Barlings Eau
Encyclopedia
Barlings Eau is a small river near Barlings
, Lincolnshire
, England
. It is a tributary of the River Witham
, joining it near Short Ferry.
. One rises to the east of Spridlington
and flows in a south-easterly direction. A second rises to the north of Faldingworth
, flows to the west under the A46 road, and then turns to the south. A third rises to the west of Faldingworth, and again flows west and south to the junction. The first is below the 50 feet (15.2 m) contour, while the other two start above the 65 feet (19.8 m) contour. At Snarford
, it is joined by two other streams from the west, and passes under the A46 at Snarford Bridge. Several more streams join it before it reaches Stainton by Langworth
, where it passes under the Lincoln to Market Rasen
railway.
A further three streams join before it passes under the A158 road at Langworth
. It crosses Newball Common, and flows along the eastern edge of Barlings Abbey
. The Abbey was founded by the Premonstratensian
order, known in Britain as the White Canons, in 1156. The remains are quite fragmentary, but parts of the Abbey Church are grade I listed and the remains of the Abbey are grade II listed. The site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument
. Just before the river crosses under Ferry Road at Short Ferry Bridge, there is a large Environment Agency pumping station, and a small electric pumping station maintained by the Witham Third District Internal Drainage Board
below it. Finally, the river joins the old course of the River Witham, which joins the new course just below Bardney Lock. The old course and the start of Barlings Eau up to Short Ferry Bridge is navigable, and there was a marina at Short Ferry, but the connection to the river channel has been filled in. The former basin is now a lake in a caravan park.
. The Board was originally constituted by an Act of Parliament
passed in 1762, which created six drainage districts, with responsibility for Draining and Preserving certain Low Lands, called the Fens, lying on both Sides of the River Witham, in the County of Lincoln. On 1 November 1934, the Witham Third District Commissioners amalgamated with the Bardney Drainage Board, the Greetwell District Drainage Commissioners, the Kirkstead Drainage Board, and the River Bain Drainage Board, as a result of the passing of the Land Drainage Act of 1930. The Board was again re-organised following the passing of the Land Drainage Act of 1991, and now consists of 31 members, 15 who are elected by those who pay drainage rates, 14 nominated by councils, and two joint appointments. They are responsible for the drainage of an area which covers 54 square miles (139.9 km²).
The area around Short Ferry is called Stainfield Fen, and it was first drained as a private venture by landowners. It became part of of the Greetwell Drainage District, and a 16 hp steam engine was installed some time before 1881. This was replaced by a 30 hp engine in 1896, which had been scrapped by 1953. There are now no traces of the original buildings, which were located close to the junction with the old course of the Witham. The present Stainfield pumping station, which is situated next to Short Ferry Bridge, contains a 20 inches (50.8 cm) Allen-Gwynnes electric pump, which was installed in 1959, and which can pump 9.7 million gallons per day (44 Megalitres per day (Mld)). In 1991 this was supplemented by two 10 inches (254 mm) submersible pumps, each capable of pumping 1.1M gal per day (5 Mld), which are located a little to the south-east of the 1959 station.
Barlings
Barlings and Low Barlings are two small hamlets lying south off the A158 road at Langworth, in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. Low Barlings is a scattered collection of homes, situated along a trackway south from Barlings towards boggy ground near the River Witham...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is a tributary of the River Witham
River Witham
The River Witham is a river, almost entirely in the county of Lincolnshire, in the east of England. It rises south of Grantham close to South Witham, at SK8818, passes Lincoln at SK9771 and at Boston, TF3244, flows into The Haven, a tidal arm of The Wash, near RSPB Frampton Marsh...
, joining it near Short Ferry.
Route
Barlings Eau rises as three streams which join together near the medieval village of Cold HanworthCold Hanworth
Cold Hanworth is a village in the civil parish of Hackthorn, in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated 7 miles north-north-east of Lincoln, just north of the A46....
. One rises to the east of Spridlington
Spridlington
Spridlington is a village and civil parish in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is north of Lincoln just off the A15. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 194.The parish church of St. Hilary's dates from 1875...
and flows in a south-easterly direction. A second rises to the north of Faldingworth
Faldingworth
Faldingworth is a village and civil parish in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated on the A46 about south-west from Market Rasen. Spridlington parish lies to the west, and Friesthorpe parish to the south-east. Faldingworth parish covers just over...
