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The Nene Washes © Richard Humphrey

The Nene Washes are a large area of grassland which can be deliberately flooded and are generally known a washland. They are located between the River Nene and a bank south of Morton’s Leam (The South Bank) and stretch for 12 miles from Peterborough to Guyhirn. The area is technically a giant flood reservoir. The washes have local village names, Guyhirn Wash, Wisbech St Mary Wash, Whittlesey Wash etc but are collectively known as The Nene Washes. One of the earliest Fenland drains, Morton’s Leam, dug in the late 15th century (before the nearby River Nene was straightened in the early 1700s) flows in almost a straight line parallel to the current course of the River Nene through the washes. At times of potential flooding along The Nene Valley water is channeled from The River Nene into Morton’s Leam and onto the washes. Water is released from The Washes via a sluice gate, see Link near Guyhirn and back into the River Nene at low tide when the threat of flooding the along The Nene Valley has subsided.
by Richard Humphrey

Created: Tue, 24 Nov 2015, Updated: Sat, 17 Dec 2022


333 images use this description. Preview sample shown below:

TF3902 : Welsh Black cattle being unloaded onto Guyhirn Wash at Ring's End by The Humphrey Family Archive
TF3902 : Bailey bridge over Mortons Leam - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TF3701 : Scum, Guyhirn Wash - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TL3199 : Watering hole for cattle near Eldernell - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TL3199 : Bridge over Morton's Leam by DS Pugh
TF3500 : Rusting shed at March Farmers - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TF3802 : One man and his dog - Guyhirn Wash - The Nene Washes by The Humphrey family archive
TF3802 : Flooded from bank to bank - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TF3802 : Pedestrian gate on the Nene Way - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TL2799 : East Delph, ROAD CLOSED barrier - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TF3701 : The reinforced south bank - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TF3500 : Gate to flooded grassland - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TL3199 : River Nene, Eldernell: aerial 2016 by Chris
TF3802 : Winter time flooding - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TF3801 : Bridge construction over Morton's Leam - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TF3500 : Grazing Livestock notice - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TF3902 : Morton's Leam, an ancient fenland drain - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TL2799 : Ice skating in the Fens on Whittlesey Wash - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TF3701 : High floodwater against the south bank - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TF3902 : Bridge and bushes - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TL2798 : Morton's Leam flooding onto Whittlesey Wash - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TL3199 : River Nene, Morton's Leam, Nene Washes, Popley's Gull: aerial 2016 by Chris
TF3902 : Bridge in the fog - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TF3500 : Still flooded, Guyhirn Wash - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey
TF3902 : Grassland in the mist near Guyhirn - The Nene Washes by Richard Humphrey

... and 308 more images.

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