Vermuyden’s’General Rule of Drayning‘
Cornelius Vermuyden’s “General Rule of Draining,” is detailed in his 1642 work A Discourse Touching the Drayning of the Great Fennes, was a foundational approach to large-scale land reclamation in 17th-century England.
Although this paper was written after Vermuyden had left Hatfield Chase and the Isle of Axholme and was focused on the Great Level in Cambridgeshire, it shows Vermuyden’s approach to land reclamation.
Although the agreement with Charles I explicitly allowed up to 3,000 acres of land to be used for flood management, the use of large washlands like those subsequently created at Welney in the Great Level, is not apparent.
Considerations to be taken in the ordinary way of Draining,
“There is in use a general rule of Drayning and gaining of drowned lands, which is by imbanking all the rivers on each side, and by leading away the downfall by draynes and sluices; and this is the ordinary way of draining, as is usual in all such cases.”
•Also to maintain land as receptacles for sudden downfalls of water.
His philosophy focused on controlling the water source, isolating the land from external water, and facilitating the rapid discharge of water to the sea.
Core Principles of Vermuyden’s Rule
According to the 1642 text, the “general rule of drayning and gaining of drowned lands” involves:
- Embanking Rivers: Constructing high, sturdy banks on both sides of rivers to contain them and prevent overflowing.
- Leading Away Downfall: Constructing specific drains and using sluices to direct water from heavy rainfall (“downfall”) away from the land.
- “Summer Lands” Objective: The immediate goal was to turn wet, unusable fens into productive, dry “summer lands”.
- Washlands (Innovation): A key, later addition to his method was the introduction of “washes”—designated areas between banks designed to catch and store excess water during times of high flood, acting as holding areas until the water could be safely discharged.
Vermuyden, Cornelius. A Discourse Touching the Drayning the Great Fennes. London, 1642.
“A discourse touching the drayning the great fennes,: lying vvithin the severall counties of Lincolne, Northampton, Huntington, Norfolke, Suffolke, Cambridge, and the isle of Ely, as it was presented to his Majestie. By Sir Cornelius Vermuïden Knight. Whereunto is annexed the designe or map. Published by authority.” In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A95858.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections.
