Westings Meadow in Maps

This work evolved from a project run in 2026 by Art Pop-Up with funding from the National Heritage Lottery Fund and the Environment Agency and guidance from the Langdyke Trust

When examining the geography of Westings Meadow historical maps offer valuable perspectives, illustrating the passage of time and shifting land use by both humans and nature.
(Westing Meadow outline in green)

In contrast, around 1580, the landscape was far simpler: common land that allowed locals to make practical use of an area frequently inundated with water.

(Reproduced with the permission of Northamptonshire Archives Service, Map/1233)

Below is a simplified rendition of the 1580 map created by Kathryn Parsons (2026):

(Map of Westings Meadow (1580 reconstruction) © Kathryn Parsons 2026)

During this era, the erratic stream weaving through the flat terrain was the primary source of marshiness. It was fed not by the River Welland, but by Bainton Brook originating from the Barnack (Barnoak) region.

The brook appears to have been diverted during the 1st century AD when the Romans constructed the "Long Ditch" (the origin of the local term Langdyke) as it entered Westings Meadow from the west.

This Faden Map of 1779 shows the Meadows draining out into the Fens beyond Peakirk.

(1779 Faden Map. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland Online maps)

Reconstruction maps by Robert Beasley highlight the ancient network of streams, ponds, and elevated banks marking the meadow's historical boundaries.

(Westings Meadow boundaries map © Robert Beasley 2012)

By 1841, Ordnance Survey maps show these boundary banks evolving into defined tracks, accompanied by straight drainage channels. Note the complex network of the River Welland around West Deeping, which was prone to flooding.

(1841 OS map. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland)

By 1886, the impact of the Enclosure Acts became fully visible, transforming open common meadowland into distinct, bounded agricultural fields.

(1886 OS map . Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland)

Major infrastructure altered the hydrology again in 1954 with the construction of the Maxey Cut—an engineered flood relief channel. This project transformed the original meandering stream into a major water control system designed to protect West Deeping, Market Deeping, and Deeping St James during River Welland flood events by routing excess water directly from Tallington to just north of Peakirk.

(Lidarmap.uk © Environment Agency. Hillshade tiles served via environment.data.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.)

A more detailed LiDAR image shows the current mixture of lakes, gravel workings, agriculture and nature reserves on the Westings Meadows

(Lidarmap.uk © Environment Agency. Hillshade tiles served via environment.data.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.)

Although the east end of Westings Meadows is still firmly in Flood Zones 2 and 3, by a strange turn of events the west end of Westings Meadows is now one of the most protected areas in the region!

(Flood Risk Data © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2026. Licensed under OGL v3.0 Online Map)

Although the Westings Meadows look very flat when observed on foot, this colour-enhanced LiDAR map by Robert Beardsley shows the slope from West to east, along with the complexities of the gravel pits and the high points along the A15.

The landscape has changed many times over the centuries, and despite being flooded, intensively farmed, dug up for gravel, and being sliced through by Maxey Cut, it remains an attractive place for nature and humans.

This Strava Heat Map shows where people record their movements as they walk, run, and cycle through this amazing landscape.

Ian Abbott-Donnelly

Local Map Enthusiast

2026

Below: A time laps of satalite images from 1999 to 2025 showing how the landscae has changed.

Below: A flythrough of the landscape from Lolham bridges to Nine Bridges then along the Maxy cut.

For more fascinating insights into the landscape and history follow these links:

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