River Welland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids River Welland
The river at Stamford
Country	United Kingdom
Country within the UK	England
Counties	Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Lincolnshire
Towns	Market Harborough, Stamford, Crowland, Spalding
Physical characteristics
Main source	Hothorpe Hills, Sibbertoft, Northamptonshire 157 m (515 ft) 52°26′24″N 1°00′35″W / 52.4399°N 1.0098°W / 52.4399; -1.0098
River mouth	Fosdyke Wash The Wash, Lincolnshire 1 m (3 ft 3 in) 52°53′54″N 0°01′51″E / 52.8983°N 0.0308°E / 52.8983; 0.0308
Length	105 km (65 mi)
Basin features
Basin size	1,580 km2 (610 sq mi)
Tributaries	Left: Eye Brook, River Chater, River Gwash, River Glen Right: River Jordan
Progression : Welland — The Wash — North Sea

The River Welland is a river in eastern England. It is about 65 miles (105 km) long. The river flows from the Midlands eastwards into The Wash.

It starts in the Hothorpe Hills at Sibbertoft in Northamptonshire. Then it flows northeast through towns like Market Harborough, Stamford, and Spalding. Finally, it reaches The Wash near Fosdyke.

The Welland is a key waterway in a flat area called the Fens, specifically South Holland. It is one of the Fenland rivers designed with special areas called washlands. These are wide spaces between river banks. They allow floodwaters to spread out when the tide stops the river from flowing into the sea.

After big floods in 1947, new channels like the Coronation Channel were built. These help control flooding in Spalding. Now, the washlands are not just for grazing animals. They can also be used for farming.

Important improvements were made to the river in the 1660s. A new channel with 10 locks was built between Stamford and Market Deeping. Two more locks were added below Market Deeping. This canal section was called the Stamford Canal. It was the longest canal with locks in Britain when it was built.

The river also helped drain the land in the 1600s. But it wasn't fully successful until a steam-powered pumping station was built in 1827. Boats stopped using the upper river and Stamford Canal by 1863. However, Spalding remained a busy port until the end of the Second World War.

The Environment Agency manages the river for boats. You can navigate as far upstream as Crowland. Boats with a very shallow bottom can reach West Deeping Bridge. Further up, a broken lock stops boats from going past the weir. The river was traditionally navigable up to Wharf Road in Stamford.

The lower part of the river is important for draining Deeping Fen. It helps the Welland and Deepings Internal Drainage Board by carrying pumped water to the sea.

Wildlife changes along the river. Faster parts upstream are home to trout. Slower parts downstream have perch. The estuary (where the river meets the sea) and flat areas near Fosdyke are good for wading birds and birds that migrate.

River Welland's Geography

The River Welland and its smaller rivers form a system. This system collects water from an area of 609 square miles (1,580 km²). About 257 miles (414 km) of these waterways are called "main river." The Environment Agency manages these for flood control.

Of this total, 14 miles (23 km) below Spalding are affected by tides. This part has sea walls to protect the land from flooding. Another 56 miles (90 km) are fresh water but flow through low-lying land. These parts also have banks to prevent floods. Within the whole area, 179 square miles (460 km²) are below sea level. This means they would flood without these defenses.

The river basin generally runs from southwest to northeast. It has an extra part to the north where the West Glen and East Glen rivers are. The ground underneath is mostly Lias clays at the western end. In the middle, there's Lincolnshire limestone, including the Glen valleys. The eastern third has mostly alluvial soils. This part needs artificial pumps to prevent flooding.

Rainfall in the area is quite light, between 26 and 30 inches (660 and 760 mm) per year. Because the land is drained well in winter, there isn't much water stored. This can lead to droughts in the summer.

For much of its length, the Welland forms the border between counties. It separates Northamptonshire from Leicestershire or Rutland. Further downstream, it divides Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire.

The River's Journey

The Welland river starts in the Hothorpe Hills in Sibbertoft, Northamptonshire. It flows out at Spring Croft, Church Street. Sibbertoft is on a main watershed in England. Within 2 miles (3.2 km), the small stream becomes the border between Northamptonshire and Leicestershire.

It flows west, then loops around. It passes through Hothorpe Hall in Theddingworth, which is now a conference center. Then it generally flows east through Lubenham to Market Harborough. An old stone bridge from the early 1800s carries a driveway over the river near Thorpe Lubenham Hall. This bridge is a Grade II listed structure.

East of Lubenham, the river passes Old Lubenham Hall. This house was built in the late 1500s. King Charles I might have stayed there before the Battle of Naseby. Three sides of a square moat surround the house. It is a scheduled ancient monument.

