115-466: The Fens Waterways Link is a project to improve recreational boating opportunities in the counties of Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire , England. By a combination of improvements to existing waterways and the construction of new links a circular route between Lincoln , Peterborough , Ely and Boston is planned. The project is being organised by the Environment Agency and financed from
230-576: A non-metropolitan county , with five districts , and the unitary authority area of Peterborough . The local authorities collaborate through Cambridgeshire and Peterbrough Combined Authority . The county did not historically include Huntingdonshire or the Soke of Peterborough , which was part of Northamptonshire. The north and east of the county are dominated by the Fens , an extremely flat, drained marsh maintained by drainage ditches and dykes. Holme Fen
345-502: A 'Haling Act', the Ouse Navigation Act 1790 ( 30 Geo. 3 . c. 83), was passed, which ensured that tolls were charged and landowners were repaid for damage to the banks caused by horses. These measures were a success, as there were few complaints once the new system was in place. After the river had been diverted to King's Lynn , the town developed as a port. Evidence for this can still be seen, as two warehouses built in
460-417: A Waterways Development Strategy, covering 2018 to 2028. The objectives were slightly different. While they were still trying to make the waterways more viable economically, the new strategy had a wider remit, and seeks to work with others who are also working on water-related projects. One possible collaboration is with Anglian Water , who are looking for solutions to providing an adequate public water supply as
575-581: A better route for barge traffic. The unmodified river would have changed course regularly after floods. The name Ouse is from the Celtic or pre-Celtic * Udso-s , and probably means simply "water" or slow flowing river. Thus the name is a pleonasm . The lower reaches of the Great Ouse are also known as "Old West River" and "the Ely Ouse", but the entire length of the river is often referred to simply as
690-696: A direct link north-east towards the lower river at Denver in Norfolk. The river previously ran through Hermitage Lock into the Old West River, then joined the Cam near Little Thetford before passing Ely and Littleport to reach the Denver sluice. Below this point, the river is tidal and continues past Downham Market to enter the Wash at King's Lynn. It is navigable from the Wash to Kempston Mill near Bedford,
805-476: A distance of 72 mi (116 km) which contains 17 locks. It has a catchment area of 3,240 sq mi (8,380 km ) and a mean flow of 15.5 m /s (550 cu ft/s) as measured at Denver Sluice. Its course has been modified several times, with the first recorded modification in 1236, as a result of flooding. During the 1600s, the Old Bedford and New Bedford rivers were built to provide
920-687: A flood risk management scheme for the South Forty-Foot Drain. By late 2011, eight possible routes were being considered for the link into the River Glen. The adoption of the Water Framework Directive also meant that the project needed to ensure that water quality improved, and a £150,000 grant was received, to consider how the link might create improved habitat and better water supplies. Eventually, eleven routes were considered, of which two were shortlisted. Route 1
1035-514: A further 35,360 planned new dwellings between 2016 and 2023. Cambridgeshire has a maritime temperate climate which is broadly similar to the rest of the United Kingdom, though it is drier than the UK average due to its low altitude and easterly location, the prevailing southwesterly winds having already deposited moisture on higher ground further west. Average winter temperatures are cooler than
1150-529: A new section of canal would carry the route around the hamlet of Nene Terrace and link into Cat's Water Drain , which also passes close to Eye. The final part of the link would either be a new canal or would follow the remainder of Cat's Water Drain and a drainage ditch to reach Padholme pumping station. While the Folly River and Car Dyke look to be more suitable for navigation, some dredging and widening of Car Dyke would be required, and as much of this section
1265-770: A progressively eastwards fashion. In the Dark Ages, it turned to the west at Littleport, between its present junctions with the River Little Ouse and the River Lark , and made its way via Welney, Upwell and Outwell, to flow into The Wash near Wisbech . At that time it was known as the Wellstream or Old Wellenhee, and parts of that course are marked by the Old Croft River and the border between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. After major inland flood events in
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#17327757549921380-571: A quicker route for the water to reach the sea. In the 20th century, construction of the Cut-Off Channel and the Great Ouse Relief Channel have further altered water flows in the region, and helped to reduce flooding. Improvements to assist navigation began in 1618, with the construction of sluices and locks. Bedford could be reached by river from 1689. A major feature was the sluice at Denver, which failed in 1713, but
1495-534: A reliable outlet to the sea, and was kept navigable by diverting the River Nene east to flow into it in the 1470s. The Land Drainage Act 1601 ( 43 Eliz. 1 . c. 11) allowed 'adventurers', who paid for drainage schemes with their own money, to be repaid in land which they had drained. The act covered large tracts of England, but no improvements were made to the region through which the Great Ouse flowed until 1618, Arnold Spencer and Thomas Girton started to improve
1610-429: A three-month period soon afterwards. Despite pressure from local authorities and navigation companies, the upper river was closed for trade, and a royal commission reported in 1909 on the poor state of the lower river, the lack of any consistent authority to manage it, and the unusual practice of towing horses having to jump over fences because there were no gates where they crossed the towing path. The Ouse Drainage Board
