River Lark Act 1698

Reasons for passing this Act.

Henry Ashley Esq. and other Persons empowered to make the River Larke navigable, as herein mentioned; Powers to erect Banks, &c. and to make Ways, &c. and to dig and carry Soil, &c. and to amend and alter Bridges, &c. and set out Towing Paths, &c; Satisfaction being first given to Owners of Lands.

Forasmuch as the makeing Rivers Navigable is a Meanes to advance Trade increase Watermen and promote the Publick Good of this Kingdome besides the many and particular Benefitts which thereby doe accrewe to the Townes and Counties adjacent or near to such Rivers And whereas the River Larke otherwise called Burn running from Bury Saint Edmonds in the County of Suffolke to Mildenhall in the said County is utterly unpassable for Boats Lighters or other Vessells from Mildenhall aforesaid to Bury Saint Edmonds aforesaid And likewise the said River from Worlington in the said County of Suffolke to Mildenhall aforesaid is very imperfectly Navigable Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That Henry Ashley of Eaton Socon in the County of Bedford Esquire his Heires and Assignes shall be and are hereby impowered and authorized at his or their owne propper Costs and Charges to make navigable and passable with Boats Lighters and other Vessells the said River Larke otherwise called Burn from a Place called Long-Common a little below Mildenhall-Mill on the said River where it now ceases to be navigable or passable to East-gate Bridge in East-gate Streete in Bury Saint Edmonds aforesaid And likewise to amend meliorate and improve the Passage for Boats Lighters and other Vessells [X1 on] the said River from Worlington aforesaid to the said Place called Long-Common And for those Purposes to cleanse scoure open enlarge or streighten the said River or any Part thereof and to digg or cutt the Banks of the same and likewise to cleanse scoure and open any other Streames Brookes Ditches or Water-courses and to cutt and digg the Banks of the same as to the said Henry Ashley his Heires or Assignes shall seeme convenient and to make such and soe many new Cutts Trenches or Passages for Water in upon or through the Lands or Grounds adjoyning or neare to the said River being the Ground or Soyle of the Kings most Excellent Majesty His Heires and Successors or any other Person or Persons Bodies Politick or Corporate their Heires or Successors as the said Henry Ashley His Heires or Assignes shall thinke fitt or necessary for the bringing in any other Streames Brookes or Water-courses into the said River or otherwise for the better carying on or effecting the said Undertakeing And likewise to build erect sett up and make over or in the said River Streames Brookes Trenches Ditches Cutts and Water-courses or upon the Lands adjoyning or neare to the said River being the Grounds or Soyle of the Kings most Excellent Majesty His Heires and Successors or of any other Person or Persons Bodies Politick or Corporate their Heires or Successors such and soe many Bridges Sluces Pens of Water Locks Wears Stanks Dams and other Works as and where the said Henry Ashley his Heires or Assignes shall think fitt and convenient and from Time to Time to alter repaire and amend the same and to make such Waies Passages and other Conveniences as the said Henry Ashley his Heires or Assignes shall thinke fitt for the carrying or conveying Merchandizes Goods or Commodities to or from the said River Navigable Passages Streames Trenches or Cutts with free Liberty of Waies for the said Henry Ashley His Heires and Assignes his and their Servants Agents and Workmen from Time to Time to carry and convey all Manner of Materialls as well for erecting the said Bridges Sluces Locks Weares Stancks Dams and other Works as for altering repairing or amending the same and to lay the said Materialls on the Grounds neare to the Place or Places where the said Works or any of them shall or are to be made erected or done as need shall require And in the said Grounds adjacent or neare to the said River from Time to Time to digg take and carry away soe much Earth as shall be requisite and sufficient for the makeing altering or repairing all or any the Works aforementioned or for the makeing or maintaining the said River Streames Cutts and Passages or any Part thereof navigable or passable as aforesaid And the said Henry Ashley His Heires and Assignes shall be and are hereby likewise impowered and authorized to amend or alter such Bridges and to turne and alter such High-waies as are now upon or over the said River Streames or Water-courses and doe or may hinder the Navigation or Passage thereon and to sett out and appoint Towing-Paths and Haling-Waies on the Grounds adjoyning or neare to the said River Streames Brooks Trenches Cutts and Water-courses being the Ground of the Kings most Excellent Majesty His Heires and Successors or of any other Person or Persons Bodies Politick or Corporate their Heires or Successors such as he or they shall thinke convenient for towing and drawing of Boats Lighters and other Vessells with Men or Horses up or downe through or upon the said River Streames Brooks Trenches Cutts and Water-courses and to remove and take away all Trees and other Impediments whatsoever which may any waies hinder Navigation either in saileing or haling of Boats Lighters or other Vessells with Men Horses or otherwise upon the said River Streames Brooks or Water-courses and to doe all other Matters and Things which the said Henry Ashley his Heires or Assignes shall thinke necessary for the makeing or improveing of the said Navigable Streames or Passages or any Part thereof or maintaining or preserveing the Navigation thereon Any Law Statute or Statutes whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding the said Henry Ashley his Heires or Assignes first giveing Satisfaction to the Owners or Proprietors of such Lands Tenements or Hereditaments as shall be digged cutt removed or otherwise make use of for the carrying on or effecting the said Navigation [X2 in] all or any Part of the said River or for maintaining and manageing the same according as hereafter in and by this Act is directed and appointed

Editorial Information

X1 interlined on the Roll.

X2 on.O.