103-568: Holderness Drain is the main feature of a Land Drainage scheme for the area of Holderness to the east of the River Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire , England. Construction began in 1764, and several notable civil engineers were involved with the scheme over the years. Despite the high costs of the initial scheme, it was not particularly successful, because of the refusal of the ship owners of Hull to allow an outlet at Marfleet . They insisted that
206-608: A canal running parallel to the drain in September 1791, which would be navigable from near the Holderness outfall to Monk bridge, or to Leven, about 1 mile (1.6 km) further to the north. The drainage trustees were anxious to ensure that such a plan would not damage the drainage, and asked John Hudson of Louth to assess it in February 1792. The promoters then petitioned Parliament in March, but
309-477: A diverse range of plants and animals. The upper tributaries of the river originate on the edge of the Yorkshire Wolds before entering the area of glacial and alluvial deposits of Holderness. The river bed varies in composition reflecting the underlying geology. In the upper reaches of the river water crowfoot , lesser water parsnip , mare's-tail and spiked water-milfoil may be found in the main channel whilst
412-559: A dozen drainage windmills in the area by the early eighteenth century. In 1763, landowners decided that the carrs to the east of the River Hull could be turned into profitable land, and obtained an Act of Parliament to exclude this area from the jurisdiction of the Court of Sewers. It created Holderness Drainage, a legal entity with powers to construct new banks and drains. Plans for the drainage of Holderness were then put together. John Grundy, Jr.
515-699: A good reputation for this. In 1762 he became the collector of the Land Tax in Spalding district, which although it only occupied him for a few weeks each year, earned him more money than his salary from Deeping Fen. He resigned the Deeping Fen position in 1764, but was retained as a consultant. His next projects included the Holderness drainage scheme , planning and supervision of the Louth Navigation which opened in 1770,
618-481: A low level drainage system operates to collect the water. In the middle and lower reaches of the River Hull water is pumped from the low level drains into a high level system. This system consists of elevated water courses bounded by embankments. It drains by gravity into the sea. The main drain is the Holderness Drain , begun in 1764 by the engineer John Grundy Jr. In the east and south-east of Holderness there
721-568: A lower level than previous outlets, thus providing a better gradient for the flow of the water. The old Main Drain was embanked where it crossed the carrs, and was used to carry runoff from the streams of Holderness to the Hull. The new lowland drain carried water from the carrs to Marfleet, passing under the upland drain in the Great Culvert. Where possible, old drains were made straighter, wider and deeper, and
824-596: A major overhaul of land drainage legislation took place. Since then it has been managed by a catchment board , a river board , a river authority , a water authority , the National Rivers Authority and the Environment Agency . Since 1930, the smaller drainage ditches that feed into the Holderness Drain have been the responsibility of an internal drainage board . In order to improve the efficiency of
927-449: A navigation (as well as a drainage) from the outfall to Monk bridge." His report of 1786 had stated that a navigation might be an advantage to the drainage. He estimated that it would cost an additional £5,136 to make the main drain suitable for craft drawing 4.5 feet (1.4 m). The cost included a number of passing places, and the provision of two locks. However, the trustees did not take the plan any further. An independent group proposed
1030-648: A new pumping station would be more economical than refurbishing it. Following a planning decision in April 2020, work started on the new structure in May, which is located to the south of the existing station, nearer to the Humber. Its four pumps can pump 350 cubic feet per second (10 m/s) in conditions where water levels in the drain are high and the tide in the Humber is also high. The Holderness Drain Flood Alleviation Scheme
1133-453: A number of channels were cut through them by the monks from Meaux Abbey . These ran in an east-west direction and were primarily to aid transport by boat, rather than for drainage, although their large size tended to have some effect on the land. A move towards a more comprehensive system of control occurred in 1532, with the passing of the Stature of Sewers. This created Commissioners of Sewers in
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#17328510845791236-505: A personal letter to his friend, the engineer John Smeaton , expressing his sadness. Less than two months later, both men visited the site on 4 July 1764, and produced a report ten days later. Later, Grundy sent the working drawings for the terminal sluice into the Humber to Smeaton, who made some suggestions and drew up a bill of materials. Grundy then acted as engineer for the project, which included 17 miles (27 km) of barrier bank to protect
1339-489: A promontory, or nose-shape, either in a river or jutting from a coastline. After the Norman Conquest of England the extensive Lordship of Holderness was given by King William I to Drogo de la Beuvrière , a Flemish supporter. This Drogo built a castle at Skipsea before 1087 when his estates were confiscated by the king. The area was then given to Adelaide of Normandy , and the title to her husband, Odo , but this
