Holland Fen

History

Holland Fen has been known as the Haute Huntre, or Eight Hundred Fen.

In 1720 Earl Fitzwilliam decided to drain the Holland Fen, having been frustrated by the local Commissioners of Sewers. He built the North Forty Foot Drain, which emptied by Lodowicks Gowt into the River Witham above Grand Sluice. The North Forty Foot was subsequently diverted to the South Forty Foot Drain at Cooks Lock and from there to Boston Haven through Black Sluice.

The Haute Huntre was drained and enclosed in 1767.

Holland Fen was an ecclesiastical parish created in 1812 and abolished in 1948. It is now part of the Holland Fen with Brothertoft parish.

Holland Fen consists of:

• Holland Fen
• Ferry Corner Plot
• River Bottom
• North Forty Foot Bank
• Hedgehog Bridge
• Toft Tunnel

Church

The church is dedicated to All Saints and was built as a chapel of ease to Fosdyke in 1812. It was constructed of brick in Perpendicular style, with chancel and nave only, and bell turret. In 1964 Pevsner noted a chancel dated 1880, a west gallery on iron shafts, a pulpit with fluted pilasters, and a chalice probably by William Bell.

Today, All Saints' Church is part of the Holland Fen with Brothertoft Group, also known as "Five in the Fen" which also includes:

• Saint Gilbert Of Sempringham, Brothertoft
• Christ Church, Kirton Holme
• Saint Margaret of Scotland, Langrick
• Saint Peter, Wildmore

References

References

1. Thompson, Pishey. (1856). "History and Antiquities Of Boston". Longman.
2. Wheeler, W. H.. (1868). "History Of The Fens Of South Lincolnshire".
3. "Vision Of Britain". University of Portsmouth.
4. ''[[Kelly's Directory]] of Lincolnshire with the port of Hull'' 1885, p. 481
5. [[Nikolaus Pevsner. Pevsner, Nikolaus]]; [[John Harris (curator). Harris, John]]; ''The Buildings of England: Lincolnshire'' p. 575; Penguin, (1964); revised by Nicholas Antram (1989), Yale University Press. {{ISBN. 0-300-09620-8
6. "All Saints at Holland Fen, Holland Fen". A Church Near You.