King's Sedgemoor Drain - Background

Background

The area through which the drain runs was farmed as common land when it was owned by the Abbey at Glastonbury, but with its dissolution in 1539, the land was divided among owners, with the soil belonging to the Crown. Cornelius Vermuyden was active in the region in the mid 17th century, building small-scale drainage schemes at Cossington, Catcott, Huntspill and Puriton, but despite the devastation caused by extensive flooding in 1607, was unable to convince the communities of Sedgemoor of the benefits that a drainage scheme would bring, as they feared that improved pastures would prejudice their common rights.

King's Sedgemoor was described by Arthur Young in his travelogue of 1771. It was generally flooded, and the water had "no way to get off but by evaporation." Although he felt that its condition was a disgrace to the Nation, he was also convinced that it could be improved by drainage. Drainage schemes were promoted in 1772, 1776 and 1788, and Richard Locke published a map showing what might be achieved in the 1780s. All this came to nothing, as the commoners and some of the manorial lords resisted the plans, while there was well-documented fraud among those proposing the schemes. The 1776 scheme was in reality an attempt by Lord Bolinbroke to raise money to settle a gambling debt. However, a series of Acts of Parliament were passed between 1777 and 1801, which authorised the construction of drainage schemes in the Somerset moors and levels.