1442-403: A range of facilities and the bigger local centres of Bridlington and Beverley are regularly used by Holderness people. Hull is the largest commercial centre which is regularly used and it provides employment for a significant proportion of the population. Agriculture is the traditional employment of the area and there is a substantial area of horticultural development on the flat fertile land in
1545-477: A solution. Snow offered to cut the drain in return for use of the drained land for a period of 21 years, but he failed to obtain the consent of the landowners or an Act of Parliament to authorise it. Sir Joseph Ashe made some improvements to his Wawne estate, which included cutting the Engine Drain, at the end of which he built two windmills to raise the water into the Hull. Others followed suit, and there were around
1648-537: A year on average or 2 million tonnes of material a year. Some of this is transported by longshore drift with about three percent of material being deposited at Spurn Point spit, to the south. The growth of Spurn Point is demonstrated by a series of lighthouses that have been built on the point. It is thought that approximately 3 miles (5 km) of land has been lost since the Roman era , including at least 23 towns/villages, including Ravenspurn . The Holderness coastline
1751-478: Is a beach with dunes which moves in response to the action of the waves. The wave action removes sand from the east of the beach and deposits it on the western side. The coast is influenced mainly by wave action but in the estuary the processes are driven by the power of the tides. The incoming tidal currents carry more sediment into the estuary than the ebb tides carry out. The estuary is shallow because of this constant deposition. Isostatic recoil is, however, causing
1854-521: Is a complex network of drains and streams that flow south into the Humber or east into the North Sea. To mitigate the effects of high tides stopping the water flow from these outlets, several have had pumping stations constructed at their outfalls. For the purpose of describing the natural history the area can be divided into three parts:- The River Hull valley dominates the western landscape of Holderness. The river and its associated wetland habitats support
1957-724: Is a multi-agency project, jointly funded by the Environment Agency, Hull City Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership and Highways England , and construction was completed in January 2024. Phase 2 of the project, to create a flood relief area to the east of Bransholme and Sutton near the Castle Monument, began in June 2022. The flood relief area is known as Castlehill Aquagreen, and
2060-491: Is access to the national motorway network via the A63 from Hull. Links to the continent are also via Hull, from where a daily ferry service to Rotterdam departs . A-class roads centre upon Hull and the coastal resort of Bridlington. Otherwise the A1033 road which connects Withernsea on the south-east coast to inland areas is the only main route in the area. The only remaining rail link
2163-576: Is an area of the East Riding of Yorkshire , on the north-east coast of England. An area of rich agricultural land, Holderness was marshland until it was drained in the Middle Ages . Topographically , Holderness has more in common with the Netherlands than with other parts of Yorkshire. To the north and west are the Yorkshire Wolds . Holderness generally refers to the area between the River Hull and
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#17328510845792266-466: Is at Tickton, which was built in 1972 as part of the Holderness Drain scheme. The second is the Great Culvert pumping station, which was built at the same time. This is located close to the point of the original Great Culvert, which carried the high level drain to the River Hull over the low level drain to the Humber. Water from Monkdike and the Foredyke Stream was diverted into the low level drain, with
2369-407: Is designed to remain dry under normal conditions. During flood events, it will store flood water, which will then be released back into Holderness Drain as conditions improve. This has been achieved by altering the flood banks of parts of East Carr Drain and Holderness Drain, and by re-aligning a section of Sutton Cross Drain. Most of the work was completed by December 2023, but some re-instatement work
2472-414: Is drained by the River Hull and its tributaries and a number of coastal streams. The valley of the River Hull is broad and shallow and in its lower reaches the river is contained within flood banks. The River Hull Tidal Surge Barrier at the mouth of the river can be used to prevent surge tides overwhelming the flood defences. Large areas of Holderness are too flat and low to drain naturally so in these areas
2575-563: Is particularly common and sand martin colonies have become established in places. Hornsea Mere is the largest natural lake in Yorkshire at 120 hectares. It has, besides the open fresh water habitat, marginal habitats of reed swamp, species-rich fen and carr woodland. It regularly supports populations of wintering wildfowl and the reed beds provide breeding sites for reed warblers. Characteristic plants include milk parsley , greater water parsnip and lesser reedmace . The intertidal system of
2678-610: Is susceptible to erosion due to the long north-easterly fetch, allowing for powerful waves, and the softness of the geology that make up the cliffs. Holderness is also a former bay that was filled in during the ice age and is now made up of chalk/glacial compounds that are easily eroded such as boulder clay . All the villages affected by the erosion are located on the north side of the Humber estuary . The area stretches from Flamborough Head (high chalk cliffs, just north of Bridlington) down to Spurn Point (sand spit, on above map). Villages such as Ravenser, which sent representatives to
