NEW - JANUARY 2008


INTRODUCTION

In 2006 I published a book to which I gave the title The Rivers of Time (ISBN 0 95306037-3) because I considered that this best expressed the results of my investigations into the effects that the historic water levels of the River Derwent had had on the development of Derby over a period of almost two thousand years.

Water, of course, finds its own level yet I could discover no evidence for a dam or any other obstruction to the flow of the water from Derby through to the River Trent and eventually to the Trent’s outfall into the Humber Estuary. This indicated that the Trent and Humber had also seen the same high levels throughout history.

I was at first persuaded by the Man Made Global Warming argument that temperatures, and therefore sea levels, were higher today than they had been at any time since before the last Ice Age. Because of this I concluded that the water had gone down relative to the land because the land was uplifting due to Crustal Motion. (Crustal Motion is the rebound of the land after the melting of the ice sheets had removed the massive weight that had been pressing down on the earth’s crust).

Unfortunately the height of the land where the Romans settled during that period of Derby’s history is too high to fit into the sequence of falling river levels when considering the evidence from the Saxon and Viking periods. To get around this problem I suggested land height realignment due to the massive earthquake of A.D. 1048.

However, subsequent interrogation of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles together with my own findings indicated that the water levels for Derby in A.D. 942, one hundred and six years earlier than the A.D 1048 quake, were higher than in the Roman Period. Therefore I have since had to reconsider the reasons for the high water levels that I found in Derby and other locations on the Trent floodplains.

As a result I am now of the opinion that the Medieval Warm Period was warmer than today which caused sea level rises of at least a meter although I suspect it was more, perhaps five to ten meters. This is a huge rise and would need the Greenland Ice sheets to melt as well as much of the Antarctic. Curiously there is the possibility of evidence for this scenario including the unexplained early map of the Antarctic continent created from previous maps by 16th century Ottoman-Turkish admiral and cartographer Piri Reisand as well as the Vikings settlement of Greenland and the legends of them sailing the north-west passage.

This, in turn, leads me to ask whether the aggressive colonisation of other lands by the Danish and Norwegian Vikings was instigated by them losing their traditional homelands because of the relentless rise of the sea. Evolution, they say, is driven by catastrophe and it may be no coincidence that the rise of the Viking happened during a rise in the sea levels. It could also explain how they accessed much of central Europe with their boats. Perhaps there is another important yet obscure clue contained in the chronicle records regarding the loss of the massive ice sheets. The later years of the high water period saw dramatic earthquakes and they are recorded in the following sequence - A.D. 1048; A.D. 1060; A.D. 1089; A.D. 1117; A.D. 1119; A.D. 1122 and A.D. 1129. It is feasible that the resultant off-loading of the earth’s crust resulted in some repositioning that manifested itself in these earthquakes. Refreezing of the polar ice sheets which may have started in the twelfth century could well have acted as a damper to the rebounding crustal motion.

All of this evidence is suggesting to me an alternative interpretation of the historic facts:-
Could it be that the Little Ice Age was far more severe than it has been considered to have been?
Has the Little Ice Age confused the Climate Scientists and caused them to think that the average temperatures should be lower?
Perhaps the current period of warming is natural and the earth is returning to it's preferred climatic balance.

I detail below an examination of the records contained in an “on-line” version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles which clearly indicate the presence of navigable waters in locations that are today well inland and dry.

NOTES:
I have other circumstantial evidence, (such as place names and locations), for the historic water levels in England but it is just the chronicle evidence which is being considered herein.

To better understand the significance of the record entries you may wish to use Google Earth or Microsoft World to view the locations as they are today.

The Environment Agency Flood Maps are also useful for gaining an impression of the conditions that seem to have existed during inundation.

I am exploring the records generally in date order.

The records may not be a complete quotation for the particular year and different versions of the chronicles contain different wording. I have only recorded the relevant bit of the quotations identifying water levels.


CHRONICLES INVESTIGATION


The following three entries concern the assets given to Peterborough Abbey. (Medhamsted is Peterborough). There are many references to water, (in bold), and distances covered, (underlined). There is little evidence today of these extensive stretches of water.