From Market Harborough to Stamford

The county border leaves the river west of Market Harborough. The town is entirely in Leicestershire. The border rejoins the river on the east side. The River Jordan flows north to join the Welland in Market Harborough. Langton Brook and Stonton Brook join from the west near Welham.

The county border often moves from side to side across straight parts of the river. This suggests the river channel has been changed by people. An 1881 stone bridge with three arches carries the Welham to Weston by Welland road over the river. Another four-arched bridge from the early 1800s carries the Ashley to Medbourne road.

The Macmillan Way, a long walking path, crosses the river here. Medbourne Brook joins from the north. Then the river nears an old railway line. The Stoke Albany Brook joins from the south. The river stays south of the railway, but the county border moves north. It rejoins the river near the Bringhurst to Cottingham road. The bridge over the river is simple. North of it is an 18th-century stone causeway, about 110 yards (100 m) long. It has seven large arches and many smaller ones for drainage. The causeway has two big passing places on its west side.

The Welland flows north of Corby near Rockingham. Then it goes south of Caldecott. Here, it becomes the county border between Northamptonshire and Rutland. The Eye Brook, which forms the Eyebrook Reservoir, joins from the north.

As it passes Harringworth, the river splits into two channels. The county border follows the smaller, northern channel. The river is crossed by the 1,275-yard (1,166 m) Welland Viaduct. This viaduct has 82 brick arches and was finished in 1879. It carries the Oakham to Kettering Line over the valley. It is the longest railway viaduct in Britain, not counting those in London.

Uppingham Brook flows east from Uppingham to join the north bank. The Jurassic Way walking path crosses at Turtle Bridge. This bridge is probably from the 1300s, but it was widened in 1793. On the road from Barrowden to Wakerley, there is a medieval bridge with five pointed arches. It was widened in the 1700s.

Fineshade Brook flows from the south to join the river near Duddington. Duddington has a famous mill building from 1664. A limestone bridge with four arches crosses the river. It dates from the 1400s but was widened in 1919. After the river passes under a railway bridge at Ketton, the River Chater adds to its flow. The county border leaves the river again west of Stamford. Below Stamford, the river forms the border between Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire.

From Stamford to Spalding

Just before Stamford, the Great North Road (now the A1) crosses the river. A pumping station at Stamford Meadows has pumped water to the Rutland Water reservoir since 1975. Stamford was the lowest point where the river could be crossed easily. So, the Roman Ermine Street crossed the Welland there.

The A16 road crosses the river on a three-arched stone bridge. It was designed by Edward Browning in 1845. Below it, Albert Bridge is made of iron with stone piers. It was built in 1881 by Stamford Town Council. It replaced an older bridge washed away in a flood.

Beyond Stamford, the river passes the ruins of St Leonard's Priory. Hudd's Mill is where the Stamford Canal left the river. The mill building is from 1751 and 1771. The River Gwash joins from the north. The remains of the canal follow the river on its north bank.

Below Uffington, the county border follows the old river course. First it goes south to Tallington, then north. The main river now flows along the Maxey Cut to Peakirk. The old course has two streams. These streams are fed by sluices from the Maxey Cut. They wind their way to The Deepings.

The eastern stream powered Lolham and Maxey mills. The western stream powered Tallington Mill (around 1700), West Deeping mill, and Molecey's mill. Molecey's mill still has its 17th-century waterwheel. It was updated in the 1800s to Poncelet's improved design. It is the only one of its kind left in Lincolnshire. At the western edge of Market Deeping, the two streams join. They are also joined by the Greatford Cut. This cut has carried water from the West Glen river since the early 1950s.

This section is crossed by King Street, an old Roman road. Where it crosses the Maxey Cut, there are 14 arches called Lolham Bridges. They are grouped into five structures to cross the channels. Northamptonshire County funded them in the 1600s and 1700s. The longest arch is 16 feet (4.9 m). The bridge at Deeping Gate is from 1651. It is a Grade II* listed stone bridge with three round arches.

After the remains of Deeping High lock and Deeping Low lock, several waterways meet. These include the old course, the Maxey Cut, the South Drain, and the Folly River. The river is officially navigable (boats can use it) below this point.

Through Crowland and Cowbit to the edge of Spalding, the river has washlands. These were used as pasture. The river was allowed to flood them when high tides stopped water from flowing into the sea. The river is bordered by a bank on the north and west. The New River, a drainage channel, is to the south and east. The land between them forms Crowland High Wash, Crowland Fodder Lots, and Cowbit Wash. These washlands were meant to flood in extreme cases. But the Coronation flood relief channel now makes this purpose unnecessary.