2781-627: Is the Yorkshire Coast Line that runs between Hull in the south and Bridlington and it tends to skirt the area towards the west. Until the 1960s there were lines from Hull to both Hornsea and Withernsea , but these were closed by the Beeching cuts . Furthermore, in 1901 there was a proposal to construct the North Holderness Light Railway from Beverley to North Frodingham railway station , but this came to nothing. As part of
2884-665: The Adlingfleet drainage scheme, the Driffield Navigation , which also opened in 1770, the Laneham drainage scheme, and the Weighton drainage and navigation scheme, completed in 1775. He continued to act as consultant for Deeping Fen during this time, and also oversaw the construction of the first of the docks at Hull , the largest in England when it was completed in 1778. After 1775, he
2987-528: The Calder Navigation by then, Smeaton made the time to visit the area with Grundy on 4 July, in response to a request from the Trustees of the scheme to view the low grounds and carrs. Grundy produced a report on 14 July, and then designed the outfall sluice, which had two 10-foot (3.0 m) arches with sluices. Smeaton again reviewed the plans in September, suggesting improvements to the foundations, and this
3090-404: The Environment Agency . It was originally constructed in 1949, so that the outflow from the drain could be pumped into the Humber when the level of the tides prevented gravity discharge. A major upgrade by Kingston upon Hull Corporation took place in May 1972, when it was extended to pump sewage flows into the Humber as well. In 2010, the Environment Agency looked at the costs and effectiveness of
3193-655: The North Sea . The Prime Meridian passes through Holderness just to the east of Patrington and through Tunstall to the north. Between 1974 and 1996, Holderness lay within the Borough of Holderness in Humberside . It gave its name to a wapentake until the 19th century, when its functions were replaced by other local government bodies, particularly after the Local Government Act 1888 . The city of Kingston upon Hull lies in
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3296-463: The 16th century. Other large estates created from former monastic holdings were sold by the crown to private landowners in the 17th and 18th centuries. Piecemeal attempts were made to improve the poor drainage of the area and with the formation of drainage boards in the later 18th century flooding began to be controlled. The remaining wastes were added to farm land and the meres, fluctuating lakes, disappeared. The opening of railways from Hull accelerated
3399-605: The Beverley IDB, and subsequently with the Beverley and Barmstom IDB, to become the Beverley and North Holderness IDB in 1981. They are responsible for an area of 91.98 square miles (238.2 km) in which they maintain 163 miles (262 km) of drains, including those that feed into the Holderness Drain. Some 70 per cent of the area is dependent upon pumping stations to prevent flooding. Holderness Drain has three pumping stations along its length, which manage changes in level. The first
3502-557: The Beverley and Barmston Drain, the trustees looked at such a possibility for the Holderness Drain, but the development of the Alexandra Dock in the 1880s and then the King George V Dock in 1913 provided a solution, as the docks were topped up with water pumped from the drain, to lessen the ingress of silt-laden water. Responsibility for the scheme rested with the Trustees of Holderness Drainage from its inception in 1764 until 1930, when
3605-665: The Duke of Holderness, who resides in the area at the fictional Holderness Hall. Other works of fiction based in, or around, Holderness include The Summoner's Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer and South Riding by Winifred Holtby . In "Spurn Head," part three of Will Self 's Walking to Hollywood , the rapid erosion of the Holderness Coast is used as a metaphor for the effects of Alzheimer's disease . 53°50′N 0°11′W / 53.84°N 0.18°W / 53.84; -0.18 John Grundy, Jr. John Grundy Jr. (1719–1783)
3708-429: The Holderness Drain. Pumps capable of pumping 14.5 million cubic feet (410 Ml) per day were installed, resulting in significant savings in the cost of operating the dock. Pumping from the drain increased again in 1913, when the newly constructed King George V Dock opened, and again required clean water. For Holderness Drainage, this provided the benefits of pumping without the cost. Holderness Drainage were responsible for
3811-508: The Holderness are the shelter against the worst of the moist westerly winds provided firstly by the Pennines and then the Yorkshire Wolds and the proximity of the North Sea. Generally, rainfall is 600 to 700 mm per year which is low compared with the national average rainfall of 1125 mm. Geologically, Holderness is underlain by Cretaceous chalk but in most places it is so deeply buried beneath glacial deposits that it has no influence on
3914-423: The Holderness area now lies within a number of different divisions. The Beverley and Holderness parliamentary constituency statistics have been used to provide a representative picture of the area. In 2004 there were 95,077 people living in the area in 41,224 households. Of these people 4.7% were aged below 25 years, 52.6% were aged between 25 and 55 years and 42.8% were 55 years old or more. The population density
4017-471: The Humber estuary has local seagrass beds that provide feeding and wintering areas for over 133,000 waders and wildfowl. It is rich in invertebrate communities. The estuary also provides for breeding birds, grey seals and natterjack toads . Spurn Point at the tip of the Spurn peninsula is made of hard glacial moraine so is less liable to erosion than areas further north on the Holderness coast. The Spurn peninsula
