Foss Dyke facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Foss Dyke
Brayford Pool in Lincoln, where the Foss Dyke meets the River Witham
Specifications
Length	11 miles (18 km)
Maximum boat length	74 ft 6 in (22.71 m)
Maximum boat beam	15 ft 2 in (4.62 m)
Locks	1
Status	Operational
Navigation authority	Canal and River Trust
Geography
Start point	Lincoln
End point	Torksey
Connects to	River Trent, River Witham

The Foss Dyke, also called Fossdyke, is a very old canal in England. It connects the River Trent at Torksey to Lincoln, which is the main town of Lincolnshire. Many people think it might be the oldest canal in England that is still used today!

It was probably built by the Romans around 120 AD. However, historians don't all agree on this. The canal was repaired in 1121, when King Henry I was in charge. Later, King James I gave the city of Lincoln the job of looking after it. Important improvements were made in 1671. These included a special gate called a sluice or lock at Torksey. Also, buildings for storing goods and places for boats to dock were built at Brayford Pool in Lincoln.

Connecting to the River Witham at Brayford was tricky because of a small, old bridge called High Bridge. The path under it was made deeper in 1795. For a long time, families like the Ellisons managed the canal. They made money from charging tolls, but they didn't always keep the canal in good shape. Even though trains started carrying coal and wool, the canal still moved grain. The last time it was used for business was in 1972. Today, Brayford Pool is a busy marina for boats. A new path for walking and cycling is also being built along the canal.

What is the Foss Dyke's Route?

The Foss Dyke starts by joining the River Trent at Torksey. A small part of the canal leaves the main river. It goes under the A156 bridge. Right after that, you'll find Torksey lock. This is the only lock on the canal.

How Does Torksey Lock Work?

Torksey lock has six sets of gates. Three sets face Lincoln, and three face the river. The River Trent here is a tidal river, which means its water level changes a lot. Sometimes it's higher than the canal. The gates let boats use the lock safely, no matter the tide. A steel footbridge crosses the lock, and both the bridge and the lock are very old and protected buildings.

Journey to Lincoln

From the lock, the canal goes east, then turns south. It passes near the villages of Fenton and Kettlethorpe. Soon, the A57 joins the canal. The road runs along the south side of the canal until it reaches Saxilby.

At Saxilby, a railway line crosses over the canal. This railway then runs alongside the canal all the way to Lincoln. There used to be a swing bridge here, but it was taken away in 1937. A new footbridge was put in its place in 1987. This footbridge had a long history itself! It was built in 1884 and used to cross a different railway line for over 100 years.

The A57 road crosses to the north side of the canal after the railway bridge. The River Till flows into the Foss Dyke here. A new marina, a place for boats to park, has been built at Burton Meadows. The canal then goes under the A46 on the edge of Lincoln. It also crosses over a drainage ditch. Finally, it goes under the B1273 Brayford Way bridge. This is where the canal enters Brayford Pool. Brayford Pool used to be a busy place for trading boats. Now, it's a marina, and the University of Lincoln is on its southern bank. The River Witham flows into the pool and then becomes the Witham Navigation, heading towards Boston.

History of the Foss Dyke

People have long believed that the Romans built the Foss Dyke around 120 AD. One clue is a small statue of the god Mars found in the canal at Torksey. This statue is now in the British Museum. However, not everyone agrees that the Romans built the whole canal.

Early Records and Repairs

The first written mention of the Foss Dyke is from a historian named Symeon of Durham. In 1121, he wrote that King Henry dug a large canal from Torksey to Lincoln. He said the king made the River Trent flow into it, making it deep enough for boats. Some people think this means the canal didn't exist before Henry's work. They believe it would have been hard to find and use after hundreds of years of neglect.

However, others think King Henry I just cleaned out and improved an older Roman canal. The Foss Dyke is about 11 miles (18 km) long. It might even follow an old path of the River Trent from a very long time ago. Along with another canal called the Car Dyke, it was an important way to transport goods between Peterborough and York.

It's said that the Danes used the canal when they invaded England. The Normans also supposedly used it in the 11th century to carry stone for building Lincoln Cathedral. After King Henry I's work, the canal became difficult to use again. By the 1600s, it was almost impossible to travel on. A woman named Katherine Swynford is said to have helped organize a protest in 1375 to get it repaired. Later, King James I gave the city of Lincoln control of the canal.

Improvements and Challenges

In 1671, during the time of King Charles II, Lincoln got permission to make improvements. Work was done on the Foss Dyke. A new lock was built at Torksey in 1672. Buildings for storage and docks for boats were also built at Brayford Pool. But by 1717, it was hard to use the canal again. The city of Lincoln didn't have enough experience to manage the waterway.

So, in 1741, they leased it to Richard Ellison. He had experience with other canals. He cleaned the canal to make it about 3 feet 6 inches (1.07 m) deep. It was reopened in 1744. Under his family, the money collected from tolls grew a lot.

Traveling through Lincoln was still difficult because of the old High Bridge. It was too low and narrow for many boats. Improvements were made to High Bridge by 1795. In 1802, John Rennie suggested tearing down High Bridge and building a wider waterway. But this idea was not followed. The canal was also hard to keep clean because parts of it ran through sand. The Ellison family, who still leased the canal, didn't want to spend money on repairs.

The Arrival of Railways

Trains arrived in Lincoln in 1848. Railway companies leased the waterways, including the Foss Dyke, to guarantee their income. This meant that many goods, like coal and wool, started to be carried by trains instead of boats. However, the Foss Dyke still carried goods like farm produce. In 1897, a railway company built a dock and warehouse at Brayford. The canal continued to be used for transporting goods. Eventually, the canal became the responsibility of the British Waterways Board in 1948.

Water Management

Near Torksey lock, there used to be a small pumping station. It helped keep the water levels in the canal steady. This station was taken down in 1936. A new pumping station was built in 1974. This station is part of a bigger plan to move water between rivers. It can pump water from the River Trent into the Foss Dyke. This water then flows to Brayford Pool and into the River Witham. This helps keep enough water in the rivers during dry times.

Restoration and Modern Use

Unlike many old waterways, the Foss Dyke never completely closed down. It kept carrying grain until 1972. However, Brayford Pool in Lincoln became a messy place with rubbish and sunken boats. In 1965, local groups started working to clean it up. They removed old boats and rebuilt the area. Now, Brayford Pool is a modern marina for pleasure boats.

In 1996, an old lift bridge at Brayford Pool was replaced with a new concrete bridge. This was part of a big project that also included opening the University of Lincoln nearby. About 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Lincoln, a new marina called Burton Waters has been built. It's part of a large housing development.

A new path for walking and cycling has been built next to the canal from Lincoln to Saxilby. This path runs along the northern floodbank. It crosses the A57 road and the River Till. The path was officially opened in 2011. There are plans to extend the path all the way to Torksey in the future.

Points of interest