A great deal of fascinating information about the River Ancholme and its valley as it was centuries ago was recently revealed in Brigg. The question now is: What will the future bring?
Information was shared courtesy of the new Ancholme Valley Actions for Climate Change Project and the earlier Wilder Ancholme Project which spent 2½ years looking at our district.
What the session heard filled gaps in our own local knowledge and (we suggest) did likewise for other people who attended this event in the Buttercross.
We had always thought the Ancholme Valley's extensive range of productive farmland so familiar today immediately followed the efforts of Dutch drainage engineers in the 17th century - creating a straight new 'cut' (canal) running up to South Ferriby.
However, it appears those who instigated this extensive project had commerce very much in mind - a deep channel to ensure sizeable trading craft could use the length of the river (up and down stream of Brigg). Areas of land a considerable distance to the east and west of the river still remained wet following the 17th century improvements.
It was not until the 19th century, and the development of steam-driven pumping technology, that really effective drainage became available to boost agricultural crop production.
A find uncovered near the Ancholme was a centuries-old Dutch brandy bottle. Its contents may have been consumed by workers involved in river improvements and then discarded once emptied.
Located towards the southern end of the river, Brandy Wharf thrived due to the navigable waterway.
Broughton Decoy - to the west of the Ancholme - was formed to attract and trap wildfowl.
After the arrival of railways in the 19th century, it became possible to send large quantities of edible birds by train from decoys to large centres of population elsewhere.
However, the water table was much higher in those days. As it gradually lowered and fewer ducks were in the vicinity, decoys became uneconomic.
Reference was made during the session at the Buttercross to bird's eye views of the Ancholme Valley either side of Brigg on which the Broughton Decoy site can be seen.
Also evident from high in the sky are the remains of various meanders created centuries ago before the engineers got to work and when the course of the Ancholme continued to change within its wide floodplain.
These little-known survivors offer fine localised habitats for plants, trees, insects and small animals of many types.
In the not too distant future it will be possible to see 'flyover' views of the Ancholme Valley online, and to see representations of what it looked like at various points in time going back many centuries.
We'll look to keep Brigg Blog followers posted once the views go live on the internet (with links provided).
Some Brigg children in the 1960s used to play at what was known locally as Quicksands - located not too far from Grammar School Road.
What we thought was a stream may well have been part of the meandering original river. Kids dared each other to jump over the small waterway from one bank to the other.
Anyone who slipped into the not particularly deep stream would be swallowed up by quicksands beneath, older children suggested. And younger ones believed them!
Discussions towards the end of what proved to be a lengthy session at the Buttercross involved members of the audience, including some with a particular interest in agriculture.
A leaflet now being distributed locally by the new Ancholme Project states: "Climate change means that the Ancholme Valley is facing threats from rising sea levels and heavier rainfall causing flooding. This will impact people's homes and livelihoods unless we take action."
The leaflet also gives examples of what it calls climate action opportunities.
These include "re-wetting areas to make more space for water and increase biodiversity, and also "re-thinking farming methods to find more sustainable alternatives."
The Ancholme Valley, it appears, offers one of the best re-wilding opportunities in lowland England.
Becoming involved and finding out more about the latest project can be achieved by:
Emailing syeconet2@gmail.com
Visiting the website page www.ukeconet.org/together-for-our-planet-ancholme.html
Following @WilderAncholme on Facebook
Following @WAncholme on Twitter.
PICTURED ABOVE: A timeless and tranquil scene on the Old River Ancholme, near Cadney Road, Brigg.
A find uncovered near the Ancholme was a centuries-old Dutch brandy bottle. Its contents may have been consumed by workers involved in river improvements and then discarded once emptied.
Located towards the southern end of the river, Brandy Wharf thrived due to the navigable waterway.
Broughton Decoy - to the west of the Ancholme - was formed to attract and trap wildfowl.
After the arrival of railways in the 19th century, it became possible to send large quantities of edible birds by train from decoys to large centres of population elsewhere.
However, the water table was much higher in those days. As it gradually lowered and fewer ducks were in the vicinity, decoys became uneconomic.
Reference was made during the session at the Buttercross to bird's eye views of the Ancholme Valley either side of Brigg on which the Broughton Decoy site can be seen.
Also evident from high in the sky are the remains of various meanders created centuries ago before the engineers got to work and when the course of the Ancholme continued to change within its wide floodplain.
These little-known survivors offer fine localised habitats for plants, trees, insects and small animals of many types.
In the not too distant future it will be possible to see 'flyover' views of the Ancholme Valley online, and to see representations of what it looked like at various points in time going back many centuries.
We'll look to keep Brigg Blog followers posted once the views go live on the internet (with links provided).
Some Brigg children in the 1960s used to play at what was known locally as Quicksands - located not too far from Grammar School Road.
What we thought was a stream may well have been part of the meandering original river. Kids dared each other to jump over the small waterway from one bank to the other.
Anyone who slipped into the not particularly deep stream would be swallowed up by quicksands beneath, older children suggested. And younger ones believed them!
Discussions towards the end of what proved to be a lengthy session at the Buttercross involved members of the audience, including some with a particular interest in agriculture.
A leaflet now being distributed locally by the new Ancholme Project states: "Climate change means that the Ancholme Valley is facing threats from rising sea levels and heavier rainfall causing flooding. This will impact people's homes and livelihoods unless we take action."
The leaflet also gives examples of what it calls climate action opportunities.
These include "re-wetting areas to make more space for water and increase biodiversity, and also "re-thinking farming methods to find more sustainable alternatives."
The Ancholme Valley, it appears, offers one of the best re-wilding opportunities in lowland England.
Becoming involved and finding out more about the latest project can be achieved by:
Emailing syeconet2@gmail.com
Visiting the website page www.ukeconet.org/together-for-our-planet-ancholme.html
Following @WilderAncholme on Facebook
Following @WAncholme on Twitter.
PICTURED ABOVE: A timeless and tranquil scene on the Old River Ancholme, near Cadney Road, Brigg.