4120-532: The Trent. He made seven or more site visits during the course of the contract. When he died, Grundy left his report books and copies of all his subsequent reports to his grandson. They were bought by Sir Joseph Banks , who was president of the Royal Society , in 1793, and the loose reports were bound into a further five volumes. The Banks family retained the books until 1918, when they were sold at auction. Nothing more
4223-561: The United Kingdom, the Holderness area generally has cool summers and relatively mild winters. The latitude of the area means that it is influenced by predominantly westerly winds with depressions and their associated fronts, bringing with them unsettled and windy weather, particularly in winter. The wind sometimes causes depositions to happen. Between depressions there are often small mobile anticyclones that bring periods of fair weather. In winter anticyclones bring cold dry weather. In summer
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4326-460: The anticyclones tend to bring dry settled conditions which can lead to drought. For its latitude this area is mild in winter and cooler in summer due to the influence of the Gulf Stream in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Air temperature varies on a daily and seasonal basis. The temperature is usually lower at night and January is the coldest time of the year. The two dominant influences on the climate of
4429-563: The area became drier it was progressively cleared of trees and the higher drier parts were initially favoured for settlement. The Domesday survey reveals that in the reign of Edward the Confessor there were 45 different freeholders having land in Holderness. The name of Holderness may be derived from the Danish "hold" which was the name given in that language to a nobleman with considerable territorial possessions. The "ness" part generally refers to
4532-559: The area included the abbeys of Meaux and Thornton and the priories of Swine, Nunkeeling and Bridlington. This land was confiscated and became crown property when Henry VIII ordered the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century. The Aumale lordship had also passed to the crown and was obtained along with some former monastic lands by the Constable family of Burton Constable in
4635-439: The area to sink at the rate of 3 mm annually and global warming is making the sea level rise. The combined effects of these processes mean that the sea in the estuary may be half a metre higher by the year 2050. A large area around the estuary consists of land which lies below the present high-water mark. Flood defences offer only a short-term and local answer and may actually increase the long-term risks. Managed realignment of
4738-499: The area. The well-drained glacial deposits provide fertile soils that can support intensive arable cultivation. Fields are generally large and bounded by drainage ditches. There is very little woodland in the area and this leads to a landscape that is essentially rural but very flat and exposed. The coast is subject to rapid marine erosion. The Holderness coastline suffers the highest rate of coastal erosion in Europe: 5 feet (1.5 m)
4841-576: The basis for Jessop's detailed plan, which was agreed in 1787. He produced specifications for drains, embankments, dams and tunnels, with the overriding principle that the water from the uplands to the north should be kept entirely separate from the internal drains of the area. Once the project got under way, Jessop visited from time to time to check on progress. He made a total of seven visits between 1789 and 1792, when his involvement and that of George Plummer, who had acted as resident engineer, ceased. Anthony Bower then took over as resident engineer, overseeing
4944-621: The basis for an Act of Parliament , and stayed in London during March and April 1769 to ensure the bill was passed. He acted as engineer for the Drainage Commissioners who had been appointed by the Act, and the scheme was finished in May 1772, on time and at a cost of £15,000. One change to the original scheme was his decision to add a drainage mill at Sturton, to lift water from the Mother Drain into
5047-475: The coast by setting back the coastal defences will provide new intertidal habitats and harness natural equalising processes and is the preferred long-term solution. There is archaeological evidence to suggest that the first settlers in Holderness arrived in the Neolithic era when the plain was still very wet and most likely consisted of a mixture of marshes, lakes, islands and woodland. As the sea level changed and
5150-463: The coastline is vulnerable to erosion, on average losing six feet (1.8 m) a year. The coast and surrounding communities have had to implement managed retreat . The area has boundaries which are clearly defined by the rising land of the Yorkshire Wolds to the north and west, the North Sea to the east and the Humber Estuary to the south. There are no motorways in the area, however there
5253-467: The construction of a new drain to link Monkdike to Forthdike, providing a more southerly outlet for the water, where the level of the Hull was lower at low tide. An extensive survey of all the drains and banks was made between 1660 and 1662, with the details recorded in a book of pains, now held by the East Riding Record Office. Pains was the term used for records of the size of such structures,
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#17328510845795356-416: The contract, Charles Tate, who had produced the original engraved plan, worked as the land surveyor. Grundy in his capacity as Chief Engineer, visited the sites on four occasions in 1765, and continued to do so until October 1767, when the main drains and sluice were finished. Both he and Page then moved on, but work on the banks and drains continued under the supervision of Hoggard. By the time this first phase
