History
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A Brief History of the Board
The Witham Act 1762 created the Witham Drainage General Commissioners,
who exercised jurisdiction over the drainage by the River Witham, its tributaries and main drains
within the six districts of the Witham. The six districts included the First District:- described
as 'the Fens and Lowlands in Lincoln, Lincoln Common, Canwick, Washingborough, Heighington, Branston,
Potterhanworth, Nocton, Dunston, Metheringham, Blankney, Linwood, Martin, Timberland, Timberland
Thorpe (now know as Thorpe Tilney), Walcott, Billinghay Dales and Dogdyke'; and the Fifth District
'low lands in the parishes of Anwick, North kyme, Ruskington, Dorrington and Digby'.
Each parish was entitled to elect one Commissioner to their respective
District. The First District electing eighteen Commissioners, the Fifth District five. Each District
elected representatives to become General Commissioners, seven from the First District and two from
the Fifth District were elected together with representatives from the other four Witham Districts to
form the General Commission of thirty one representatives.
A series of Acts and Awards were brought before Parliament to improve the
standard of drainage in these districts.
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The Witham First District
Washingborugh & Heighington Fens
1827 & 1829 - Acts for dividing, inclosing and exonerating from tithes, the
open and common fields etc., in the parish of Washingborough and township of Heighington. Awards
dates 1830 and 1831 describing bridges, drains, banks and sluices in the area made or erected by the
Commissioners.
Nocton, Potterhanworth and Branston Fens
1789 & 1832 - Acts for embanking and draining certain fens and low lands in
the parishes of Nocton, Potterhanworth and Branston (5,860 acres). Award dated 1793 describes drains,
bridges, engines, stanches, sluices, dams in the area made or erected by the Commissioners.
Dunston & Metheringham Fens
1789 - Act for dividing and inclosing the open common fen and ings in the
parish of Dunston and for draining and improving certain parts thereof. Also certain inclosed low lands in
Dunston and Metheringham parishes. Award dates 1793 relating to drains, banks and bridges made or
erected by the Commissioners.
1826 - Act for embanking, draining and otherwise improving lands in the
parishes of Metheringham and Dunston.
Martin, Blankney & Linwood Fens
1787 - Act for inclosing the low lands and common fens in the Hamlet of Martin,
in the parish of Blankney and for draining these lands. Award dated 1804 describing ditches, drains,
dikes, tunnels, engines, stanches made or erected by the Commissioners.
1797 - Act to embank and drain the open and unembanked lands and grounds lying
between the Dlaes Head Dyke and the River Witham, in the several townships or hamlets and parishes of Walcott,
Timberland Thorpe, Timberland, Martin, Linwood and Blankney. Award dates 1804 describing banks, drains,
bridges, engines, sluices made or erected by the Commissioner.
1832 - Act for the more effective drainage of the lands within Blankney Fen,
Blankney Dales, Linwood Fen, Linwood Dales, Martin Fen and Martin Dales.
Timberland and Thorpe Fens
1785 - Act for drainage and preserving certain low lands within the parish of
Timberland. Award dated 1789 describing banks, drains, bridges made or erected by the Commissioner.
1839 - Act for the more effectual drainage of certain lands called the fen and dales
of Timberland, Timberland Thorpe in the parish of Timberland.
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The Fifth District
1840 - Act for the more effectual drainage of certain lands called Billinghay Fen,
Billinghay Dales, Walcott Fen, Walcott Dales, North Kyme East Fen and Ings in the parishes or places of Billinghay and
Walcott, Dogdyke, Harts Ground, Coningsby, Swineshead, North Kyme and South Kyme.
Billinghay Award dated 1779 relating to and describing banks, drains, bridges, sluices,
tunnels and engines made or erected by the Commissioners.
Anwick Award dated 1794.
Ruskington, Dorrington and North Kyme dates 1839 describing sewers, watercourses, engine, tunnels made or erected by
the Commissioners.
Leasingham Moor Award dates 1822 describing tunnels, drains and bridges made or erected by the Commissioners.
Ruskington Fields Award dated 1780 describing a drain.
1792 - Act for making and maintaining a navigation from Sleaford Castle Causeway
through the town of Sleaford, along the course of Sleaford Mill Stream and Kyme Eau to the River Witham at or near
Chapel Hill and for making necessary cuts for better effecting the said navigation.
The 1930 Land Drainage Act provided for the re-organisation of the various districts into elective internal drainage
boards and the Witham and Steeping catchment Board submitted a scheme (S.O. 31 - 1934) which established The Witham
First District Internal Drainage Board. The scheme was confirmed on 8th January 1934.
On 1st June 1953, The Witham Fifth District Internal Drainage Board was abolished (S.O. 900 - 1953) and the vast majority
of the district, it's assets and liabilities were incorporated into the First District. The electoral districts were
revised adding six members to represent the formerly administered by the Fifth District.
In 1968 (S.I. 646 - 1968) The Witham First District Internal Drainage Boards area was further extended by taking in
additional land in the parishes of Heighington, Branston & Mere, Blankney, Martin, Scopwick, Timberland, Digby,
Ashby-de-la-Launde and Broxholme, Dorrington, Roxholme, Leasingham, South Rauceby, Silk Willoughby and Wilsford and the
urban district of Sleaford.
The 1976 Land Drainage Act had no effect upon the Board but the 1991 Land Drainage Act resulted in a reconstitution of
the Board to accomodate the appointment of Members from the Councils within the Boards drainage district. The board
was reconstituted on 7th July 1993 (S.I. 1640 - 1993) in its present form.
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