Drainage of the Isle Page 2/3
Once again violence broke out. Flood gates and embankments were broken down, sluice gates were destroyed and extensive flooding resulted. There was total chaos in the area. In 1652 the Participants petitioned Parliament on their behalf against the outrageous conduct of the Commoners. The Sheriff of Lincoln was despatched to the area to try and enforce law and order and repair any damage done to the four thousand acres that had been ruined, he brought about one hundred men with him. Meanwhile, a solicitor named Daniel Noddell, who had been acting on behalf of the inhabitants of Epworth, had raised a force of about four hundred men and defeated the Sheriff and demolished any repair work he and his men had started, and laid waste the remaining three thousand four hundred acres in Epworth which had not previously been damaged. In 1650 the Exchequer issued a decree in favour of the Participants, which Noddell and his compatriots told the inhabitants to ignore and resist by force any attempts made to enforce the decree. The inhabitants then proceeded to demolish the Church and Town of Sandtoft, totally destroying eighty two houses, barns, stables, outhouses and a windmil in ten days. Damage amounted to eighty thousand pounds. ln 1653 an order was made by the Council of State stating that the forces already in the area should assist in putting down the riots and that a commission be issued to try the rioters. Despite this the rebellious inhabitants continued their opposition.
Nathaniel Reading, originally employed by the Commoners as their counsel, when the allotments were divided, now started to exert considerable influence on events, at some stage he had changed his allegiance and now represented the Participants in a capacity that can best be described as a "law enforcer". His job was to uphold the laws imposed by the Court of Sewers and collect the rates on the improved land demanded by the Court, but which the Commoners of Epworth refused to pay. He impounded their cattle in a pinfold at Hatfield, the Commoners retrieved them by using great violence, which included wounding the constable in the head and legs. The following year a Maj Gen Whalley received enough power to subdue and disarm the rioters. This allowed Reading to get on with his job on behalf Of the Participants, with the assistance of deputations from Sheriff of three counties, horses and arms, along with twenty hired men, who were paid twenty pounds a year. After thirty one set battles, in which several of his men were killed and many wounded, the Commoners were eventually subdued and he managed to restore the Church at Sandtoft, install a minister and make the Levels reasonably safe. In 1691 at a hearing in the Exchequer, the Commoners of Epworth Manor were awarded a further one thousand acres, six hundred and sixty four acres were awarded to the Commoners of Misterton and it was instructed that a further five thousand seven hundred and thirty six acres should be surveyed and divided equally amongst the Commoners and Participants. The Commoners were also to keep the six thousand acres on Epworth South Moor and Butterwick Moor already al1oted to them.
This in effect reduced the share of the Participants on the Isle Commons to two thousand eight hundred and sixty eight acres. Needless to say the inhabitants still claimed the entire amount. After the Sheriff of Lincolnshire had given the parties possession of their lands and crops had been sown by tenants of the Participants, a mob headed by Katherine Popplewel1, (she was the daughter of a prominent Belton landowner), pulled down fences and destroyed the corn. Around this time because the Participants could not pay the three thousand pounds they owed him (Reading was paid two hundred pounds p.a), he reluctantly accepted a six year lease of the land. He consequently built several miles of fences and sowed about one thousand acres of land. The Commoners continued to assault himself ,his family and servants, they shot at him and killed his cattle. Mrs Popplewell once again led a mob against him ,set fire to his crops and pulled down his house. For this she and others were indicted at the Lent assizes in Lincoln in 1694,but they got away with small fines. On night of 15th April 1697, the new house which he had erected at Sandtoft a few yards from the site of the old one, was discovered to be on fire. In June the same year some Commoners went and pulled down the out buildings belonging to the house, cut down trees and burnt farming implements. Several of the rioters were again indicted at Lincoln assizes. At this point Katherine Popplewell’s husband intervened (Robert Popplewell was the last man to hold the office of solicitor to the Isle Commoners) he saw the seriousness of the offences and the disgrace she had brought upon the family. He came to an agreement that the rioters and he should pay Reading six hundred pounds on condition that there were no legal proceedings. Reading died in 1716 and was buried at Belton. Two of his sons, Thomas and Robert continued to lease the lands from the Participants.
