In the 1620s King Charles I commissioned the famous Dutch land drainer, Cornelius Vermuyden, to drain a huge area of marshland in the north-west of Lincolnshire, in the area that is now called the Isle of Axholme.
Many of the settlers who were employed to carry this out work were religious refugees, Huguenots from France and Walloons and Flemings from what is now Belgium, persecuted in their home countries for their Protestant beliefs.
However, the local population was extremely hostile to the newcomers, who were changing their landscape and way of life. In 1642 "they arose in tumults, brake down the fences and inclosures of four thousand Acres, destroyed all the corn growing, and demolished the Houses built thereon."
Having been driven out of the Isle of Axholme, the settlers went instead to the Fens of south Lincolnshire and north Cambridgeshire, which they drained to create the most productive farming land in Britain.
Gradually the settlers assimilated into the local populations. Some of the foreign surnames died out as daughters married into English families, while others, such as Fovargue, are still present in the area today.
Now one of your earlier respondents has mentioned the building of a watercourse to service London at roughly the same time. Draining fens essentially entails building dikes and drains to move water away from the land. Bit of a coincidence don't you think?
2007-06-12 23:20:51
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answer #1
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answered by Anonymous
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Restless - - - change of profession, instead of farming played out stony soil in Lincolnshire why not try cattle raising in Herfordshire? Lots of new promising opportunities were bandied about during the 1600s in many ways the most dynamic Century in England's History though this Cradle of Civilization has rarely been quiet.
Herfordshire - - - links and words - - - Note the Canal Project - - -
http://www.hertsdirect.org/libsleisure/heritage1/archaeology/moreaboutarch/archer/modern
"""The other great legacy of Hertfordshire’s medieval and post-medieval landed gentry is the hunting parks - more than 70 are known and many are still visible in its rural landscape Hertfordshire probably contains the highest density of hunting parks of any county in England. The largest by far is Theobalds Park, which was created by James I and when originally constructed, enclosed a large part of southern Hertfordshire within a wall or ‘park pale’, some of which can still be seen today.
James I also had a role in the building of the ‘New River’, an artificial canal which was used to supply London with fresh water directly from the river Lea at Hertford. The New River is a unique monument, and its construction was in its day a major technological achievement, predating, as it did, the industrial barge canals by more than 100 years.
In more recent centuries Hertfordshire is especially noted for its paper-making and brewing industries. The latter was based on the ample supplies of good quality water and malting barley in the Lea valley, and the proximity of the large market for beer in London. For a time in the 19th century the scale of malting and brewing in eastern Hertfordshire made it one of the largest centres of the industry in western Europe. Some of Hertfordshire’s 20th century industrial heritage is of considerable significance, especially the aircraft and film industries, which are both of national importance. """
http://www.localhistorylink.com/herts.html
Peace...
2007-06-12 01:40:36
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answer #2
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answered by JVHawai'i 7
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I'm guessing here as there is not a lot to go on, but one of the main reasons that springs to mind is the Civil War which will have transported lots of people from there homes to pastures new and maybew they liked the new life better than t'uther
Just a thought.
Chris
2007-06-12 04:31:48
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answer #3
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answered by kipp[axkid 3
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Maybe there were family connections in Hertfordshire.,could they of inherited a property?Or had to look after eldery relations?
Maybe they were led to believe that job prospects would be better?
Or did they have to leave town,could be they of upset the local bigwig or were just unpopular !!
2007-06-12 01:43:49
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answer #4
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answered by seaview 6
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could be any reason you could think of, perhaps family living in area, set up new business in area,land bought out or sold under them, an had to move. It is no big deal for people t move and not improve there situation (it's happen to me so many times I have lost count). anything could have happened such as legal problems, house burned down,daughter married, miitary service, religious reasons (common in England at the time withthe puritan movement). your guess Is as good as mine.
2007-06-12 02:22:41
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answer #5
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answered by edjdonnell 5
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Survival, I dont thjink in the 1600's you could measure change or improvement economically like today
2007-06-12 07:47:28
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answer #6
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answered by Barbarian 5
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i suppose it wasnt unknown for people to marry outside the family, village or whatever community they had
and maybe a family relocated to be near their daughter or son who had moved away through marriage...
maybe they had some shame that the community wouldnt forgive them for?
maybe they had a different religion?
maybe they did move for business/money and it didnt work out...
2007-06-15 01:48:55
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answer #7
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answered by tim 5
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maybe there wasn't any work in north Lincolnshire, and it was a choice of move or starve?
2007-06-12 01:22:43
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answer #8
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answered by Ali C 3
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The sheep are more attractive in Hertfordshire!
2007-06-12 01:27:08
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answer #9
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answered by Anonymous
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Theres an Asda as well as Tesco`s
2007-06-13 01:53:18
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answer #10
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answered by Gary Crant 7
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