, flows to the west under the A46 road, and then turns to the south. A third rises to the west of Faldingworth, and again flows west and south to the junction. The first is below the 50 feet (15.2 m) contour, while the other two start above the 65 feet (19.8 m) contour. At Snarford
Snarford
Snarford is a village and civil parish in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, about north west of the city of Lincoln and about south west of the town of Market Rasen....
, it is joined by two other streams from the west, and passes under the A46 at Snarford Bridge. Several more streams join it before it reaches Stainton by Langworth
Stainton by Langworth
Stainton by Langworth is a hamlet and civil parish along the A158 between Lincoln and Wragby, in the district of West Lindsey, in the county of Lincolnshire, England...
, where it passes under the Lincoln to Market Rasen
Market Rasen railway station
Market Rasen railway station serves the town of Market Rasen in Lincolnshire, England. It was built by the Great Grimsby and Sheffield Junction Railway, with the opening of the line, in 1848. The station was substantial structure with an overall roof below which all the usual station facilities...
railway.
A further three streams join before it passes under the A158 road at Langworth
Langworth
Langworth is a small village in Lincolnshire about 7 miles north-east of Lincoln in the United Kingdom.The central spine of the village is the A158 Lincoln - Skegness road, on which are two public houses, a village store/post office and two garages. Langworth railway station, on the Grimsby–Lincoln...
. It crosses Newball Common, and flows along the eastern edge of Barlings Abbey
Barlings Abbey
Barlings Abbey, Lincolnshire, was a Premonstratensian monastery in England, founded in 1154.-History:Its founder was Ralph de Haye, son of the constable of Lincoln Castle, and lord of Burwell and Carlton...
. The Abbey was founded by the Premonstratensian
Premonstratensian
The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines, or in Britain and Ireland as the White Canons , are a Catholic religious order of canons regular founded at Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg...
order, known in Britain as the White Canons, in 1156. The remains are quite fragmentary, but parts of the Abbey Church are grade I listed and the remains of the Abbey are grade II listed. The site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
. Just before the river crosses under Ferry Road at Short Ferry Bridge, there is a large Environment Agency pumping station, and a small electric pumping station maintained by the Witham Third District Internal Drainage Board
Internal Drainage Board
An internal drainage board is a type of operating authority which is established in areas of special drainage need in England and Wales with permissive powers to undertake work to secure clean water drainage and water level management within drainage districts...
below it. Finally, the river joins the old course of the River Witham, which joins the new course just below Bardney Lock. The old course and the start of Barlings Eau up to Short Ferry Bridge is navigable, and there was a marina at Short Ferry, but the connection to the river channel has been filled in. The former basin is now a lake in a caravan park.
Land drainage
With the exception of a tiny section of two of the streams at the source of the river, its entire course lies within the jurisdiction of the Witham Third District Internal Drainage Board. The upper reaches, to below Snarford Bridge and most of the tributaries below that are maintained by the Drainage Board. The main channel below Snarford is a designated main river and is the responsibility of the Environment AgencyEnvironment Agency
The Environment Agency is a British non-departmental public body of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and an Assembly Government Sponsored Body of the Welsh Assembly Government that serves England and Wales.-Purpose:...
. The Board was originally constituted by an Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
passed in 1762, which created six drainage districts, with responsibility for Draining and Preserving certain Low Lands, called the Fens, lying on both Sides of the River Witham, in the County of Lincoln. On 1 November 1934, the Witham Third District Commissioners amalgamated with the Bardney Drainage Board, the Greetwell District Drainage Commissioners, the Kirkstead Drainage Board, and the River Bain Drainage Board, as a result of the passing of the Land Drainage Act of 1930. The Board was again re-organised following the passing of the Land Drainage Act of 1991, and now consists of 31 members, 15 who are elected by those who pay drainage rates, 14 nominated by councils, and two joint appointments. They are responsible for the drainage of an area which covers 54 square miles (139.9 km²).
The area around Short Ferry is called Stainfield Fen, and it was first drained as a private venture by landowners. It became part of of the Greetwell Drainage District, and a 16 hp steam engine was installed some time before 1881. This was replaced by a 30 hp engine in 1896, which had been scrapped by 1953. There are now no traces of the original buildings, which were located close to the junction with the old course of the Witham. The present Stainfield pumping station, which is situated next to Short Ferry Bridge, contains a 20 inches (50.8 cm) Allen-Gwynnes electric pump, which was installed in 1959, and which can pump 9.7 million gallons per day (44 Megalitres per day (Mld)). In 1991 this was supplemented by two 10 inches (254 mm) submersible pumps, each capable of pumping 1.1M gal per day (5 Mld), which are located a little to the south-east of the 1959 station.