Fens
The Fens, or Fenland, is an area of former wetlands in the east of England, stretching around the coast of The Wash from Lincolnshire to Norfolk and reaching into Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire and Suffolk.
The Fens are very low-lying, with some areas no more than 5-10m above sea level. Before they were drained, the Fens were susceptible to periodic flooding, particularly in winter.
Most of the draining of the Fens, as seen today, was carried out in the late 18th and early 19th century. Windmills were replaced by coal-powered steam engines (such as Stretham Old Engine) and today water levels are managed by small electrical stations which pump water from the land.
Farming in the Fens
Today the East Anglian Fens are famous for arable farming, with the right combination of suitable soil, sun and water providing ideal growing conditions. The Fens mainly consist of two types of arable land. Nearer to The Wash, the land has been reclaimed from the sea and is therefore mainly a pale brown silt. Further inland, and years ago, the marshes were covered with trees, sedge, and other scrub; today they are mainly composed of black peat (Black Fens). Black fen is good for its high fertility and warmth, and is therefore highly suitable for fast growing crops.
Ghostly tales...
Strange stories abound about the Fens. One tale has it that ghostly figures can be seen stalking the Fens in the late evening. Are these just mist or fog? Or witches searching for the bodies of drowned Fenmen? Or even the ghost of a large hound called 'Black Shuck'?
The answer is more prosaic: when the damp marshy ground warms up in daytime, it gives off a gas. In the evening, when the air turns cooler, the gas is still emitted from the relatively warm ground, but the water vapour content can be seen, and this can often resemble a ghostly figure...