5459-433: The crown. The coastal trading town of Ravenser Odd , represented in the 13th century model parliament, was lost to the sea through storm and coastal erosion. Its seaport role was eventually taken over by the new town of Kingston upon Hull but until about 1400 by Hedon and Beverley as Hull was isolated by the surrounding marshes. Robin of Redesdale was responsible for raising the northern shires against King Edward IV in
5562-461: The drain since 2006, when pumping of sewage was discontinued following the commissioning of Saltend Waste Water Treatment Works, and the 6.2-mile (10.0 km) deep level sewer that connects it to Hull's sewerage system. As part of a £28.5 million flood alleviation scheme for Hull, the Environment Agency decided that the East Hull pumping station had reached the end of its life, and that constructing
5665-470: The drainage, and if they could not agree, then they were to consult the engineer John Rennie . As a further measure, Mrs Bethel provided an indemnity against the canal damaging the drainage. The canal crossed the main Holderness Drain on an aqueduct. [REDACTED] Media related to Holderness Drain at Wikimedia Commons 53°44′32″N 0°17′12″W / 53.7422°N 0.2867°W / 53.7422; -0.2867 Holderness Holderness
5768-414: The early medieval period. Hamlets along the edges of the Humber and the Hull built banks to prevent the inundation by sea water in the early fourteenth century, as King Edward II appointed commissioners in 1311 and 1313, with responsibilities to inspect and repair the banks. However, the commissioners were only appointed when the walls were breached, and once repairs had been made, they were disbanded. There
5871-425: The erosion is not stopped then there will be millions of pounds of damage. However, one or more such groynes has had a detrimental effect further along the coast, in some areas resulting in erosion of up to 66 feet (20 m) per year initially, though over the long term erosion rates have been seen to revert to their original yearly average of closer to 6 feet 7 inches (2 m) a year. The Holderness area
5974-455: The gas refining process and is a major employer in the area. Tourism makes a significant contribution to the economy of Hornsea and Withernsea with Hornsea Pottery and Freeport attracting around a million visitors each year. " The Adventure of the Priory School ", a Sherlock Holmes mystery by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle , takes place mostly in Holderness. Also one of the main characters is
6077-665: The growth of first Withernsea in 1854 and Hornsea in 1864 as coastal resorts and commuter towns of Hull. Many of the other settlements grew and changed their character from agricultural villages to become dormitory settlements of Hull, Beverley, Bridlington and Driffield. Sales of large landed estates have reduced many of the large agricultural holdings that were in private ownership but some still remain and some have been used to create large farming agri-businesses which manage considerable areas with few farms. The rail links to both Withernsea and Hornsea closed to passengers in 1964 and closed completely in 1965. Administratively and politically
6180-434: The high level system flowing back up the Holderness Drain, increasing the risk of flooding. At the time, a £900,000 refurbishment scheme was being carried out at East Hull pumping station, and ways to increase its capacity were under investigation. Of the four pumps, the two 24-inch (61 cm) ones were refurbished first, followed by the two 48-inch (120 cm) ones. All of the pumps have been available for pumping water from
6283-421: The intervals at which they had to be repaired or scoured, and the penalties for failing to carry out the repairs. The idea of taking the waters from the carrs in the north to a new outlet near Marfleet on the Humber was suggested by Mr Snow in 1671. He was a Commissioner of Sewers, and proposed a new drain from Forthdike to Marfleet, passing to the east of Sutton, whose inhabitants had resisted previous attempts at
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#17328510845796386-706: The land to the east of the River Hull from flooding by the river. John Hoggard oversaw the construction of the bank, while Joseph Page acted as resident engineer for the construction of the sluice and drains, and Charles Tate acted as land surveyor. Grundy made several visits to check progress, until the main drains and sluice were completed in October 1767, although work continued on the bank and minor drains until 1772, under Hoggard's supervision. The Laneham Drainage scheme covered an area of some 10 square miles (26 km ) between Laneham and West Burton in Nottinghamshire on
6489-496: The landscape. The landscape is dominated by deposits of till, boulder clays and glacial lake clays. These were deposited during the Devensian glaciation. The glacial deposits form a more or less continuous lowland plain which has some peat filled depressions (known locally as meres) which mark the presence of former lake beds. There are other glacial landscape features such as drumlin mounds, ridges and kettle holes scattered throughout
6592-449: The low-lying land from that source. Construction of the bank had begun in July 1764, with John Hoggard acting as Superintendent of the works. In March 1765, work on the main sluice began, and bricklayers, carpenters and masons were employed. The resident engineer or 'Surveyor' for this part of the work and for the construction of the main drain was Joseph Page, who was paid £80 per year. Throughout
6695-445: The main areas of England and Wales which had significant areas of marshland. They had considerable powers, which were exercised through Courts of Sewers. Two such Courts were created in the Hull valley. One was based at Beverley , with separate juries for North, Middle and South Holderness and three other areas, while the second was based at Hull. They were initially only concerned with existing banks and drains, but in 1580 they organised