From Spalding to The Wash

The Coronation Channel and Marsh Road Sluice, Spalding

The last bridge over the Welland which carries the A17 before it goes out into the Wash at Fosdyke

As the river passes through Spalding, most of its water goes through the Coronation Channel. Marsh Road sluice and a sea lock protect the town. Below Spalding, Vernatt's Drain joins the river. This drain runs next to the river and carries water pumped from Deeping Fen. The A16 road bridge crosses it.

Nearby is Pinchbeck Marsh Pumping Station. It has the last beam engine and scoop wheel used in the Fens for land drainage. It was built in 1833 and ran until 1952. Now, it's part of a museum about land drainage. Vernatt's Drain goes through a sluice to join the river. The sluice protecting the entrance to the River Glen is navigable. This allows boats to reach Tongue End, about 11.5 miles (18.5 km) upstream.

There are pumping stations for Sea Dike and Lords Drain. Also, the outfalls of the Risegate Eau and Five Towns drainage channels are here. The final bridge at Fosdyke is then reached. After the Holbeach River joins it, the Welland is bordered by salt marshes. Finally, it flows into The Wash at The Cots in Fosdyke Wash.

Beyond the river banks, much of the rich arable land is made of marine silt. This soil is perfect for growing bulbs, which Spalding is famous for. Commercial bulb growing started in the 1880s. The first large tulip fields were planted by Sam Culpin in 1907. At its peak in 1939, there were 10,000 acres (4,000 ha) of bulb fields. About 3000 tons of flowers were sent out through Spalding railway station.

History of the River Welland

The Welland in spate at Duddington, showing its capacity for flooding adjoining meadows

The name "Welland" is very old, even older than English. In Old English, it was called Weolud. The name might have changed due to local stories or Viking influence. The Welland (Weolud) is first mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 921 AD.

Richard de Rulos, who owned land in Deeping Fen during the time of William the Conqueror, built a strong bank. This bank stopped the river from flooding the nearby meadows. These meadows then became fertile fields and a beautiful garden.

In the 1200s, during the reign of Henry III, people complained. They said that of the two river channels below Crowland, the one to Spalding was better for barges. But the Abbot of Crowland had blocked and narrowed it by planting willow trees. In the 1300s, Spalding was accused of not cleaning and repairing the river. This caused problems for the king's people. But Spalding argued that because the river was tidal there, it was part of the sea, so they were not responsible.

The Welland was one of the first rivers to get an Act of Parliament for improvements. This act, granted in 1571 during the reign of Elizabeth I, allowed boats to reach Stamford. The act said that Stamford had become rich because of the river. But it also stated that mills built between Stamford and Deeping had made the river unnavigable by taking water away. The act gave permission to fix the river. However, there is no sign that any work was done then.

Building the Stamford Canal

The power to improve the river was brought back in 1620. Stamford Corporation got permission to build a new 9.5-mile (15.3 km) artificial channel. This channel would run from Stamford, near Hudd's Mill, to Market Deeping. There, it would rejoin the river. James I approved this decision in 1623. The corporation expected to finish the work by 1627.

However, they couldn't find a suitable builder. They also failed to agree on terms with David Cecil in 1636, and two other builders after that. Finally, in 1664, a Stamford alderman named Daniel Wigmore took the job. He built the channel and 12 locks, including the High Lock and Low Lock on the river at Deeping St James. It cost him £5,000. In return, he was given the right to collect tolls for the next 80 years, paying a small rent.

This channel, known as the Stamford Canal, is one of the earliest canals in England built after Roman times. It opened in 1670. This was about 100 years before the start of the Industrial Revolution, which brought the "golden age for canals" in Britain. When it was built, it was the longest canal with locks in Britain. It was very busy with barges carrying flour, malt, coal, timber, and limestone.

Draining the Fens

People from Market Deeping, Deeping Gate, and other villages asked Elizabeth I to drain the fens. The river banks were in bad condition. They suggested Thomas Lovell do the work. He did, at a cost of £12,000. For this, he received 15,000 acres (6,100 ha) of the land he reclaimed.

But in the early 1600s, unrest led to most of the work being destroyed. In 1632, a group led by the Earl of Bedford got permission to drain Deeping Fen, South Fen, and Crowland. This work included making the Welland deeper and wider from Deeping St James to its end beyond Spalding. They also built side drains. One of these was a drain from Pode Hole to below Spalding, still known as Vernatt's Drain. It was named after one of the adventurers, Sir Philibert Vernatti. Although declared finished in 1637, proper drainage had to wait until Pode Hole pumping station was built in 1827.

