Plan of a Water-Meadow made out of part of a Bog

Plan of a Water-Meadow made out of part of a Bog on Prisley Farm which was attempted to be drained in 1795, by William Smith (1769-1839). Water-meadows are areas of agricultural grassland where irrigation is strictly controlled through the use of sluice gates or hatches to feed in the water, which systematically drains through the meadow, with the excess passing into ditches and drains to be discharged into a river, or in this case a brook. The intention was to keep the ground damp, allowing multiple and larger yields of crops of higher quality of grass for sheep and cattle. A Mr Elkington had attempted unsuccessfully to drain the Prisley Bog in 1795. Despite claiming that only one main drain would be necessary, it didn't work and subsequent additional drains also made little difference. William Smith remarked that eight years later the appearance of the bog would have induced a stranger to think that any drainage of it had ever been attempted. Smith worked on the drainage of the Prisley Bog between 1802-1803. Engraving

1769-1839 1795 1806 Additional Allowing Attempted Brook Claiming Controlled Crops Damp Despite Difference Discharged Ditches Drain Drainage Drained Drains Elkington Excess Feed Grassland Hatches Higher Induced Intention Irrigation Larger Multiple Necessary Remarked Sluice Strictly Subsequent Systematically Think Unsuccessfully Yields

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