6798-472: The main drains, increasing the peak flow. Where this drained into the upland drain, this was not a problem, but where it entered the lowland drain, it caused difficulties, particularly when Marfleet was tide locked. Following the successful introduction of steam pumping on the Beverley and Barmston drain, to the west of the River Hull, the Trustees looked at the possibility of installing pumps as Marfleet. However, help came from another source. The Alexandra Dock
6901-625: The management of the system until 1930, when the Land Drainage Act 1930 became law. This organised the low-lying areas of England and Wales into catchment areas , each with its own catchment board . These boards were responsible for the main rivers within a catchment basin . For the Holderness region, responsibility for the River Hull and the Holderness main drain passed to the Hull Catchment Board. Holderness Drainage then became an internal drainage board (IDB), with responsibility for
7004-621: The marginal vegetation is composed of branched bur-reed , common reed and reed sweetgrass . Otters have recently recolonised the upper reaches of the river, yet the European water vole is now confined to a few isolated populations. Notable species of invertebrates include uncommon mayflies . There is a diverse breeding bird community including lapwing , snipe and common redshank . Wildfowl such as mallard and mute swans may also be seen, along with yellow wagtail , sedge warbler , reed warbler and reed bunting . Further south towards Hull
7107-511: The meres in the Leven and Tickton area soon disappeared. By 1854, around one sixth of the land was still subject to occasional winter flooding, but most of the carrs were by then used for crops, rather than for pasture. Flooding in the Holderness Level increased between 1840 and 1880, as farmers used tile drains to keep their land free of standing water. These carried the water away more quickly to
7210-508: The mud banks near the lower end of the Hull was vital to maintain the Old Harbour, as this part of the river was known. With limited financial resources, Holderness Drainage were unable to resist the pressure, and the plans were altered to have an outlet at Stoneferry on the Hull, and reduced dimensions for the drains. Grundy wrote the final report, completing it on 30 December. Smeaton then reviewed it, and suggested only minor modifications, as he
7313-451: The open farmland which supports golden plover and lapwing and a flora of arable weeds. The coast from Bridlington in the north to Spurn Point is an interesting complex of coastal processes. The soft cliffs of Holderness are subject to rapid erosion whilst the eroded material is being deposited on the Spurn peninsula. The speed of erosion along the glacial till cliffs prohibits colonisation of anything but sparse ruderal vegetation. Coltsfoot
7416-406: The opening of Humber Dock in 1809 and Junction Dock (later Princes Dock) in 1829. By the time the agricultural industry began to recover, the carrs were in a bad state, but so was the Old Harbour at Hull. Holderness Drainage acted quickly, obtaining an Act of Parliament in 1832, which authorised the construction of a drain to Marfleet, where the outlet sluice (known locally as a clow) could be built at
7519-487: The parliament of Edward I , have totally disappeared. The local authorities are endeavouring to prevent the effects of erosion. Hard defences in the form of a concrete seawall and timber groynes have given some protection. It has been suggested that a large underwater reef made of tyres could be built off the Holderness coast to mitigate this erosion, but it would be costly to build. Other defences include sea walls, groynes , and gabions but business people say that if
7622-552: The passing of the Water Act 1973 , when the river authority became part of the much larger Yorkshire Water Authority. Yorkshire Water Authority was privatised as a result of the Water Act 1989 , and responsibility for main rivers including the Holderness Drain passed to the National Rivers Authority , which subsequently became part of the Environment Agency in 1995. Similarly, the internal drainage boards have gradually amalgamated into larger units. The Holderness IDB first merged with
7725-522: The plan foundered. In 1799, Mrs Bethel asked Jessop to produce a plan for a canal running westwards from Leven to the River Hull. Jessop did so, and reported that the canal would not harm the drainage. However, the trustees were nervous, and asked Mrs Bethel to pay for a second opinion. She employed James Creassy, who agreed with Jessop, and with the blessing of the trustees, she obtained an Act of Parliament in 1801. The Act stipulated that Jessop and Creassy must agree that any work carried out would not harm
7828-420: The pumping station raising water from the remainder of the low level drain to the north. The rest of the Foredyke Stream, which carried the high level waters through the city to the River Hull at Stoneferry was abandoned. The East Hull pumping station, near the outlet of the Holderness Drain, has a capacity of 94,600 cubic metres per hour (3,340,000 cu ft/h), and is jointly managed by Yorkshire Water and
7931-454: The pumping stations, and concluded that only East Hull significantly reduced the risk of flooding to properties. Costs to run Tickton pumping station were about £20,000 per year, and it was decided to continue operating it for a further five years, while working with local communities to find other sources of funding for it. Although deemed uneconomic, Great Culvert pumping station would continue to be used, as removing it would result in water from