At Crowland, the river used to split into two channels. One followed the current river path. The other joined the old South Ea to reach the River Nene near Wisbech. The writer Dugdale said in 1662 that the Spalding channel was "a most slow course." The river no longer flows through Crowland. But the unique triangular Trinity Bridge, which crossed the junction, remains in the town center.

Spalding had been a port even before the river was improved. Its importance grew with the river improvements and the Stamford Canal. By 1695, it had officials who acted as customs officers for goods. Exports included oats, hides, and wool. Imports were more varied, including stone, timber, coal, and even French and Spanish wines, and some of the first tea, coffee, and chocolate.

Improving Deeping Fen Drainage

Draining Deeping Fen was looked at again in 1664. The Deeping Fen Act gave the Earl of Manchester and others 10,000 acres (4,000 ha) of land for drainage work. They also had to maintain the river banks and keep the Welland and Glen clean. They had to ensure no tolls were charged for boats below East Deeping. But the poor river outlet and bad weather stopped them from finishing.

In 1729, Captain John Perry suggested improving the river outlets. He proposed building scouring sluices on the river at Spalding, on Vernatt's drain, and on the River Glen at Surfleet. Perry was a respected engineer. His plans were approved. He was offered land covering nearly 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) as payment. He sold some land to fund the project and started work in 1730.

Cowbit sluice on the Welland had six 6-foot (1.8 m) wide gates. At high tide, water was held in Cowbit Wash. At low tide, the gates opened. The strong flow cleaned out the silt for about 3 miles (4.8 km) downstream. A lock was built next to the sluice for boats. Perry died in 1733.

John Grundy, Sr. took over after Perry. He oversaw repairs to the Deeping Bank, which ran for 12 miles (19 km) along the north and west side of the river. His son, John Grundy, Jr., continued the work after his father's death in 1748. He rebuilt Perry's sluice and the navigation lock.

Later, engineers like William Jessop and John Rennie also studied the problems of Deeping Fen. Their ideas led to the Deeping Fen Act of 1801. The channel above Spalding was made deeper, and the north bank was strengthened. Rennie suggested replacing windmills with a steam pumping station at Pode Hole. This was finally allowed by an act in 1823. The group managing Deeping Fen was replaced in 1939 by the Welland & Deepings Internal Drainage Board.

The River's Outlet to the Sea

Plans to create a new channel for the river's outlet to meet the River Witham near Boston were approved in 1794. But money was short due to the French Wars. Grundy's shorter channel was finished by 1810, improving both drainage and navigation.

In 1835, James Walker suggested that the river below Spalding should be kept between high banks. This would make the water flow faster and clean its own channel. He suggested using bundles of thorn branches (called fascines) to build up the banks. Silt would then settle around them. This method was much cheaper. By 1845, the river bed below Fosdyke was about 7 feet (2.1 m) lower because of these banks.

In 1867, an act allowed money to be raised to repair the banks where the tide had washed away some of the material behind the fascines. A special dredger, invented by Mr Harrison, was used in 1889-1890.

The Land Drainage Act 1930 created the Welland Catchment Board. They spent a lot of money on the river's outlet. Towards the end of the Second World War, E. G. Taverner, the chief engineer, planned a bypass channel to reduce flooding in Spalding. He also planned the Greatford Cut to send water from the West Glen river into the Welland upstream of Market Deeping. This project cost £723,000. The Coronation Channel around Spalding opened in September 1953.

Fulney lock was built at the same time to stop the tide from going upriver. The Maxey Cut was also built. This is a channel with banks that bypasses the villages of Market Deeping, Deeping Gate, and Deeping St James. In the 1960s and 1970s, parts of the river above Stamford were made straighter and deeper. This was to reduce flooding on farmland.

To help with the environment after these changes, the Welland Rivers Trust was set up in 2010. This is a limited company and charitable trust. They work to improve the river by bringing different groups together. They published a big plan in 2013.

Boating on the Welland

The bridge connecting Deeping St James and Deeping Gate crosses the old course of the River Welland.

The Romans used the river as far as Stamford for navigation. It was part of a system that included the Car Dyke. The canal improved navigation to Stamford. Boats on the canal were small lighters, about 7 feet (2.1 m) wide. They could carry seven to fourteen tons and usually traveled in groups of four.

When railways arrived, river trade decreased. The Midland Railway reached Peterborough in 1846 and Stamford in 1848. Coal transport on the upper river stopped, and the locks broke down. By April 1863, all boat traffic had stopped.

