Holbeach Marsh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Holbeach Marsh |
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 Extent of Holbeach Marsh |
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 Holbeach Marsh
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| OS grid reference | TF3930 |
| • London | 90 mi (140 km) S |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SPALDING |
| Postcode district | PE12 |
| Dialling code | 01406 |
| Police | Lincolnshire |
| Fire | Lincolnshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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Holbeach Marsh is a special area in Lincolnshire, England. It is part of a flat, low-lying region called the Fens. This land is often wet and was once covered by water.
Holbeach Marsh is located between the town of Holbeach to the south and The Wash to the north. The Wash is a large bay where rivers meet the sea. The area is bordered by two waterways: the Whaplode (Holbeach) River on the west and Fleet Haven on the east. Holbeach Marsh covers about 14,500 acres (58.7 square kilometers). It is mostly made up of farms, scattered buildings, and small villages. Some of these villages include Holbeach St Marks, Holbeach St Matthew, and Holbeach Hurn. You can also find RAF Holbeach, an air force bombing range, in the north-east part of the Marsh.
Contents
History of Holbeach Marsh
Early Times
In 1810, a wooden ship called the Sea Venture got stuck and wrecked on the marshes. This happened during a big storm. The ship was trading goods between Whitby and London at the time.
In 1841, only 18 people living in Holbeach Marsh were allowed to vote in elections. These elections were for the Southern Division of Lincolnshire.
Life and Work in the Marsh
Old business records show what jobs people had in Holbeach Marsh. In 1855, there were publicans (people who ran pubs), a blacksmith, and 34 farmers. By 1885, there was a shopkeeper, a butcher, and 18 farmers. Some farmers also managed land or owned it. In 1933, there were two main farmers and 53 smallholders. Smallholders are people who farm small pieces of land.
Reclaiming Land from The Wash
A big project happened in 1948 to create more land. About 1,500 acres (6.1 square kilometers) of land were taken back from The Wash. This was done by building a large wall, or embankment. The embankment was 11 feet (3.4 meters) high and 6.5 miles (10.5 kilometers) long. It was 64 feet (19.5 meters) wide at the bottom and 9 feet (2.7 meters) wide at the top.
This huge wall took six months to build. Workers used 500,000 tons of clay to make it. Three local farmers started this project with help from the government. It cost £41,000, which was a lot of money back then!
A person named Jane Cocking Glover and her family lived in Holbeach Marsh before they moved to the United States.