A.D. 656 - From Medhamsted to Northborough; and so to the place that is called Foleys; and so all the fen, right to Ashdike; and from Ashdike to the place called Fethermouth; and so in a right line ten miles long to Ugdike; and so to Ragwell; and from Ragwell five miles to the main river that goeth to Elm and to Wisbeach; and so about three miles to Trokenholt; and from Trokenholt right through all the fen to Derworth; that is twenty miles long; and so to Great Cross; and from Great Cross through a clear water called Bradney; and thence six miles to Paxlade; and so forth through all the meres and fens that lye toward Huntingdon-port; and the meres and lakes Shelfermere and Wittlesey mere, and all the others that thereabout lye; with land and with houses that are on the east side of Shelfermere; thence all the fens to Medhamsted; from Medhamsted all to Welmsford; from Welmsford to Clive; thence to Easton; from Easton to Stamford; from Stamford as the water runneth to the aforesaid Northborough."

A.D. 686 - This same Ceadwall gave to St. Peter's minster, at Medhamsted, Hook; which is situated in an island called Egborough.

A.D. 963 - And I give the two parts of Whittlesey-mere, with waters and with wears and fens; and so through Meerlade along to the water that is called Nen; and so eastward to Kingsdelf. And I will that thus be given the toll; -- first, from Whittlesey-mere to the king's toll of Norman-cross hundred; then backward again from Whittlesey-mere through Meerlade along to the Nen, and as that river runs to Crowland; and from Crowland to Must, and from Must to Kingsdelf and to Whittlesey-mere.

The next entries are self explanatory and reference to a current Ordnance Survey Map may be of help.

A.D. 860 - In his days came a large naval force up into the country, and stormed Winchester.

A.D. 885 - The same year sent King Alfred a fleet from Kent into East-Anglia.

The A.D.924 entry is of interest because the A.D. 1610 map by John speed shows that it was the River Leene that passed by the hill of Nottingham Castle in his day. The River Trent ran past Nottingham some distance away just as it does today. If the Saxon chroniclers were describing the waters around Nottingham as the Trent then it may be that the course of the River Leene was consumed within the swollen Trent.

The reference to “the south side of the river” may not tally with current understanding of the compass points. Early maps show Britain lying on an east to west axis so some caution is required in interpretation.

A.D. 924 - This year, before midsummer, went King Edward with an army to Nottingham; and ordered the town to be repaired on the south side of the river, opposite the other, and the bridge over the Trent betwixt the two towns.

The next record alerted me to the probable Saxon/Viking river level in Derby because there was no town on the east bank of the Derwent until the eighteenth century. It could not be the River Derwent dividing the town and the Markeaton Brook, which runs through the town, is too small on the A.D. 1610 map to be of significance.

A.D. 942 - whete'er the course of Whitwell-spring, or Humber deep, The broad brim-stream, divides five towns. Leicester and Lincoln Nottingham and Stamford, and Derby eke.

Staines seems an interesting location for the accommodation of a fleet of almost one hundred ships.

A.D. 993 - This year came Anlaf with three and ninety ships to Staines

The next entry needs some reading between the lines. It is saying that King Sweyne used his fleet to subdue the five Boroughs of which Derby is one.

See the above record of A.D. 942 for a list of the five Boroughs.

A.D. 1013 - And in the same year, before the month August, came King Sweyne with his fleet to Sandwich; and very soon went about East-Anglia into the Humber-mouth, and so upward along the Trent, until he came to Gainsborough. Then soon submitted to him Earl Utred, and all the Northumbrians, and all the people of Lindsey, and afterwards the people of the Five Boroughs.

If the water levels were already substantially above present day levels then the following event must have seen flooding at elevated points.

A.D. 1014 - This year, on the eve of St. Michael's day, came the great sea-flood, which spread wide over this land, and ran so far up as it never did before, overwhelming many towns, and an innumerable multitude of people

This paragraph suggests extensive navigable water ways through the heart of England.