Trade on the lower river used barges and keels. In the early 1800s, trade grew, but the river was silting up. Around 1800, boats carrying 60 tons could reach Spalding. But by the 1820s, ships could only carry 40 tons because of the silt. Trade records show that in 1829, nearly 20,000 tons were carried to and from Spalding. By 1835, this increased to over 34,000 tons.

Merchants wanted to use larger vessels. After improvements in 1837, barges and sloops up to 120 tons could use the port. Because the river was maintained for drainage, some commercial traffic continued despite the railways. In 1888, £478 in tolls were collected on 11,690 tons. Coal for Spalding gasworks arrived by boat until the early 1900s. The last regular trade was carrying corn, hay, and straw from Spalding to Fosdyke. There, the cargo was moved to larger ships. All commercial carrying stopped by the end of the Second World War.

Spalding water taxi

In July 2005, a water taxi service started in Spalding. It travels from Spalding's High Street upstream along the river. Then it turns onto the Coronation Channel and goes to Springfields Outlet Shopping & Festival Gardens, and back.

Large vessels (110 by 30 feet (33.5 by 9.1 m) and drawing 8 feet (2.4 m)) can still travel along the estuary at high tide. They can go inland as far as Fulney lock. But they cannot pass through the lock. It is only 62.3 by 27.8 feet (19.0 by 8.5 m). At normal summer water levels, it can fit boats drawing 2.6 feet (0.79 m).

The river is officially navigable to where the Folly River joins it. But boats on this section are limited to 35 feet (11 m) long. This is much shorter than the lock allows. Navigation here was difficult because of Four Mile Bar footbridge, which had only 5.25 feet (1.60 m) of headroom. But a new arched bridge was installed in early 2007, increasing the headroom. Smaller boats like canoes can be carried around obstacles and continue up to Stamford. But they must use the old course of the river through the Deepings, not the Maxey cut.

Barge and passing yacht between Fosdyke and the Wash

Below Spalding, there were no height limits for boats. This allowed small coastal ships to reach the town. The bridge at Fosdyke used to be a swing bridge. But with less large boat traffic, it was replaced by a fixed bridge with 16.5 feet (5.0 m) of headroom. The old wharfs at Fosdyke are now used for yachts and other pleasure boats.

The lock at Fulney has three sets of gates. Two point towards the sea, and one in the middle points upriver. The lock can only be used when the water level below it is higher than above it. As the tide falls, the middle gate closes to stop its use.

An act of parliament in 1664 said there should be no tolls for using the river. But this was changed by a 1794 act, which set high tolls. These were reduced by an act in 1824. Now, the Environment Agency manages the river between Stamford and just below Fosdyke bridge. A license is needed to use it. From Fosdyke bridge to the Wash, the Environment Agency also manages the river.

Wildlife in the River Welland

In its upper parts, the river has wild brown trout and sometimes grayling. Chub and perch are common in the middle parts around Stamford. Pike, perch, zander, roach, bream, rudd, ruffe, gudgeon, and eels live in the lower parts around Spalding.

The Welland Rivers Trust, the Wild Trout Trust, and the Environment Agency worked together. They built a rock ramp to help sea trout move up the river past a weir (a small dam) on the Maxey Cut. This weir was blocking their path. About 300 tons of rock were used to create the ramp. This ramp also helps young eels or elvers move up the river. It also provides homes for stone loach and bullheads.

Many swans and geese use the river around Crowland and out to sea. Smaller groups can be seen around the Stamford Meadows and further upstream.

In 2015, a grey seal swam from the Wash up the river. It spent a few weeks sleeping in gardens next to the river in Deeping St James. The seal was later seen further downstream in Spalding as it swam back to the sea.

On the south bank of the river below Fosdyke bridge, the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust has a nature reserve called Moulton Marsh. This reserve was created from soil dug out to raise the banks in 1981. It has broad-leafed woodland, salt-water lagoons, and tidal scrapes. Many birds can be seen there. These include little grebe and water rail in winter. Common redshank and little egret visit the shallow pools and muddy shorelines.

Between the river mouth and the River Witham, there is a large area of saltmarsh. This is where birds like common redshank, Eurasian oystercatcher, and reed bunting breed in summer. In winter, Eurasian wigeon, mallard, common shelduck, and common teal are found there. Birds of prey like hen harrier and merlin hunt smaller birds like linnet and twite. The mudflats are home to dunlin, Eurasian whimbrel, and bar-tailed godwit. The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust has a reserve there, next to RSPB Frampton Marsh, which is managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.