1725-606: A tributary of the River Welland , at Guthram Gowt . It was easier to get funding for the actual project, but more difficult to get funding to cover the preparatory work, but this problem was recognised by the East Midlands Development Agency, who funded the early stages up to and including obtaining planning permission. The Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership originally thought that the preparatory work could be completed by March 2010. However, as
1840-571: Is a scheduled monument it is thought that English Heritage would not want any work to take place on it. The preferred route therefore follows the much smaller Cat's Water Drain. Access to the Middle Level Navigations is along King's Dyke, which leaves the Nene a short distance downstream of where the northern route would end. Kings Dyke passes through Stanground Lock and Ashline Lock, after which Whittlesey Dyke can be used to access
1955-571: Is a regional centre for the sport. Viking Kayak Club organise the Bedford Kayak Marathon with canoe racing held along the Embankment on Bedford's riverside and dates back to the original Bedford to St Neots race in 1952, believed to be the first of its kind in the country. Bedford also benefits from the presence of weirs and sluices, creating white water opportunities. Viking organise national ranking Canoe Slalom events at
2070-635: Is a river in England , the longest of several British rivers called "Ouse" . From Syresham in Northamptonshire , the Great Ouse flows through Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and Norfolk to drain into the Wash and the North Sea near Kings Lynn . Authorities disagree both on the river's source and its length, with one quoting 160 mi (260 km) and another 143 mi (230 km). Mostly flowing north and east, it
2185-524: Is based in Huntingdon. The RAF has several stations in the Huntingdon and St Ives area. RAF Alconbury , three miles north of Huntingdon, is being reorganised after a period of obsolescence following the departure of the USAF, to be the focus of RAF/USAFE intelligence operations, with activities at Upwood and Molesworth being transferred there. Most of Cambridgeshire is agricultural. Close to Cambridge
2300-639: Is close to the village of Castle Camps where a point on the disused RAF airfield reaches a height of 128 metres (420 ft) above sea level (grid reference TL 63282 41881). Other prominent hills are Little Trees Hill and Wandlebury Hill (both at 74 m (243 ft)) in the Gog Magog Hills , Rivey Hill above Linton , Rowley's Hill and the Madingley Hills. Wicken Fen is a 254.5-hectare (629-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Wicken . A large part of it
2415-565: Is comparable to parts of Kent and East Anglia. Various forms of football have been popular in Cambridgeshire since medieval times at least. In 1579 one match played at Chesterton between townspeople and University of Cambridge students ended in a violent brawl that led the Vice-Chancellor to issue a decree forbidding them to play "footeball" outside of college grounds. During the nineteenth century, several formulations of
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#17327757549922530-548: Is located in Madingley . It is the only WWII burial ground in England for American servicemen who died during that event. Most English counties have nicknames for their people, such as a " Tyke " from Yorkshire and a " Yellowbelly " from Lincolnshire . The historical nicknames for people from Cambridgeshire are "Cambridgeshire Camel" or "Cambridgeshire Crane", the latter referring to the wildfowl that were once abundant in
2645-597: Is no loger available for navigation. The proposed Fens Waterways Link , which aims to improve navigation from Lincoln to Cambridge may result in this section being upgraded, or a non-tidal link being created at Denver. There are two more proposed schemes to improve connections from the river to the Midlands waterway network (in addition to the Gt Ouse ;– Nene link via the Middle Level). As
2760-463: Is owned and managed by the National Trust . The Cambridge Green Belt around the city of Cambridge extends to places such as Waterbeach , Lode , Duxford , Little & Great Abington and other communities a few miles away in nearby districts, to afford a protection from the conurbation. It was first drawn up in the 1950s. Cambridgeshire County Council is controlled by an alliance of
2875-408: Is the fifth longest river in the United Kingdom . The Great Ouse has been historically important for commercial navigation, and for draining the low-lying region through which it flows; its best-known tributary is the Cam , which runs through Cambridge . Its lower course passes through drained wetlands and fens and has been extensively modified, or channelised , to relieve flooding and provide
2990-572: Is the UK's lowest physical point, at 2.75 m (9 ft) below sea level. The flatness of the landscape makes the few areas of higher ground, such as that Ely is built on, very conspicuous. The landscape in the south and west is gently undulating. Cambridgeshire's principal rivers are the Nene , which flows through the north of the county and is canalised east of Peterborough; the Great Ouse , which flows from west to east past Huntingdon and Ely; and
3105-462: Is the city of Peterborough , and the city of Cambridge is the county town. The county has an area of 3,389 km (1,309 sq mi) and a population of 852,523. Peterborough and Cambridge, located in the north-west and south respectively, are by far the largest settlements. The remainder of the county is rural, and contains the city of Ely , and towns such as Wisbech and St Neots . For local government purposes, Cambridgeshire comprises
3220-568: Is the construction of a new sluice on the Welland, 2.8 miles (4.5 km) below Fulney Lock. This would allow Fulney lock to be decommissioned, with a short new channel constructed from the Welland into Vernatt's Drain, and a second short link from Vernatt's Drain into the Glen above Surfleet Sluices. Vernatt's Drain is currently owned by the Welland and Deepings Internal Drainage Board , and so negotiation would be required to use this route. However, it
3335-430: Is the preferred choice, as it would also reduce the amount of flood defence work required on the Welland in this locality. In order to reach Peterborough, a new cut will be required between the Welland and the River Nene downstream of the city, near Flag Fen . Two routes are under consideration. The first would start near Peakirk pumping station, where the Folly River joins the Welland. A lock would be required to bypass
