Launch of new book on Whittlesea Mere

‘England’s Lost Lake – The Story of Whittlesea Mere’, by Paul Middleton, was launched on Wednesday 21st November 2018 at the Admiral Wells in Holme. Order your copy now.

Whittlesea Mere – one of the wonders of Huntingdonshire! The historic county of Huntingdonshire has much to recommend it, and one of its lost treasures is brought back to life in this welcome updated and substantially expanded edition of a study first published in 1987. The Mere was the largest body of inland water in lowland England before its drainage in the 1850s, an action which brought to an end a long, rich and thriving history of fishing, reed-cutting and boating, control of which excited the interest of kings, and was fought over by medieval abbots and monks, 17th century drainers, local communities and rival landowners.

Once drained, the Mere continued to influence farming practice, hindered the smooth running of the main railway line to the north and bequeathed to the nation in its surroundings two important nature reserves at Holme Fen and Woodwalton Fen. Now, in the 21st century, recognition of the area’s unique ecological and educational potential has seen the creation of a major environmental restoration project, the Great Fen Project.

The Great Fen is a 50-year project to create a huge wetland area.  One of the largest restoration projects of its type in Europe, the landscape of the fens between Peterborough and Huntingdon is being transformed for the benefit both of wildlife and of people. 

The plan is to create an enveloping landscape of 3,700 hectares around the existing National Nature Reserves.  By buying and restoring farmland, they will be joined together and greatly enlarged, recreating a range of wetland features with unprecedented conservation benefits for wildlife. As well as providing a haven for fen wildlife, the Great Fen will create a massive green space for people, opening new opportunities for recreation, education and business. It will incorporate areas where winter flood waters can be stored and will prevent the release of huge amounts of carbon dioxide each year.

To date, some 55.5% of the required land has been aquired by the project, although some of this may remain in arable production for some years to come.  With local farmers, the project team is working on the land to establish pasture which is grazed and cut for hay – the first steps towards establishing the new wetland. Trails and signs are being established and plans for a visitor centre have begun. Events, activities, volunteering and training opportunities are already involving many local people.

The Great Fen contains important geological features including the lake bed of the former Whittlesey and Trundle Meres (lacustrine deposits), significant deep, peat deposits (the deepest in the fenland) including acidic raised bog remnants, marine (tidal flat) silts, roddons (ancient channel deposits) and underlying ice age gravels and Oxford Clay (see maps below). There are also significant landscape and historic features such as the Holme Fen posts, the old course of the River Nene, Monk’s lode, limestone blocks lost whilst being transported across the fenland from Barnack to build one of the important fen edge religious buildings,and an area containing the lowest point in the Cambridgeshire fenland.

The Great Fen is a detour off the Fen Edge Trail walks from Yaxley to Sawtry and from Sawtry to Ramsey. There is also a very good view of the northern part of the Great Fen from the Fen View Heritage Centre on the Peterborough to Yaxley walks.