First changes to the natural landscape

In Cantenbury Meadows, evening. By Thomas Sidney Cooper

Initially, changes to the landscape were limited to the clearing of trees to allow farming, cultivation of woody crops for animal feed, and building.

We are not sure when the water meadow system was introduced. Like so many things it could have arisen from a local inhabitant using common sense and creating on a large scale some of the habitats created by nature. It was known to be in place in the 16th Century but the key dynamics were probably being exploited since Neolithic times.

Illustration of villagers meeting to discuss enclosures

Rich agriculture brought population growth and the emergence of a ruling class outside of the tribal community set up. Eventually, Land Enclosure and similar devices led to land being removed from common use to the sort of agriculture we know today.

The market cart by T. Gainsborough (1727-1788)

The improving economy gave rise to a consumer economy; So instead of producing things for locals alone, products were sent to remote, larger volume markets.

The rivers were canalised initially to increase the amount of waterside meadow land for sheep and cattle and later to provide water power for industrial installations.

Rising Mist of Early Morn. Drawn and engraved by Edward Slocombe (1850 - 1915).

Some waters were made suitable for access by boats.

The asset of water supplies led to the development of water-control systems capable of enhancing the grass growth near to the rivers and in the old river valleys.

The flows in this area had subsided so there was not the danger of excessive uncontrolled flooding. River flows were diverted upstream through channels called carriers. These carriers may have held secondary control sluices so that water could be diverted or not into other areas.