Old Bedford River

The idea of an artificial river running, as the Old Bedford River does, from Earith to Denver was not a new idea; it had been proposed as early as 1604 by the engineer John Hunt. At a meeting of the Commissioners of Sewers held at King's Lynn on 1 September 1630, they asked the Dutch drainage engineer Cornelius Vermuyden to implement a drainage scheme for the southern fens, known as the Great Level. He would fund the work himself, but would receive 90000 acre of the drained land in recognition of his investment. Vermuyden produced plans for the work, but wanted 95000 acre of land. However, the Commissioners were not willing to increase the area of land, and so asked the Earl of Bedford if…