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This section covers over 5 pages, so I can only give a few short extracts on 'Draining of the Fens' :
'The vast extent of fen land in the north of this county comprises nearly half of that extensive district, called the Bedford Level (the whole extent of the level is about 400,000 acres), which occupies also part of the counties of Norfolk, Lincoln, Northampton, and Huntingdon.
From various circumstances which have occurred in digging channels
through the fens, such as the finding timber trees, some felled, and others rooted in the earth, parts of buildings, and other various building materials, it is supposed that at some remote period the country was all firm land, and that it's fenny nature was occasioned by frequent inundations of the sea, and the still more prejudicial stagnation of fresh water, caused by obstruction of the old natural outfall at Wisbech, of the Ouse, Grant, and Nene, and of several lodes and lakes. To endeavour to prevent these inundations commissions were from time to time issued to enforce the repair of banks and sewers. Instances occur in these early time of large estates being drained and brought into cultivation by their respective owners; ...
... The first project of a general drainage appears to have been in the reign of Henry VI. when Gilbert Haltoft had a commission for that purpose, but nothing effectual was then done.
In 1578 Queen Elizabeth granted a commission to Sir Thomas Cecil
and others, but nothing was done again. (other failures described)
In consequence of these several failures, the king (James), in
1621, declared himself the principal undertaker, but ... no progress was made. In 1630 Sir Cornelius Vermuyden, a Dutchman, at a session of sewers then held at Lynn, agreed to undertake this great work, on condition of having 95,000 acres of the recovered lands, as a compensation for his cost and labour, but due to prejudices against him as a foreigner, he was rejected by the land owners, who asked Francis Earl of Bedford, to undertake it on the same terms. ... ... In 1638, the Great Level was adjudged to be drained but arguments ensued over terms of the agreement ....
Notwithstanding the immense sums which have been expended and the skill which has been exerted in this great work, much remains to be done'
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