8034-554: The river becomes tidal and saline. In the lower reaches it is enclosed by flood banks with little associated natural habitat remaining. The majority of the formerly extensive wetlands have been subject to drainage schemes and agricultural improvement. However some small remnants remain along the Hull valley between Driffield and Wansford . Plants that are typical of these habitats including a variety of reeds, rushes and sedges as well as yellow flag , valerian and meadowsweet may be found. There are few surviving areas of woodland among
8137-677: The same year. This was for a sluice at Pinchbeck , where the Blue Gowt Drain joined the River Glen . His father probably supervised the project, and the two engineers worked on plans for improvements to the River Witham in 1743, which although they were not implemented at the time, formed the basis for subsequent work. He married Lydia Knipe in January 1743, and they had two daughters, Mary and Lydia, who survived into adulthood, and four other children who died as infants. His wife died in 1764, and he
8240-719: The smaller drains. Responsibility changed again with the passing of the River Boards Act 1948 , which created the Hull and East Yorkshire River Board . The next change occurred as a result of the Water Resources Act 1963 , when the Hull River Board was joined to the Yorkshire Ouse River Board to become the Yorkshire Ouse and Hull River Authority . Further amalgamation and reorganisation took place following
8343-412: The south-west corner of Holderness and Bridlington borders the north-east but both are usually considered separately. The main towns include Withernsea , Hornsea and Hedon . The Holderness coast stretches from Flamborough Head to Spurn Head . The ancient market town of Beverley lies just to the west of the Holderness area, on the eastern slopes of the Yorkshire Wolds . Because of its soft soil,
8446-546: The south-west. Animal husbandry, particularly pig rearing, is a major part of the agricultural scene. In 2001 agriculture employed 4.5% of the working population. Industrial activity ranges from small workshop units in Hornsea and Withernsea to the Easington and Dimlington gas terminals on the east coast. These terminals process gas from the North Sea gas fields. The British Petroleum chemical works at Saltend uses condensates from
8549-506: The spring of 1469. The uprising led by Robin of Redesdale provided the opportunity for Robin of Holderness to lead a separate rebellion relating to a corn tax. Both men submitted to Edward IV <genealogy.com user 1998> in March 1470 following the failure of Warwick's rebellion. Large estates in Holderness were held by the Bishop of Durham and the Archbishop of York . Other large landowners in
8652-459: The system, pumping stations were built at Tickton , Great Culvert and East Hull in 1972. However, attitudes to land drainage have changed and the Tickton station is now deemed to be uneconomic, and will be closed down unless alternative sources of income to fund its operation can be found. The valley of the River Hull was regularly inundated with fresh water in the north, and salt water in the south in
8755-486: The vicar of the parish of Belton , near Grantham . Grundy was involved with major projects at Grimsthorpe between 1746 and 1752 which included an earth dam to create an artificial lake, and returned there intermittently over the next 20 years. Between 1748 and 1764, he was employed as engineer for Deeping Fen , which included maintenance of the River Welland . During this time, he also took on consulting work and gained
8858-416: The water be discharged into the River Hull to keep the channel free of silt. Following a period of agricultural depression and the building of new docks in the early 1800s, an outlet at Marfleet was finally authorised in 1832. A high level system still fed upland water to the Hull, but the low level system discharged into the Humber, where levels were considerably lower. Following the success of steam pumping on
8961-571: The western bank of the River Trent . Grundy was approached in December 1768 by a group of landowners, and produced his first plans in February 1769. They included a catchwater drain running along the western edge of the region to route several streams to a sluice on the Trent, a 7-mile (11 km) floodbank to prevent inundation by the river, and a Mother Drain with side drains to route rainwater to another sluice. He then produced detailed plans, which formed
9064-431: The work until 1795. This phase of the scheme was finally completed in 1805, at a cost of £16,000. Despite the large amounts of money spent on the schemes, they were not particularly effective, because of the failure to provide an outfall at Marfleet. Ship owners continued to oppose such a plan until at least 1810, and there was an agricultural depression from 1815 to 1830. During this period, the port of Hull developed, with
9167-493: Was an English civil engineer, who worked on a number of drainage schemes, canal projects and dock works. He lived in Spalding , Lincolnshire , from 1739. Part of his legacy was his Report Books , seventeen volumes containing copies of his reports and other supporting documents from most of his projects, which in some cases are the only surviving records of major civil engineering projects. They were re-discovered in 1988. John Grundy
9270-456: Was approached to produce plans for the drainage of some 17.19 square miles (44.5 km) of low-lying land to the east of the River Hull. He worked with John Smeaton on the initial assessment, and the two men visited the area in November. There was significant opposition to his plans for the main outlet to be at Marfleet, since the shipping owners felt that the scouring action of the fresh water on