3450-548: Is the so-called Silicon Fen area of high-technology (electronics, computing and biotechnology) companies. ARM Limited is based in Cherry Hinton . The inland Port of Wisbech on the River Nene is the county's only remaining port. Cambridgeshire has a comprehensive education system with over 240 state schools, not including sixth form colleges . The independent sector includes King's Ely and Wisbech Grammar School , founded in 970 and 1379 respectively, they are two of
3565-633: The Cam , a tributary of the Great Ouse which flows through Cambridge. Cambridgeshire is noted as the site of Flag Fen in Fengate , one of the earliest-known Neolithic permanent settlements in the United Kingdom , compared in importance to Balbridie in Aberdeen, Scotland. Must Farm quarry, at Whittlesey , has been described as "Britain's Pompeii due to its relatively good condition, including
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3680-701: The Cardington Artificial Slalom Course (CASC), which was the first artificial whitewater course in the UK, opened in 1982 adjacent to Cardington Lock, in a partnership with the Environment Agency who use it as a flood relief channel. CASC is also the venue each year for the UK's National Inter Clubs Slalom Finals, the largest canoe slalom event by participation in the UK. Since 1978, the Bedford River Festival has been held every two years, to celebrate
3795-591: The Earl of Bedford formed a corporation to drain the Bedford Levels. Cornelius Vermuyden was the engineer, and a major part of the scheme was the Old Bedford River, a straight cut to carry water from Earith to a new sluice near Salters Lode, which was completed in 1637. The sluice was not popular with those who used the river for navigation, and there were some attempts to destroy the new works during
3910-551: The House of Lords in 1904, who allowed Simpson to close the locks. Simpson's victory in 1904 coincided with an increased use of the river for leisure. As he could not charge these boats for use of the locks, the situation was resolved for a time in 1906 by the formation of the River Ouse Locks Committee, who rented the locks between Great Barford and Bedford. Over 2,000 boats were recorded using Bedford Lock in
4025-595: The Liberal Democrats , the Labour Party and independent groups , while Peterborough City Council is currently controlled by a Conservative Party minority administration. The county contains seven Parliamentary constituencies : This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Cambridgeshire at current basic prices published (pp. 240–253) by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of English Pounds Sterling. AWG plc
4140-622: The Milton Keynes urban area (at Stony Stratford and Newport Pagnell ) and Olney , then Kempston in Bedfordshire, which is the current head of navigation. Passing through Bedford , it flows on into Cambridgeshire through St Neots , Godmanchester , Huntingdon , Hemingford Grey and St Ives , reaching Earith . Here, the river enters a short tidal section before branching in two. The artificial, very straight Old Bedford River and New Bedford River , which remain tidal, provide
4255-608: The Regional Development Agency and the European Union . A separate, complementary waterway is the Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway , opening up a route for broader beam boats between The Fens and the rest of Britain's canal network. The idea of creating a navigable waterway between Boston and Peterborough was promoted in 2005. It was described by the Environment Agency as the biggest project for
4370-739: The River Cam , the River Lark, the River Little Ouse and the River Wissey. Close to Denver sluice, Salters Lode lock gives access to the Middle Level Navigations , but the intervening section is tidal, and deters many boaters. Access to the Middle Level Navigations used to be possible via the Old Bedford River and Welches Dam lock, but the Environment Agency piled the entrance to the lock in 2006 and this route
4485-471: The River Nene and River Great Ouse lie within the county. In 2021 the latter was used as the course for The Boat Race . The River Cam serves as the course for the university Lent Bumps and May Bumps and the non-college rowing organised by Cambridgeshire Rowing Association . There is only one racecourse in Cambridgeshire, located at Huntingdon . Cambridge is home to the Kettle's Yard gallery and
4600-636: The South Forty-Foot Drain to The Haven by the construction of a new lock beside the Black Sluice pumping station. The schemes enabled new businesses to thrive, and resulted in significant private sector investment in related projects. Lincolnshire County Council's involvement was outlined in a ten-year plan entitled Lincolnshire Waterways for the Future, covering the period from 2008 to 2018. As that period came to an end, they produced
4715-951: The 'best-preserved Bronze Age dwellings ever found in the UK'". A great quantity of archaeological finds from the Stone Age , the Bronze Age , and the Iron Age were made in East Cambridgeshire . Most items were found in Isleham . The area was settled by the Anglo-Saxons starting in the fifth century. Genetic testing on seven skeletons found in Anglo-Saxon era graves in Hinxton and Oakington found that five were either migrants or descended from migrants from
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4830-484: The 15th century for trade with the Hanseatic League have survived. However, the harbour and the river below Denver sluice were affected by silting, and the problem was perceived to be the effects of the sluice. Sand from The Wash was deposited by the incoming tide, and the outgoing tide did not carry it away again. Colonel John Armstrong was asked to survey the river in 1724, and suggested returning it to how it
4945-415: The 1830s and 1840s. The Bedford Level Act 1827 ( 53 Geo. 3 . c. ccxiv) created commissioners who dredged the river from Hermitage Lock to Littleport bridge, and also dredged several of its tributaries. They constructed a new cut near Ely to bypass a long meander near Padnall Fen and Burnt Fen , but although the works cost £70,000, they were too late to return the navigation to prosperity. Railways arrived in
