Bedford Level Act 1663

The great Level of the Fens how bounded.

Indenture of the 27th February 7 Car. I.; The Earl of Bedford and Adventurers made a Corporation for the Fens.; The Earl of Bedford Governor.; The Bailiffs. Conservators.; Their Power and Authority.

Whereas certaine Moores Marshes Fenny and low surrounded Groundes within the Countyes of Northampton, Norfolke Suffolke Lincolne Cambridge and Huntington and the Isle of Ely were called the Greate Levell of the Fenns and after severall fruitless Undertakings for dreyning the same were upon the Desires of many Persons of Worth and interessed in the same declared to be a greate and noble Worke and of much Concernement to the whole Country, and at their earnest Desire undertaken to be dreyned by Francis late Earle of Bedford according to a Law of Sewers made at Kings Lynne in the sixth Yeare of the Raigne of the late King Charles of glorious Memory which said Levell is bounded as followeth [X1 viz] Eastward from the Bridge and Cawsey of Stoake unto Brandon Bridge upon the Uplands of Northold, Methold, Feltwell Hockwold and Wilton in the County of Norfolke and from Brandon Bridge unto the End of Worlington Load upon Mildenhall River upon the Uplands of Brandon the low Grounds of Wainsford excluding the same, the Uplands of Lakingheath, the Low Grounds of Earsewell excluding the same, and the Uplands of Mildenhall in the County of Suffolke Southwarde from Worlington Load unto Burwell Blocke upon the Uplands of Freckingham, Islham, Fordham, Soham and Wickin in the County of Cambridge and excluding the Low Grounds of Burwell, Landward and other Places lying Eastward from Burwell Blocke aforesaid, and from thence unto the Mill neare Anglisey Abbey upon the Uplands of Burwell Reach Swaffham Pryor, Swaffham Bulbecke and Botsham in the County of Cambridge, and from thence unto the Ferry place at Clayhith upon the Uplands called Quyhall, the Low Ground called Low Fenne and the Uplands of Hormingsey and Clayhith in the said County excluding the Low Grounds called Lowfenn and Offenne and from the said Ferry place unto Overload upon the Uplands of Water Beach Cottenham Rampton Wivelingham and Over in the said County of Cambridge, and upon the Low Grounds of Swacy in the said County excluding the same Westward from Erith unto the Damme lately made uppon the River Neane near Strandground upon the Uplands of Somersham and the Soake thereof Warbois Wistow, Berry Ramsey Upwood Raveley, Wood Walton, Sawtrey Connington Glatton and Holme Caldecott Denton Stilton Yaxley Fassett and Standground in the County of Huntington excluding the Low Grounds lying on the North side of the River of Owse above Erith and from the said Damme unto Peterborough Bridge upon the said River of Neane, and from thence unto the Ferry place neere Waldronn Hall upon the Uplands of Peterborough and the Soake thereof in the County of Northampton And Northward from the said Ferry place neere Waldron Hall unto Crowland Bridge upon the River of Welland, and from thence to Dowsedale upon the Banke of Great Porsand, and from thence unto Guyhurne upon the Southea Banke and from thence unto Tilnehurne upon the Bank of the Fenne Ground called Waldersea and from thence unto Elme Leame at Grangers House upon the Banke of the Fenne Ground called Coldham, and from thence unto the River of Neane neare Thurlings in Upwell upon the Banke of Needham called Bisshops Dyke and from thence unto Well Creeke at the North West Corner of Wassingham Fenne upon the Banke of the Grounds in Upwell and Outwell called Playfeild and Churchfeild [X1 excluding the aforesaid Fenns and Grounds called Waldersea Coldham Needham Playfeild and Churchfeild] and from thence unto Salters Load upon the New Podyke Banke, and from thence unto the Mouth of the River Wissey upon the River Owse, and from thence unto Helgey Bridge upon the River Wissey and from thence unto the Uplands at the End of the Banke of the Grounds late of Edmond Skipwith Esquier deceased upon the said Bank and from thence unto Stoake Bridge upon the Uplands of Roxham, Deereham Weereham, Wretton and Stoake in the said County of Norfolke, except the imbanked Grounds late of Edmond Skipwith Esquier lying on the North side of the River of Owse And whereas the said Francis late Earle of Bedford was to have for his Recompence of effecting that difficult Worke onely nynety five thousand Acres of the said Grounds with convenient Highwayes and Passages to the same, and the new River Cutts and Dreynes to be made by the said Earle and his Assignes, and the Banks of the same and the Forelands in the inside of the said Banks not to exceed sixty Foot in