9373-466: Was built to the west of the final section of the drain in the early 1880s. Research on the original Hull Dock had shown that around 1.25 million tons of mud were deposited in the dock each year, as a result of the muddy water of the Humber entering the dock for 2 to 3 hours at each high tide. In order to mitigate the high cost of dredging to remove this material, the water levels in the 46.5-acre (18.8 ha) dock were maintained by pumping fresh water from
9476-401: Was completed in 1772, the cost had been around £24,000. Some work continued until 1775, consisting largely of raising river banks, making drains deeper, and extending the drains that had been created. However, the system was inadequate, as there were large areas that remained under water near Leven, in the north of the area, and at Weel, to the east of Beverley. Flooding during the winter months
9579-509: Was delayed by wet conditions. When the commissioners approached Jessop in 1786 they had asked him "... to take a view of the works of the Drainage, and of the River Hull, and to report what measures (in his opinion) ought to be pursued to give the best effect to the undertaking; what will be the probable expence of those measures, whether a navigation be compatible with the drainage, and if it be, what additional expence would be required to effect
9682-413: Was happy with all the major points. The land surveyor Charles Tate produced an engraved plan, and Grundy went to London to steer the bill for the scheme through Parliament. The bill became an Act of Parliament on 5 April 1764. Grundy's life was marked by tragedy shortly afterwards, when his wife of 21 years died, and remarkably personal letters between the two engineers have survived. Although busy with
9785-713: Was heard of them until 1955, when volume 2 was obtained by the Institution of Civil Engineers from a book dealer in London. Subsequently, the remaining 16 volumes were discovered in the library at the University of Leeds , where they had been since 1930. Lord Brotherton had given them to the university as part of a large bequest, and they were found in 1988. In addition to Grundy's reports, the volumes contain carefully drawn diagrams and plans, together with copies of estimates, minutes of meetings, and other details of his schemes. Volume 2 covers his work at Grimsthorpe, volume 4 covers work on
9888-430: Was his last involvement with the scheme. Grundy submitted his report on the sluice in December 1764, which included a detailed bill of quantities, with an estimated cost of £1,800. It appears that Grundy had been acting as Chief Engineer since July 1764. In addition to the main drain, the scheme involved the construction of 17 miles (27 km) of barrier bank , on the east bank of the River Hull, to prevent inundation of
9991-484: Was in 2001 was 1.25 persons per hectare and 78% of households were privately owned compared with a national average of 68%. There was a relatively low unemployment rate of 1.7% compared with a national average of 2.3%. In Holderness the average household income in 2004 was £27,958 compared with a national average of £30,081. The area provides adequate shopping and market facilities for its residents and visitors. The three small towns of Hedon, Hornsea and Withernsea offer
10094-410: Was married again in 1766, to Ann Maud, the widow of the vicar of St. Neots. He remained based in Spalding for the rest of his life, and died there on 15 June 1783. In his will (dated 15 January), he ensured that his widow was well provided for, and left £1,000 to each of four grandchildren. He also bequeathed his books and manuscripts to Rev. J. G. Thompson, who was his eldest grandson and later became
10197-490: Was much less active in the civil engineering field, although he continued to produce reports when asked. His biggest achievement in this period was the production of his Report Books , running to 12 volumes and 4,000 pages, with details of all his projects, except the works for Deeping Fen. The Act to authorise the Holderness Drainage scheme was passed at around the time that Grundy's wife of 21 years had died. He wrote
10300-422: Was no regular inspection of the banks. As well as preventing the ingress of sea water, the banks also prevented fresh water from the land reaching the Humber, and so a network of channels were cut, to channel water to the Hull and the Humber. Primitive sluices were built where the channels passed through the banks, to ensure that water only passed in one direction. The carrs to the north remained flooded, although
10403-401: Was still a regular problem, because the drains could not cope with rain from the low-lying carrs, when they were full with water from higher ground to the north of Holderness. The engineer William Jessop spent a month investigating the problems, studying some 40 square miles (100 km), and presented a report in July 1786. Further survey work was then carried out by George Plummer, and formed
10506-616: Was taken from him when he rebelled against the King William II in 1095. It was returned to her son Stephen of Aumale in 1102. The Honour or Lordship of Holderness then descended to successive Earls (or Counts) of Aumale : William de Forz, 4th Earl, was survived by his widow Isabella de Forz . She was given custody of her children Thomas and William, but outlived them and also her daughter Aveline , who married Edmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster (son of Henry III ), but died aged 15. The Honour of Holderness then escheated to
10609-604: Was the son of John Grundy, Sr. and Elizabeth Dalton. His father taught mathematics and was a land surveyor, who later became a civil engineer. John was born in the Leicestershire village of Congerstone , where he was baptised on 1 July 1719. The family moved to Spalding in south Lincolnshire in 1739, after his father became engineer for the drainage works at Deeping Fen . He joined the Gentlemen's Society in December 1739, and started work on his first known engineering project in
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