5060-591: The English average, due to Cambridgeshire's inland location and relative nearness to continental Europe, which results in the moderating maritime influence being less strong. Snowfall is slightly more common than in western areas, due to the relative winter coolness and easterly winds bringing occasional snow from the North Sea. In summer temperatures are average or slightly above, due to less cloud cover. It reaches 25 °C (77 °F) on around ten days each year, and
5175-807: The Fen Tigers), the county-based army unit, fought in the Boer War in South Africa, the First World War and Second World War. Due to the county's flat terrain and proximity to the continent, during the Second World War the military built many airfields here for RAF Bomber Command , RAF Fighter Command , and the allies USAAF . In recognition of this collaboration, the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial
5290-603: The Fens. The term "Fen Tigers" is sometimes used to describe the people who live and work in the Fens. Original historical documents relating to Cambridgeshire are held by Cambridgeshire Archives . Cambridgeshire County Council Libraries maintains several Local Studies collections of printed and published materials, significantly at the Cambridgeshire Collection held in the Cambridge Central Library . Cambridgeshire's county flag
5405-486: The Glen and the Welland is currently possible, but involves passing through Surfleet sluices, which can only be done at certain limited states of the tide, making a sharp turn on a tidal river where the two rivers converge, and passage through Fulney Lock on the Welland to reach Spalding . The lock is tidal and in need of refurbishment or replacement. One possibility is the construction of a new lock and sluice structure at Surfleet, and improving Fulney Lock. A second solution
5520-424: The Great Ouse at Earith. They believe that the Boston to Peterborough corridor can be delivered in the short to medium term, whereas the route beyond Peterborough is more problematic. Starting from the north, the first development was the provision of a new tidal lock from the Haven in Boston to the South Forty-Foot Drain at the Black Sluice , opened to traffic on 20 March 2009 by Michaela Strachan . The cost of
5635-450: The King's Lynn Conservancy Board, and the Great Ouse Catchment Board reconstructed and extended them in 1937. After major flooding in 1937 and 1947, and the North Sea flood of 1953 , flood control issues became more important, and the Cut-Off Channel was completed in 1964, to carry the headwaters of the River Wissey, River Lark and River Little Ouse to join the river near Denver sluice. The Great Ouse Relief Channel, which runs parallel to
5750-426: The King's Lynn harbour. Denver sluice was reconstructed in 1834, after the Eau Brink Cut had been completed. Sir John Rennie designed the new structure, which incorporated a tidal lock with four sets of gates, enabling it to be used at most states of the tide. Sir Thomas Cullam, who had inherited a part share of the upper river, invested large amounts of his own money in rebuilding the locks, sluices and staunches in
5865-405: The Middle Level from the Nene to the Great Ouse follows the old course of the Nene to Upwell and Outwell , and then continues along Well Creek to Salters Lode Lock. To reach the Great Ouse, boats must use Salters Lode Lock to enter the tidal section of the Great Ouse, and then use Denver Sluice to reach the non-tidal section. This transition is not easy, due to tidal levels, frequent silation below
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#17327757549925980-399: The Nene near Peterborough, and Phase 6 covers modifications to link them to the Old Bedford River or the New Bedford River and therefore into the River Great Ouse system. Lincolnshire's plan is not clear on how this could work, as it is outside of their administrative area, but their map shows either the re-establishment of the link through the closed Welches Dam lock, or a new channel to join
6095-399: The North of the county in 2012 at Wisbech & Fenland Museum . The county was visited by travelling companies of comedians in the Georgian period. These came from different companies. The Lincoln Circuit included, at various times, Wisbech and Whittlesey. The Wisbech Georgian theatre still survives as an operating theatre now known as The Angles Theatre . In Cambridge the ADC Theatre is
6210-474: The Ouse in informal usage (the word "Great" – which originally meant simply big or, in the case of a river, long – is used to distinguish this river from several others called the Ouse). The river has several sources close to the villages of Syresham and Wappenham in South Northamptonshire . It flows through Brackley , provides the Oxfordshire /Northamptonshire border, then into Buckinghamshire where it flows through Buckingham ,
6325-427: The River Glen. Surfleet Seas End sluice is close to where the River Glen joins the River Welland. Phase 4 is 14 miles (23 km) long, and covers the section between Surfleet and Crowland on the River Welland. Crowland is towards the upper end of the navigable Welland. Phase 5 is a new 9-mile (14 km) link between the Welland at Crowland and the River Nene near Peterborough. The Middle Level Navigations also join
6440-552: The area rapidly after 1845, reaching Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, King's Lynn, St Ives, St Neots and Tempsford by 1850. The river below King's Lynn was improved by the construction of the 2 mi (3.2 km) Marsh Cut and the building of training walls beyond that to constrain the channel, but the railways were welcomed by the Bedford Levels Corporation, for whom navigation interfered with drainage, and by King's Lynn Corporation, who did not want to be superseded by other towns with railway interchange facilities. A large interchange dock
6555-449: The artist-run Aid and Abet project space. Nine miles west of Cambridge next to the village of Bourn is Wysing Arts Centre . Wisbech has been home to the Wisbech Gallery, South Brink since 2023. Cambridge Open Studios is the region's large arts organisation with over 500 members. Every year, more than 370 artists open their doors to visitors during four weekends in July. The annual Fenland Poet Laureate awards were instigated for poets in
