By the mid 1500’s the monasteries had perfected the use of water wheels to mill their corn.
The River Welland below the Deepings went across the Fens which flooded regularly so that land wasn’t used for grain crops.
Above Market Deeping, on the rising land, it drained better so more arable crops could be grown.
The usual corn mill sluices that diverted water when necessary were becoming a hindrance to the regular boats plying their trade up to Stamford causing shortages of coal in the town and the inability of malt producers in Stamford to get their goods out.
Business men petitioned the Town Council to do something about the problem - but it took many years before a workable solution was built!
Click here to see what caused the problem!
Why was the canal considered necessary?
The Stamford Canal << The earliest proper canal in England? <<
