History of the Fossdyke Navigation

The River Witham had always been used by the Romans, who navigated it from the Wash at Boston to Lindum Colonia - now known as Lincoln. In around 120 AD, they built the Fossdyke to connect the Witham to the River Trent.

The navigation thus has a longer history than most others. One of its more notable cargoes was the stone used to build Lincoln Cathedral in the 11th century. But other than work carried out during the time of Henry I in the 12th century, few improvements have been made to the Romans' original design.

Competition from railways led to commercial decline, but agricultural produce was still being routinely carried by sailing keels and barges from the River Trent right up to the 1970s. The waterway still exercises an important drainage function. Navigation may be subject to prevailing water levels or sluicing operations, and some locks require advance notice for passage.

The flat landscape affords spectacular views of sunrise and sunset, though these may be curtailed in places by embankments. At Lincoln, the River Witham begins its journey to the sea: navigators leave the city by passing under the Glory Hole, reputedly the oldest bridge in the country with buildings still standing over it. Lincoln Castle and Cathedral are accessed via a steep walk. The Cathedral is considered one of the most impressive medieval buildings in Europe.