6670-469: The banks suffer from erosion, and water levels are at times quite shallow. This would be addressed by a programme of dredging. To complete a circular route would require some way to get from Earith back to the old course of the Nene. Currently, the Forty Foot Drain, which is also known as Vermuyden's Drain, runs from Welches Dam and Horseway Lock through Chatteris to join the old course of the Nene near Ramsey . The channel between Welches Dam and Horseway Lock
6785-399: The boats over such obstructions. On the lower river, a combination of high spring tides and large volumes of floodwater resulted in the complete failure of Denver sluice in 1713. While there were celebrations among the navigators, the problem of flooding returned, and the channel below Denver deteriorated. Charles Labelye therefore designed a new sluice for the Bedford Level Corporation, which
6900-497: The club, Charles Goodman Tebbutt , wrote down the first official rules in 1882. Tebbutt was instrumental in spreading the sport to many countries. Great Britain Bandy Association is based in Cambridgeshire. Fen skating is a traditional form of skating in the Fenland . The National Ice Skating Association was set up in Cambridge in 1879, they took the top Fen skaters to the world speedskating championships where James Smart (skater) became world champion. On 6–7 June 2015,
7015-463: The continent, one was a native Briton, and one had both continental and native ancestry, suggesting intermarriage. Cambridgeshire was recorded in the Domesday Book as "Grantbridgeshire" (or rather Grentebrigescire ) (related to the river Granta ). Covering a large part of East Anglia , Cambridgeshire today is the result of several local government unifications. In 1888 when county councils were introduced, separate councils were set up, following
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#17327757549927130-400: The costs shared so that one project meets the objectives of several organisations. The Fens Waterways Link has been rebranded as the Boston to Peterborough Wetland Corridor to reflect this change of emphasis, but navigation will still be part of the aim. The Inland Waterways Association will lead future development, working with Lincolnshire County Council and the Environment Agency. By 2018,
7245-429: The county are extremely low-lying and Holme Fen is notable for being the UK's lowest physical point at 2.75 m (9 ft) below sea level. The highest point of the modern administrative county is in the village of Great Chishill at 146 m (480 ft) above sea level. However, this parish was historically a part of Essex , having been moved to Cambridgeshire in boundary changes in 1895. The historic county top
7360-497: The drainage and ecology authority as well as being the navigation authority . The Ouse Washes are an internationally important area for wildlife. Sandwiched between the Old Bedford and New Bedford rivers, they consist of washland which is used as pasture during the summer but which floods in the winter, and are the largest area of such land in the United Kingdom. They act as breeding grounds for lapwings, redshanks and snipe in spring, and are home to varieties of ducks and swans during
7475-438: The early 13th century it breached another watershed near Denver and took over the channel of the old Wiggenhall Eau, and so achieved a new exit and so joined the Wash at Kings Lynn. Parts of the old course were later used for the River Lark, which flows in the reverse direction along the section below Prickwillow, after the main river was moved further to the west. The original northern course began to silt up, depriving Wisbech of
7590-404: The enhancement of waterways in Europe at the time, and would make 150 miles (240 km) of waterways accessible to inland boats, without them having to venture into the Wash. Lincolnshire has a greater length of rivers than the Norfolk Broads , but whereas the Broads are hugely popular with boaters, Lincolnshire's rivers were much less so. Initially, the main focus was on navigation, and to move
7705-468: The harbour, and was widened at an additional cost of £33,000 on Telford's advice. The total cost for the 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 mi (4.0 km) cut was nearly £500,000, and although the navigators, who had opposed the scheme, benefitted most from it, there were new problems for drainage, with the surrounding land levels dropping as the peaty soil dried out. The Eau Brink Act 1795 created Drainage Commissioners and Navigation Commissioners, who had powers over
7820-403: The ideas forwards, Lincolnshire County Council, the Environment Agency and British Waterways formed the Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership. This acted as an umbrella organisation, with each of the partners working on projects to achieve the aim of a better connected waterways infrastructure. Schemes with a total value exceeding £20 million were implemented, the first of which was the reconnection of
7935-413: The inaugural Tour of Cambridgeshire cycle race took place on closed roads across the county. The event was an official UCI qualification event, and consisted of a Time Trial on the 6th, and a Gran Fondo event on the 7th. The Gran Fondo event was open to the public, and over 6000 riders took part in the 128 km (80 mi) race. The River Cam is the main river flowing through Cambridge, parts of
8050-414: The laws of football, known as the Cambridge rules , were created by students at the university. One of these codes, dating from 1863, had a significant influence on the creation of the original laws of the Football Association . Cambridgeshire is also the birthplace of bandy , now an IOC accepted sport. According to documents from 1813, Bury Fen Bandy Club was undefeated for 100 years. A member of
8165-432: The main river for 10 + 1 ⁄ 2 mi (16.9 km) from here to Wiggenhall bridge, was constructed at the same time. It joins the river at a sluice above King's Lynn, and was made navigable in 2001, when the Environment Agency constructed a lock at Denver to provide access. By 1939, the Catchment Board had reopened the locks to Godmanchester and then to Eaton Socon ; in 1951 the Great Ouse Restoration Society
