River Ancholme

River Ancholme
The old River Ancholme in Brigg
Origin	Bishopbridge, Lincolnshire
Mouth	South Ferriby, Lincolnshire (The Humber, North Sea)
Length	27 km (17 mi) (navigable)

The River Ancholme is a river in North Lincolnshire, England, and a tributary of the Humber estuary. It rises south of Bishopbridge (west of Market Rasen) and passes through many Lincolnshire villages and the market town of Brigg before flowing north into the Humber at South Ferriby.

North of Bishopbridge, where the River Rase joins the Ancholme, the river runs in two intertwining channels. In the town of Brigg, the river splits into two, the 'Old River Ancholme', which maintains its natural course through the centre of the town, and the man-made 'New River Ancholme' which flows almost straight through some of the former industrial areas of the town. The two rivers create an 'island' in the centre of Brigg, known as 'Island Carr'.

Today the river is mostly used for recreation, with over 600 boats registered. Responsibility for navigation rests with the Environment Agency. The river is large enough to support small barges, and medium-large cabin cruisers. The river is also extremely popular with rowing, kayak and canoe clubs, with 2 nationally known clubs being based in Brigg. The Ancholme Rowing Club is the Rowing Club on the Ancholme, based in Brigg. The waterway is managed by the Environment Agency, which requires all vessels on the Ancholme to be registered and in possession of an up to date licence.

The Ancholme boasts a number of marinas, including one in Brigg and another at South Ferriby. Each year numerous events take place on the Ancholme, from kayak races to boat races in custom home-built boats. Throughout the year, the water remains calm and the towpath alongside the river remains busy with pedestrians.

River Ancholme
Legend Humber estuary A1077 South Ferriby lift bridge Ferriby Sluice Horkstow Bridge Saxby All Saints Bridge Railway bridge Broughton Bridge Castlethorpe Bridge M180 motorway A18 Brigg County Bridge, Brigg Railway bridge Brigg Cadney Bridge Hibaldstow Bridge Caistor Canal (derelict) B1205 Brandy Wharf Snitterby Bridge Harlam Hill lock A631 Bishopbridge Limit of navigation Spridlington

History

Boats have used the river for many centuries, and it was an important route for transporting cargo from the rural communities to the industrial towns. In the 19th century, a passenger packet boat ran from Brigg to South Ferriby and connected with a steamer to Hull. As early as the 13th century local landowners paid subscriptions for work to be undertaken with the aim of facilitating navigation and land drainage. The river's charter is one of the oldest in the country.

In its natural post-glacial state, the river's valley was flat-bottomed, for it had formed the bed of the glacial Lake Ancholme, on an outwash delta as the ice retreated, and consequently fenny. Today, the river still has a distinctly rural character, and the landscape is agricultural.

Lots of steamer vessels used the Ancholme up until the 1980s for transport of cargo to and from the factories along the river bank in Brigg. On Tuesday 4 July 2006 a local history group held a meeting called "The story of the Swift", which was about a barge which worked between Hull docks and the River Ancholme. The vessel was called the "Swift" and is today privately owned and used as a houseboat. The owner of the vessel plans to bring the "Swift" back to Brigg in the near future. In 1635, Owersby-based local landowner, Sir John Monson drained the Ancholme valley by cutting a straight new channel making two rivers at Brigg, which made the town less vulnerable to flooding. The draining of the Ancholme Level was a lesser project among the fenland "improvements" undertaken under contracts to patentees by the government of Charles I in the 1630s; "With the possible exception of the Ancholme Level the draining of the fens was executed and defended by a continuous and unscrupulous use of the power and authority of the royal government to manipulate local institutions and to overawe the local populace." Just before the millennium there were plans to build a marina in the centre of the Brigg, similar to that found in Whitby. These plans however never went ahead.

Boat trips

Daily boat trips were a common sight on the Ancholme in the Brigg area between 1999 and 2003, and proved to be hugely successful. The services however ended soon after 2003. Many local people, committees and businesses hope to restore these trips in the near future, possibly with the help of The Prince's Trust charity. Local businesses are also planning to raise money to launch a 'River Taxi' service in the area. It is quite easy for vessels on the Ancholme to exit the river at South Ferriby and enter the Humber. From the Humber, a vessel can access many other major waterways leading to the larger towns of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, as well as to the North Sea.

Troubled Waters (campaign)

Troubled Waters is an ongoing campaign supported by many residents in the town of Brigg. The campaign tries to tackle some of the issues regarding rubbish being thrown in the river, and the obstructions caused by fishermen on the riverbank footpath. The campaign has also highlighted the issues caused by youths along the river bank, such as the destruction and damage of tables, benches, lifebuoys, dustbins and decking, and general vandalism. In recent years, some of these problems seem to have been solved, with improved police patrols along the river bank in the trouble hotspots, and regular cleaning work which is carried out by the local council, as well as local residents on a voluntary basis.There are boat trips still running in the summer months from brandy wharf along the ancholme to south ferriby and in the other direction to bishops bridge

Gallery

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  Hibaldstow Bridge, near Hibaldstow village.

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  The River Ancholme, Brigg town centre

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  The River Ancholme, Brigg

External links

• Environment Agency : Navigation on the Ancholme
• Environment Agency : River Ancholme Waterway Plan
• Waterscape : The River Ancholme
• The Inland Waterways Association : River Ancholme
• Ancholme Rowing Club

See also

• Rivers of the United Kingdom
• Hibaldstow Bridge
• Caistor Canal
• Tiddy Mun