User:The joy of all things/subpage 14
| Bishop Dike Bishop's Dike Bishop's Dyke | |
|---|---|
 Bishop Dike looking west towards Sherburn-in-Elmet | |
  | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Barkston Ash |
| • coordinates | 53°49′12″N 1°15′07″W / 53.820°N 1.252°W |
| • elevation | 10 metres (33 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Cawood |
• coordinates | 53°49′59″N 1°07′41″W / 53.833°N 1.128°W |
• elevation | 5 metres (16 ft) |
| Length | 17 kilometres (11 mi) |
| Basin size | 25.6 square kilometres (9.9 sq mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | River Ouse, Humber Estuary, North Sea |
| EA waterbody ID | GB104027063660 |
Bishop Dike is an artificial watercourse in North Yorkshire, England. The dike was built in the 15th century to carry stone from Huddleston Quarry to York to enable building works to be undertaken on York Minster. The dike is now used as a drainage channel.
History
[edit]During the 15th century, stone from Huddleston Quarry was used in the building of York Minster. To transport the stone, the Bishop Dike was constructed which went eastwards from the quarry site past Sherburn-in-Elmet, Biggin, and on to Cawood, where the stone could be transported upstream on the River Ouse into York.[1] John Leland set out on a journey in 1540 westwards from Cawood to Sherburn-in-Elmet which he described as "...wel woodid and almost stil riding by a riveret caullid Bishops' water [sic].."[2] Although the watercourse was leased for 80 years by the dean and chapter of York Cathedral, it seems that stone may Have also been transported by cart to Cawood. Some have theorised that besides stone, the dike transported timber from the Bishops' woods in the area, or it was built to either drain water away from the quarries, or to carry fresh water to Cawood.[3] Other buildings in England which used stone sourced at Thevesdale or Huddlestone and transported along Bishop Dike in their construction include King's College Cambridge, Eton College, and Westminster Abbey.[4][5] Stone from Huddleston was used for York Minster up until the 16th century. Miller and Gee provide evidence in historical documents to show that stone at Cawood was moved around in the river and wharf area, suggesting that it had arrived and was due to leave by boat. If carts were used, it would not have been necessary to move the stone around the quayside area.[6]
The dike still exists, and forms a drainage channel that flows into the River Ouse at Cawood, being part of the Ouse Catchment.[7] After use as a means of transport, several corn mills were built along the dike in the Sherburn-in-Elmet area.[8]
The greatest sources for the watercourse are several springs and a lake in the Barkston Ash area, and the dike extends for 17 kilometres (11 mi) and drains an area of 25.6 square kilometres (9.9 sq mi). The Environment Agency consider the watercourse to have a poor ecological status.[9][10] Miller and Gee describe the dike as being quite uniform in its construction and having a width of around 16 feet (4.9 m), with an average depth of 3 feet (0.91 m)[note 1] which slopes to 1 foot 6 inches (0.46 m) at the sides.[11] At Cawood, the dike connected with a canal system around the original Archbishop's residence (Cawood Castle), and in the 19t century, the dike in this area was culverted and deepened.[12]
Flooding
[edit]Flooding on the watercourse is alleviated by two overflow sections just east of Sherburn-in-Elmet which are known locally as The Bathtubs. These allow water to flow into two dikes running south through the Selby Dam catchment.[13] A project was undertaken between 2020 and 2023 to reduce the agricultural run-off in the upper reaches of the dike, which was promoting weed growth in the lower section and causing flooding.[14]
Notes
[edit]- ^ This measurement was taken in May 1980 at the end of a dry season, so the actual depth may not be reflective of normal values.
References
[edit]- ^ "Bishop Dike". heritagegateway.org.uk. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
- ^ Lee, John S. (2024). "9: Medieval parks of the Archbishops of York". In Dryburgh, Paul; Rees Jones, Sarah (eds.). The church and Northern English society in the fourteenth century: the Archbishops of York and their records. Woodbridge: York Medieval Press. p. 225. ISBN 9781914049156.
- ^ Lee, John S. (2024). "9: Medieval parks of the Archbishops of York". In Dryburgh, Paul; Rees Jones, Sarah (eds.). The church and Northern English society in the fourteenth century: the Archbishops of York and their records. Woodbridge: York Medieval Press. p. 241. ISBN 9781914049156.
- ^ Gardiner, Mark (27 November 2014). "Hythes, Small Ports, and Other Landing Places in Later Medieval England". Waterways and Canal-Building in Medieval England: 91, 93. doi:10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780198723134.003.0005.
- ^ "Huddleston Quarry". heritagegateway.org.uk. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ Miller, J. S.; Gee, E. A. (1983). "The Bishop Dyke and Huddleston Quarry". Yorkshire Archaeological Journal. 55. Leeds: Yorkshire Archaeological Society: 167. ISSN 0084-4276.
- ^ "Bishop Dike – Yorkshire Integrated Catchment Solutions Programme (iCASP)". icasp.org.uk. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
- ^ "Genuki: Sherburn In Elmet, Yorkshire, England. Geographical and Historical information from 1834., Yorkshire (West Riding)". genuki.org.uk. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
- ^ "Fire near Church Fenton". The Yorkshire Herald and the York Herald. No. 4879. 2 June 1866. p. 5. OCLC 1325754826.
- ^ "Bishop Dike (Trib of Ouse) | Catchment Data Explorer | Catchment Data Explorer". environment.data.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
- ^ Miller, J. S.; Gee, E. A. (1983). "The Bishop Dyke and Huddleston Quarry". Yorkshire Archaeological Journal. 55. Leeds: Yorkshire Archaeological Society: 168. ISSN 0084-4276.
- ^ Historic England. "Cawood Castle and Castle Garth: residence of the medieval Archbishops of York and associated enclosure containing gardens, five fishponds and a quarry pit (1011518)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "Bishop Dike History & Background" (PDF). cawoodvillage.org.uk. Environment Agency. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
- ^ "Bishop Dike". ydrt.org.uk. Retrieved 14 November 2023.