harvnb |Blair |2006|p=72}}</ref>
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Below the village is the junction with the Cut-Off Channel, a 25-mile drain running from Barton Mills on the [[River Lark]] to Denver along the south-eastern edge of the Fens, which was built in the 1950s and 1960s. During times of flood it carries the head waters of the River Lark, the [[Little Ouse]] and the River Wissey to Denver Sluice on the River Great Ouse.<ref>{{harvnb |Thirsk |2002}}</ref> A guillotine sluice isolates the main channel of the river when flood water is diverted into the Cut-off Channel, and the river then passes over the channel in a concrete aqueduct.<ref name=blair70>{{harvnb |Blair |2006|pp=70–71}}</ref>
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Methwold Lode flows in from the south, and the river is then constrained by wide flood banks on both sides of the river. [[Wissington, Norfolk|Wissington]] bridge is relatively new, as there was no road access to the sugar-beet factory below it when it was built in 1925. The road to the factory has since been bypassed, with the newer bridge providing more headroom than the old.<ref name=blair70/> At [[Hilgay]], the Cut-off Channel passes very close to the river, with Snowre Hall, a 15th-century building containing some of the earliest domestic brickwork in England on its northern bank.<ref>{{harvnb |Blair |2006|pp=68–70}}</ref>
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Hilgay itself sits on a raised isle, some 66 feet above the surrounding fenland. Its elevation has become more pronounced as the draining of the fenland has caused the ground to shrink. It was notable in Saxon and early Norman times for the large numbers of fish and eels found there. Hilgay Old Bridge still crosses the river, but the newer A10 bypass also crosses just below it. The final landmark before the junction with the Great Ouse is the railway bridge carrying the Ely to King's Lynn line over the river.<ref>{{harvnb |Blair |2006|pp=67–68}}</ref>
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ==History==
| + | |
| − | The Wissey may be the ''Wusa'' appears in the [[Anglo-Saxon Chronicle]] for 904, at the time of Edward the Elder's reconquest of the land from the Danes<ref>{{ASC|A|904}} ''Þa for Eadweard cyning æfter, swa he raðost mehte his fird gegadrian, 7 oferhergade eall hira land betwuh dicum 7 Wusan'' ("Then afterwards King Edward journeyed so he might most directly gather his army, and ravaged all those lands betwixt the dykes and Wissey (or Ouse)")</ref> Certainly warfare came to the river in those days; a fine example of a Saxon sword was recovered from the river during dredging.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Documentary evidence for the history of the river is scarce, compared to the neighbouring [[River Lark]] and [[Little Ouse]], both of which had a sizeable town at the head of navigation, whereas the Wissey does not. The Wissey is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, when it was navigable from "Oxenburgh" to [[King's Lynn]] and [[Cambridge]], and there are remains of a medieval settlement near the river at Oxborough Ferry. It was mentioned in 1575, when the Commissioners of Sewers, meeting at King's Lynn, ruled that it should be cleared and made wider between Stokebridge and Whittington, and that the bridge at Stoke Ferry should be repaired. This bridge was contentious, as the Abbot of Ely lost the ferry tolls when it was built. He destroyed it, to protect his income, but was required to re-instate it by the Hundred Court.<ref name=boyes>{{harvnb |Boyes |Russell |1977|pp=189–190}}</ref>
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | There were wharves at Oxborough Hithe in the 1750s, handling trade in coal and grain, and evidence of boathouses a mile further upstream at Northwold. The only [[Act of Parliament]] which covered the Wissey was passed in 1814, and this was more concerned with drainage than with navigation. Commissioners were appointed, who had responsibility for drainage in the parishes of Northwold, Stoke Ferry, Wereham, West Dereham and Wretton. They were empowered to widen the river between Hilgay Creek's End and Stoke Bridge, with the cost being borne by local landowners. They could also levy tolls on anyone using the north bank, although they could only use such tolls to repair the bank.<ref name=boyes/>
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Trade continued to the wharf at Oxborough Hithe and to another at Stoke Ferry until at least 1858, and may have continued for years afterwards, as the railway from Denver did not arrive until 1882. A barge called ''Wissey'' was operated by J Coston from Hilgay, which was known to have reached Cambridge in 1896 and 1898. In the 1930s, A Jackson was trading corn from Stoke Ferry, while one of the busiest times for the river was between 1925 and 1943.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | [[Wissington, Norfolk|Wissington]] sugar-beet factory was opened in 1925, and until 1941 could only be reached by river or by the Wissington Light Railway,<ref name=boyes/> which crossed the river at the western edge of the factory. The site was then requisitioned by the Ministry of Agriculture who used Italian prisoners of war to refurbish the railway and construct roads to the factory.<ref name=blair70/>
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Three tugs, named ''Hilgay'', ''Littleport'' and ''Wissington'' were used to pull a fleet of 24 steel barges, which were used to take the beet to King's Lynn during the winter months and to bring coal in the reverse direction during the summer.<ref name=boyes/>
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ==References==
| + | |
| − | {{reflist}}
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ===Books===
| + | |
| − | {{refbegin}}
| + | |
| − | *{{Cite book
| + | |
| − | |first=Andrew Hunter |last=Blair
| + | |
| − | |title=The River Great Ouse and tributaries
| + | |
| − | |publisher=Imray Laurie Norie and Wilson
| + | |
| − | |year=2006
| + | |
| − | |isbn=978-0-85288-943-5
| + | |
| − | |ref=harv}}
| + | |
| − | *{{Cite book
| + | |
| − | |first1=John |last1=Boyes
| + | |
| − | |first2=Ronald |last2=Russell
| + | |
| − | |title=The Canals of Eastern England
| + | |
| − | |publisher=David and Charles
| + | |
| − | |year=1977
| + | |
| − | |isbn=978-0-7153-7415-3
| + | |
| − | |ref=harv}}
| + | |
| − | *{{Cite book
| + | |
| − | |first=Joan |last=Thirsk
| + | |
| − | |title=Rural England
| + | |
| − | |publisher=Oxford University Press
| + | |
| − | |year=2002
| + | |
| − | |isbn=978-0-19-860619-2
| + | |
| − | |ref=harv}}
| + | |
| − | {{refend}}
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | {{DEFAULTSORT:Wissey, River}}
| + | |
| − | [[Category:Rivers of Norfolk]] [[Category:Tributaries of the Great Ouse]]
| + | |