8280-572: The most popular area for breeding animals in recent years. Tributaries of the River Great Ouse: (upstream [source] to downstream by confluence) In 1944 the annual Boat Race between the Oxford and Cambridge universities took place on this river, between Littleport and Queen Adelaide, the first time that it had not been held on the Thames ; it was won by Oxford. The 2021 Boat Race
8395-639: The navigation, and it was recommended that it should be abandoned, but there was no funds to obtain an act of Parliament to create a drainage authority. The navigation was declared to be derelict by three county councils soon afterwards. It was then bought by the Ouse River Canal and Steam Navigation Ltd , who wanted to link Bedford to the Grand Junction Canal , but they failed to obtain their act of Parliament. A stockbroker called L. T. Simpson bought it in 1893, and spent some £21,000 over
8510-527: The next four years in restoring it. He created the Ouse Transport Company, running a fleet of tugs and lighters, and then attempted to get approval for new tolls, but was opposed by Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire county councils. Protracted legal battles followed, with Simpson nailing the lock gates together, and the county councils declaring that the river was a public highway. The case, Simpson v Godmanchester Corporation , eventually reached
8625-437: The north and south of England, it would also serve as a flood relief channel for new developments in the areas through which it is to pass. This extra benefit might release funding from wider sources. Adaptation of existing locks and bridges would be necessary to increase the dimensions to Grand Union Canal gauge, both in width and air draft. Although using a slightly different route, there are echoes of plans made in 1809 to link
8740-596: The old course of the River Nene at Floods Ferry. Initial plans for the Fens Waterways Link included creating a circular cruising route to the south, which would include parts of the Middle Level Navigations and of the River Great Ouse . For this to work well, some work would be required on King's Dyke, as water levels are sometimes too low for navigation. The recommended route for boats crossing
8855-441: The oldest schools in the country. Some of the secondary schools act as Village Colleges , institutions unique to Cambridgeshire. For example, Comberton Village College . Cambridgeshire is home to a number of institutes of higher education : In addition, Cambridge Regional College and Huntingdonshire Regional College both offer a limited range of higher education courses in conjunction with partner universities. These are
8970-522: The population grows. This might include water transfers between the Trent , the Witham and the South Forty-Foot Drain to one or more new reservoirs. If these transfers use open channels, rather than pipelines, they could create waterways corridors, which would provide both habitat and navigation. By working together, such projects can address issues of the environment, flood mitigation and water security , with
9085-709: The project was £8.5 million, of which £4 million came from Lincolnshire County Council, £2.5 million from the European Regional Development Fund and £2 million from the East Midlands Regional Development Agency. At the time, phase two of the project involved widening of the South Forty-Foot Drain from Donington to a new road crossing under the A151 road , a new lock and a junction with the River Glen ,
9200-486: The project would be the long-discussed Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway canal between Bedford and Milton Keynes following the course of the Great Ouse and joining the Grand Union Canal , mooted as the "first new canal in over a century". The funding for this is slowly appearing and as well as providing for the first time an inland route for broader boats—up to 3.2 metres (10 ft 6 in) wide—between
9315-441: The pumping station to a drainage ditch called Cranbrook Drain, which would be enlarged and join the Old Bedford River below Earith Sluice. Upgrading of the final section of the Old Bedford River would be required, and again, a lock structure to bypass Earith Sluice would be needed. The second route was the preferred option in 2003, although Lincolnshire County Council still showed all three routes on their 2018 plan. The completion of
9430-472: The pumping station, as the water levels of the two waterways are not the same. After about 1.9 miles (3 km) the Folly River joins the Car Dyke , which follows the north-eastern edge of Peterborough to the village of Eye . An alternative route would leave the Welland at Postland pumping station, further downstream and nearer to Crowland, and follow the course of Kennulph's Drain to Kennulph Farm. From there
9545-582: The river between 1925 and 1959, with the last known commercial traffic sailing in 1974. Leisure boating had been popular since 1904, and the post-war period saw the creation of the Great Ouse Restoration Society in 1951, who campaigned for complete renovation of the river navigation. Until 1989, the river was in the care of the Anglian Water Authority until water privatisation , when the Environment Agency became
9660-453: The river between St Ives and St Neots . Six sluices were constructed, and Spencer attempted to obtain permission to improve the river to Bedford, but the bill for the related act of Parliament was defeated, despite support from Bedford Corporation. Some dredging was done, and Great Barford became an inland port, but he lost a lot of money on the scheme, and the condition of the river worsened. Below Earith, thirteen Adventurers working with
9775-579: The river by forming the Viking Kayak Club . Since 1996, the river has been the responsibility of the Environment Agency , who issue navigation licences. The upper river was fully reopened to Bedford with the rebuilding of Castle Mills lock in 1978. The non-tidal reaches of the river are used for leisure boating, but remain largely separated from the rest of the British inland waterway system. Several of its tributaries are navigable, including
9890-647: The river to St Ives, but both bodies were subject to the Bedford Levels Corporation. Although often in opposition, the two parties worked together on the construction of a new lock and staunch at Brownshill, to improve navigation above Earith. In 1835, King William IV brought a case against the Ouse Bank Commissioners regarding a mandamus writ issued in 1834 about the Eau Brink Cut and possible damages it caused to
