Monument record MLI33259 - BOURNE TO MORTON ROMAN BRANCH CANAL
Summary
BOURNE TO MORTON ROMAN BRANCH CANAL
Type and Period (3)
- CANAL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- LINEAR FEATURE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- BANK (EARTHWORK) (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Full Description
PRN 33259
A Roman branch canal running north-east from Bourne, approximately TF108 205, to join a major natural watercourse in Morton Fen, at TF152 245, is visible on aerial photographs but is indistinguishable on the ground across black peaty soils and less peaty gravels. The site was visited in 1951. A stretch of the Spalding Road is on the alignment. Its origin in Bourne is not known. It is possibly from the springs at St Peter's Pool, crossing the Car Dyke. {1}{2}{3}{4}{5}
There is no ground depression along the whole of the line but in a few places a light cropmark or gravelly spread in the ploughsoil probably indicates a levelled bank. {1}
The area was surveyed by the Fenland Survey but the canal is only recorded from aerial photographs. {6}{7}
Excavation was carried out as part of the Fenland Management Project. The canal was recut at least once in response to silting, truncating the edge of the original cut, which made it impossible to ascertain the width of the earliest cut. The projected width is about 10 to 11m, which the recut reduced to about 5.5m. No dating evidence was recovered for the original cut, the recut or the span of usage. However, a linear ditch aligned parallel to the canal (PRN36438) contained Roman briquetage and was felt to confirm the origin of the canal as Roman. Environmental sampling suggested a saltmarsh and bulrush/reed swamp environment at the time the canal was built. The canal fills indicated sediment transportation from the Wash, and by the time of abandonment, the inland end of the canal was blocked, reducing current flow and resulting in the seaward end becoming silted up, creating a lagoonal environment.{8}
Sources/Archives (8)
- <01> SLI2401 Index: OS CARD INDEX. BOURNE. TF 12 SW 2,1965, DA.
- <02> SLI4529 Unpublished Document: PHILLIPS, C.W.. 1961. -.
- <03> SLI4889 Verbal Communication: BUSH, F K. 1961. -.
- <04> SLI134 Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946-71. RAF POST WAR COLLECTION. CPE:UK 1932: 1278-80 3245-8,1947, .
- <05> SLI3648 Map: HALLAM, S.J.. 1953. OS 6 INCH SERIES. -.
- <06> SLI1079 Bibliographic Reference: Hayes, P. P. and Lane, T. W.. 1992. The Fenland Project No.5: Lincolnshire Survey, the South-West Fens. BOU33.
- <07> SLI1079 Bibliographic Reference: Hayes, P. P. and Lane, T. W.. 1992. The Fenland Project No.5: Lincolnshire Survey, the South-West Fens. VOL 55 P135.
- <08> SLI7859 Bibliographic Reference: Crowson, A.; Lane, T. and Reeve. J. (eds). 2000. Fenland Management Project Excavations 1991-1995. MOR 70 (MOC93), pp.129-134.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred TF 129 224 (4402m by 3998m) Centre |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | MORTON, SOUTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE |
| Civil Parish | BOURNE, SOUTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (4)
- Related to: Roman ditch adjacent to Bourne/Morton Roman branch canal, Cross Drove, Morton (Monument) (MLI84495)
- Related to: Roman ditch adjacent to Bourne/Morton Roman branch canal, Cross Drove, Morton (Monument) (MLI84495)
- Related to: SILT LEVEES, NORTH EAST FROM THE CAR DYKE (Monument) (MLI33163)
- Related to: Undated ring ditch, Cross Drove, Morton (Monument) (MLI84496)
Related Events/Activities (2)
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Mar 21 2021 8:35PM
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