Breadth which was a Worke of soe great and publick Concernement, that his said late Majesty gave great Encouragement to the said Francis late Earle of Bedford and others whom hee had taken in to bee Adventurers and Participants with him therein upon the Covenants Conditions and Agreements contained and specified in and by a certaine Indenture of foureteene Parts bearing Date the seaven and twentieth Day of February in the seaventh Yeare of the Raigne of his said late Majesty and his Royall Assurance to further it by his Concurrence to an Act of Parliament for establishing thereof, and did by Letters Pattents under the Great Seale of England incorporate the said late Earle his Adventurers and Participants to have Succession for ever, and in order to the effecting thereof the said late Earle and his Adventurers and Participants bestowed great su[m]mes of Money for perfecting the same, and after his Death and some Interruptions William now Earle of Bedford Sonne and Heire to the said Earle Francis with divers of his Adventurers and Participants by Colour of a pretended Act of Parliament of the nyne and twentyeth Day of May in the Yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty and nyne proceeded in the compleating and finisheing the said Workes and the Comissioners appointed by that pretended Act did adjudge the same dreyned, but the same cannott be preserved without a perpetuall constant Care great Charge and orderly Goverment, which being represented to the Kings most excellent Majesty that now is, He hath beene gratiously pleased to declare more then an ordinary Willingness to promote and countenance a Worke of soe publique Concernement and many Wayes advantagious to this his Kingdome, To the'nd therefore that a Worke of this Nature may receive a publique Support and Encouragement Bee it enacted by the Kings most excellent Majesty with the Advice and Assent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Comons in this Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That the said William Earle of Bedford Sonne and Heire of the said Francis Earle of Bedford, and the Adventurers and Participants of the said Earle Francis and Earle William or either of them their Heires and Assignes in such manner as is herein contained shall bee a Body Politique and Corporate in Deed and Name and have Succession for ever by the Name of the Governor Bayliffs and Cominalty of the Company of Conservators of the Great Levell of the Fenns, which Corporac[i]on shall consist of one Governo^r six Bayliffs twenty Conservators and Cominalty, and shall have and use a Comon Seale to be appointed by themselves, and assemble and meete together when where and as oft as they please, and appoint a Register Receivour one or more Serjeants at Mace and other Officers and allow them Sallaryes and remove them and make new at their Pleasure, And the said William Earle of Bedford is to be the first Governo^r: Richard Lord Gorges Sir Richard Onslow Knight S^r. William Terringham Knight of the Bath Samuell Sandys Thomas Chicheley and Samuell Fortrey Esquiers the six first Bayliffs S^r Gilbert Gerhard junior Knight, William Denton, William Crane, Edmond Berry Godfrey, Arthur Evelyn Samuell Smith Roger Jenings Robert Castle Robert Hampson Joseph Ayloffe Esquiers Thomas Lord Cullpepper S^r. John Hewett Baronett Arthur Onslow Robert Phillips Anthony S^t. John Esquiers S^t. Oliver S^t. John Sir Charles Harbord Knights Francis Hoblyn Samuell Sandys junior and Robert Terringham Esquiers the first Conservators And the said Governor Bayliffs and Conservators to continue until Wednesday in Whitson Weeke in the Yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred sixty and foure and from thenceforth untill new Elections by the said Corporation or the major Part which shall be then present, and shall bee capable to sue and bee sued, and without Licence of Mortmaine to purchase Mannors Lands Tenements and Hereditaments not exceeding two hundred Pounds p[er] Ann[um] and Goods and Chattells and to dispose thereof in the Name and to the Use of the said Corporac[i]on, and the said Governour Bayliffes and Conservators or any five or more of them whereof the said Governor or Bayliffes or any of them to be two shall and may lay Taxes from Tyme to Tyme upon all the said nynety five thousand Acres onely for Support Maintenance and Preservation of the said Great Levell and leavy the same with Penaltyes for Non payment, not exceeding a third Part of the Tax and all other Things doe in order to the Support Maintenance and Preservation of the said Great Levell and Works made and to be made

Editorial Information

X1 interlined.