10005-432: The river, and navigation was extended to Bedford in 1689 by the construction of new staunches and sluices. Between St Ives and Bedford, there were ten sluices, which were pound locks constructed at locations where mill weirs would have prevented navigation. There were also five staunches, which were flash locks constructed near to fords and shallows. Operation of the beam and paddle provided an extra volume of water to carry
10120-465: The route options, the engineering challenges, the environmental considerations and the costs were considered, the scope of the project grew. It became clear that the March 2010 deadline would not be met, and so only part of the East Midlands Development Agency funding was used before their deadline ran out. The Environment Agency then began to look at whether the project could be delivered in conjunction with
10235-454: The scheme had been divided into six phases. Phases 1 and 2 covered the reconnection of the South Forty-Foot Drain to the Haven, and upgrading of the South Forty-Foot Drain as far a Donington High Bridge, These were completed in 2009. Phase 3 covers the 17-mile (27 km) link from Donington High Bridge to Surfleet Seas End sluice. This includes a new channel between the South Forty-Foot Drain and
10350-528: The settlements in Cambridgeshire with a town charter, city status or a population over 5,000; for a complete list of settlements see list of places in Cambridgeshire . See the List of Cambridgeshire settlements by population page for more detail. The town of Newmarket is surrounded on three sides by Cambridgeshire, being connected by a narrow strip of land to the rest of Suffolk . Cambridgeshire has seen 32,869 dwellings created from 2002 to 2013 and there are
10465-532: The sluice making access difficult, and the poor state of Salters Lode Lock. In order to mitigate this, one proposal was to create a short new section of canal from Well Creek and ascend through a couple of locks, to cross over the New Bedford River on an aqueduct. More locks would then drop the level so that boats could join the Great Ouse above Denver Sluice. This would avoid the need to refurbish Salters Lode Lock, and would not require boaters to negotiate
10580-584: The sugar beet factory at Queen Adelaide near Ely was opened. They operated six or seven tugs and a fleet of over 100 barges, and three tugs and 24 barges from the Wissington sugar beet factory on the River Wissey also operated on the river. Local commercial traffic continued around Ely until after the Second World War . The sugar beet traffic ceased in 1959, and the last commercial boat on
10695-454: The tidal river. The Great Ouse from Denver Sluice up to Ely is not thought to need any attention, as it is wide and deep and there are no navigation structures on that length. The next section from the Fish and Duck Inn near Stretham to Hermitage Lock at Earith needs more attention, as it has suffered from a lack of funding, due to its catchment being very small. The channel is narrow in places,
10810-584: The traditional division of Cambridgeshire, for In 1965, these two administrative counties were merged to form Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely . Under the Local Government Act 1972 this merged with the county to the west, Huntingdon and Peterborough , which had been formed in 1965, by the merger of Huntingdonshire with the Soke of Peterborough (the latter previously a part of Northamptonshire with its own county council). The resulting county
10925-458: The turmoil of the English civil wars . A second drainage act of Parliament was obtained in 1649, and Vermuyden oversaw the construction of the New Bedford River, parallel to the Old Bedford River, which was completed in 1652. There was strong opposition from the ports and towns on the river, which increased as the old channel via Ely gradually silted up. Above Earith, Samuel Jemmatt took control of
11040-459: The upper river was "Shellfen" , a Dutch barge converted to carry 4,000 imp gal (18,000 L) of diesel fuel, which supplied the remote pumping stations until 1974, when the last ones were converted to electricity. Below Denver, the situation was complicated by the fact that there were six bodies with responsibility for the river in 1913. No dredging took place, as there was no overall authority. The training walls were repaired in 1930 by
11155-764: The venue for the Footlights . The county is covered by BBC East and ITV Anglia . Local radio includes BBC Radio Cambridgeshire , Greatest Hits Radio East , Heart East , Smooth East Midlands (only covering Peterborough ), and Star Radio . The community radio stations are Black Cat Radio in St Neots; Cam FM and Cambridge 105 in Cambridge; Huntingdon Community Radio ; and Peterborough Community Radio and Salaam Radio in Peterborough. River Great Ouse The River Great Ouse ( / uː z / ooz )
11270-440: The water quality has improved, otters have returned to the river in numbers such that fishing lakes now require fencing to protect stocks. Paxton Pits nature reserve near St Neots has hides from which otters are regularly seen. Coarse fishing is still popular, with a wide range of fish in the river, but it is many years since large sturgeon were caught. Seals have been recorded as far upstream as Bedford. Huntingdonshire seems to be
11385-600: The waterways. Two schemes were proposed, one which would have created a canal from Stamford to the Oakham Canal , 11 miles (18 km) due west, with a link from Stamford to the Nene at Peterborough , and a connection from near Market Deeping on the Welland, and a rival scheme to link Stamford to the Grand Junction Canal , both of which included a connection to the South Forty-Foot Drain. Both were put before Parliament in 1811, but neither met with any success. The idea
11500-479: The winter months. The river has been important both for drainage and for navigation for centuries, and these dual roles have not always been complementary. The course of the river has changed significantly. In prehistory, it flowed from Huntingdon straight to Wisbech and then into the sea. In several sequences, the lower reaches of the river silted, and in times of inland flood, the waters would breach neighbouring watersheds and new courses would develop – generally in