The Commoners still occasionally attacked the Reading's property and it was not until Lieut-Colonel Robert Reading, who, resided at Sandtoft when not on active service, stationed part of his own regiment at Ross, to protect his property and the fact that the Riot Act was passed in 1715, did the disturbances draw to a close. In 1719 the Commoners case was finally dismissed by the Court of Chancery. After this turbulent period in the Isle's history, the drainage continued to be improved and increased, as it proved to be very necessary. In 1763 there was a record flood when both the Rivers Idle and Torne broke their banks. A civil engineer John Smeaton recommended in 1764, that the drains should be deepened and more relief drains cut, but finance was insufficient for the scheme. 1795 saw the act of Parliament passed allowing for the Enclosure of the Isle Commons. It allowed twenty thousand pounds for new drains. Acting on Smeatons's suggestion a new drain was cut in 1795. From Bullhassocks it took the old R.Idle bed then ran parallel to Vermuyden’s new R. Torne to Pilfrey Bridge, where it took the channel of the new R. Torne to Althorpe. The new R. Torne took the channel of the new R.Idle ,and the new channel called North River was cut to Keadby
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Nathaniel Reading, originally employed by the Commoners as their counsel, when the allotments were divided, now started to exert considerable influence on events, at some stage he had changed his allegiance and now represented the Participants in a capacity that can best be described as a "law enforcer". His job was to uphold the laws imposed by the Court of Sewers and collect the rates on the improved land demanded by the Court, but which the Commoners of Epworth refused to pay. He impounded their cattle in a pinfold at Hatfield, the Commoners retrieved them by using great violence, which included wounding the constable in the head and legs. The following year a Maj Gen Whalley received enough power to subdue and disarm the rioters. This allowed Reading to get on with his job on behalf Of the Participants, with the assistance of deputations from Sheriff of three counties, horses and arms, along with twenty hired men, who were paid twenty pounds a year. After thirty one set battles, in which several of his men were killed and many wounded, the Commoners were eventually subdued and he managed to restore the Church at Sandtoft, install a minister and make the Levels reasonably safe. In 1691 at a hearing in the Exchequer, the Commoners of Epworth Manor were awarded a further one thousand acres, six hundred and sixty four acres were awarded to the Commoners of Misterton and it was instructed that a further five thousand seven hundred and thirty six acres should be surveyed and divided equally amongst the Commoners and Participants. The Commoners were also to keep the six thousand acres on Epworth South Moor and Butterwick Moor already al1oted to them.
This in effect reduced the share of the Participants on the Isle Commons to two thousand eight hundred and sixty eight acres. Needless to say the inhabitants still claimed the entire amount. After the Sheriff of Lincolnshire had given the parties possession of their lands and crops had been sown by tenants of the Participants, a mob headed by Katherine Popplewel1, (she was the daughter of a prominent Belton landowner), pulled down fences and destroyed the corn. Around this time because the Participants could not pay the three thousand pounds they owed him (Reading was paid two hundred pounds p.a), he reluctantly accepted a six year lease of the land. He consequently built several miles of fences and sowed about one thousand acres of land. The Commoners continued to assault himself ,his family and servants, they shot at him and killed his cattle. Mrs Popplewell once again led a mob against him ,set fire to his crops and pulled down his house. For this she and others were indicted at the Lent assizes in Lincoln in 1694,but they got away with small fines. On night of 15th April 1697, the new house which he had erected at Sandtoft a few yards from the site of the old one, was discovered to be on fire. In June the same year some Commoners went and pulled down the out buildings belonging to the house, cut down trees and burnt farming implements. Several of the rioters were again indicted at Lincoln assizes. At this point Katherine Popplewell’s husband intervened (Robert Popplewell was the last man to hold the office of solicitor to the Isle Commoners) he saw the seriousness of the offences and the disgrace she had brought upon the family. He came to an agreement that the rioters and he should pay Reading six hundred pounds on condition that there were no legal proceedings. Reading died in 1716 and was buried at Belton. Two of his sons, Thomas and Robert continued to lease the lands from the Participants.
The Commoners still occasionally attacked the Reading's property and it was not until Lieut-Colonel Robert Reading, who, resided at Sandtoft when not on active service, stationed part of his own regiment at Ross, to protect his property and the fact that the Riot Act was passed in 1715, did the disturbances draw to a close. In 1719 the Commoners case was finally dismissed by the Court of Chancery. After this turbulent period in the Isle's history, the drainage continued to be improved and increased, as it proved to be very necessary. In 1763 there was a record flood when both the Rivers Idle and Torne broke their banks. A civil engineer John Smeaton recommended in 1764, that the drains should be deepened and more relief drains cut, but finance was insufficient for the scheme. 1795 saw the act of Parliament passed allowing for the Enclosure of the Isle Commons. It allowed twenty thousand pounds for new drains. Acting on Smeatons's suggestion a new drain was cut in 1795. From Bullhassocks it took the old R.Idle bed then ran parallel to Vermuyden’s new R. Torne to Pilfrey Bridge, where it took the channel of the new R. Torne to Althorpe. The new R. Torne took the channel of the new R.Idle ,and the new channel called North River was cut to Keadby
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