Cambridgeshire

Written on 01 April 2013.

A generally flat and low-lying county, with a large area of fenland; today, only a small proportion of this remains undrained, near Wicken.  

Drainage schemes to reclaim the land have been undertaken for many years.  Amongst the most famous were those of Cornelius Vermuyden, a Dutch engineer, invited to England by Charles I in 1629, and later John Rennie and Thomas Telford.  Legacies of this work include dykes and canals that criss-cross the landscape and together with an exceptionally fertile soil, much of which is under cultivation.  

With thanks to the following for the images of Cambridgeshire:
The Gallery, Ely © Peter Trimming
River Cam, Cambridge © Stephen McKay
Town centre, March © Dr Ben Brooksbank
Furze Hill © John Sutton