11615-667: Was again held on the river because of the COVID-19 pandemic . The Great Ouse has been used by three clubs from Cambridge University for the training of rowers, with the Boat Club (CUBC) , the Women's Boat Club (CUWBC) and the Lightweight Rowing Club (CULRC) , all using facilities at Ely; the clubs merged in 2020. The Great Ouse is a very popular river for canoeing and kayaking , particularly around Bedford which
11730-436: Was always shallow, and access was restricted to certain weekends, but in 2006 the Environment Agency closed the lock at Welches Dam, and the channel has since become overgrown with reeds. Three options were proposed to complete the circular route. One was to build an aqueduct to carry boats from Welches Dam over the Old Bedford River and into the tidal New Bedford River, which joins the Great Ouse above Hermitage Lock. The second
11845-411: Was built at Ely, to facilitate the distribution of agricultural produce from the local region to wider markets. In addition, coal for several isolated pumping stations was transferred to boats for the final part of the journey, rather than it coming all the way from King's Lynn. Decline on most of the river was rapid, with tolls halving between 1855 and 1862. Flooding in 1875 was blamed on the poor state of
11960-564: Was called simply Cambridgeshire. Since 1998, the City of Peterborough has been separately administered as a unitary authority area. It is associated with Cambridgeshire for ceremonial purposes such as Lieutenancy and joint functions such as policing and the fire service. In 2002, the conservation charity Plantlife unofficially designated Cambridgeshire's county flower as the Pasqueflower . The Cambridgeshire Regiment (nicknamed
12075-464: Was constructed between 1748 and 1750 and included a navigation lock. No tolls were charged on the river below St Ives or on the New Bedford, and those responsible for drainage complained about damage to the sluices and to banks by the horses used for towing boats. A bill for a new act of Parliament to regulate the situation was defeated in 1777 after fierce opposition, and it was not until 1790 that
12190-585: Was formed in 1918, but had no powers to deal with navigation issues, and it was not until the powers of the Land Drainage Act 1930 ( 20 & 21 Geo. 5 . c. 44) were used to create the Great Ouse Catchment Board that effective action could be taken. The catchment board bought the navigation rights from Simpson's estate, and began to dredge the river and rebuild the locks. There was an upturn in commercial traffic from 1925, when
12305-546: Was formed to continue the process, and successfully campaigned for and assisted with the restoration. The Restoration Society campaign included the establishment of the Bedford to St. Neots Canoe Race in 1952 to publicise the case for navigational restoration. Now known as the Bedford Kayak Marathon, it is the longest established canoe race in the UK. In 1961 its organisers formalised canoeing activities on
12420-482: Was made official on 1 February 2015, after the design was selected as an entry from a design competition that ran during 2014. The design features three golden crowns, two on the top, one on the bottom that are separated by two wavy lines in the middle. The crowns are meant to represent East Anglia, and the two lines represent the River Cam and are in the Cambridge University's colours. Large areas of
12535-418: Was obtained to authorise it, and another 26 years until the cut was finally opened in 1821. During this time, most of the major civil engineers of the time had contributed their opinions. The original project head and chief engineer was Sir Thomas Hyde Page . The work was overseen by John Rennie and Thomas Telford and construction took four years. It proved to be too narrow, resulting in further silting of
12650-469: Was prior to the construction of the drainage works. John Smeaton rejected this idea in 1766, suggesting that the banks should be moved inwards to create a narrower, faster-flowing channel. William Elstobb and others had suggested that the great bend in the river above King's Lynn should be removed by creating a cut, but it took 50 years of arguing before the Eau Brink Act 1795 ( 35 Geo. 3 . c. 77)
12765-486: Was raised again in 1815 and 1828, but no further action was taken. Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs. ) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia . It is bordered by Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, Northamptonshire to the west and Bedfordshire to the south-west. The largest settlement
12880-401: Was rebuilt by 1750 after the problem of flooding returned. Kings Lynn, at the mouth of the river, developed as a port, with civil engineering input from many of the great engineers of the time. With the coming of the railways the state of the river declined so that it was unsuitable either for navigation or for drainage. The navigation was declared to be derelict in the 1870s. A repeated problem
12995-421: Was the number of authorities responsible for different aspects of the river. The drainage board created in 1918 had no powers to address navigation issues, and there were six bodies responsible for the river below Denver in 1913. When the Great Ouse Catchment Board was created under the powers of the Land Drainage Act 1930 , effective action could at last be taken. There was significant sugar beet cargo traffic on
13110-468: Was the original route, with a lock to get round Black Hole Drove pumping station, continuing along a widened South Forty-Foot Drain to Guthram Gowt, and then a lock into the River Glen. Route 11 also had a lock near the pumping station, but then used a new channel to reach the A151 road and a lock into the Glen. Route 1 was then discarded when a landowner changed their support for that route. Navigation between
13225-533: Was to build a new lock between Welches Dam and the Old Bedford River. The section above Welches Dam to the sluice at Earith would be enlarged so that it became navigable, and a new lock structure would be built to bypass Earith Sluice. The third option involved making the Twenty Foot River navigable towards Chatteris. This then becomes Fenton's Lode, and the new route would follow Fenton's Lode to High Fen pumping station. A new section of canal would run from
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