A.D. 1016 - This year came King Knute with a marine force of one hundred and sixty ships, and Alderman Edric with him, over the Thames into Mercia at Cricklade; whence they proceeded to Warwickshire

This next entry is how the chroniclers recorded the events during the year of the conquest.

It is apparent that a great number of “enemy” ships came to York and that fighting took place on the water, hence the reference to people drowned. What is illuminating is that Harold Godwinson, King of England, met his fleet at Tadcaster. It would not have been a couple of rowing boats because he was engaging with a considerable navel force.

Look at Tadcaster today using Google Earth or Microsoft World and it will be seen that such a fleet could not access it today. The Environmental Agency Flood Maps give a solution to this problem.

A.D. 1066 - then came Harald, King of Norway, north into the Tine, unawares, with a very great sea-force -- no small one; that might be, with three hundred ships or more; and Earl Tosty came to him with all those that he had got.......and they both then went up with all the fleet along the Ouse toward York...They made a great slaughter too; but there was a good number of the English people slain, and drowned.......In the midst of this came Harold, king of the English, with all his army, on the Sunday, to Tadcaster; where he collected his fleet

A mention of Peterborough again but this time the “fleet” sail from Peterborough to Ely. This is the rebellion concerning Hereward the Wake.

A.D. 1070 - Early in the morning came all the outlaws with many ships, resolving to enter the minster….. Afterwards they went to their ships, proceeded to Ely, and deposited there all the treasure. Then came Abbot Thorold and eight times twenty Frenchmen with him, all full-armed. When he came thither, he found all within and without consumed by fire, except the church alone; but the outlaws were all with the fleet, knowing that he would come thither......

The following year Ely was in the firing line. Ely cannot be reached by a navel force today as Google Earth or Microsoft World will show and the sea is now a considerable distance away.

The Environmental Agency Flood Maps are of value again here.

A.D. 1071 - Then went Earl Morkar to Ely by ship.......Then came Bishop Aylwine, and Siward Barn, and many hundred men with them, into Ely. When King William heard that, then ordered he out a naval force and land force, and beset the land all about, and wrought a bridge, and went in; and the naval force at the same time on the sea-side


Further major floods

A.D. 1099 - This year also, on the festival of St. Martin, the sea-flood sprung up to such a height, and did so much harm, as no man remembered that it ever did before. And this was the first day of the new moon.

A.D. 1125 - In this same year was so great a flood on St. Laurence's day, that many towns and men were overwhelmed, and bridges broken down, and corn and meadows spoiled withal; and hunger and qualm in men and in cattle; and in all fruits such unseasonableness as was not known for many years before.


A CURIOSITY

This next entry is included for curiosities sake only and is not directly related to this investigation. Was there a Tsunami somewhere or was it another of the Mediterranean flooding events? There is no mention of a rapid return of the water as would be expected with a Tsunami.

A.D. 1114 - This year, in the latter end of May, was seen an uncommon star with a long train, shining many nights. In this year also was so great an ebb of the tide everywhere in one day, as no man remembered before; so that men went riding and walking over the Thames eastward of London bridge..

-End-


END NOTES


The foregoing Chronicle investigation is just a part of the historic evidence that I have looked at but there is far more to support it once the recognition of Medieval Warm Period water level is understood. The “local” evidence contained in my book can be used as a template for any other town in England.

As part of my book investigations I included a very brief chapter on Nottingham. Like Derby, it is difficult to see where Viking Nottingham was but once the river levels of the ninth and tenth century are identified the distinctive “D” shaped enclosure surrounded by water on three sides and favoured by the Vikings can be seen in the modern day street pattern.

It is of some interest that finds from a dig during 1972 on the Derby Market Place, which today is well within the town, showed that habitation did not commence on that site until the second half of the eleventh century. The Market Place was last flooded in 1932 and is on a falling gradient below the Cathedral Church of All Saints which dates from A.D. 943.

Also well recorded is the depletion of Derby’s water mills from a total of fourteen at Domesday down to just five in the twelfth century which is suggestive of declining water resources.


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