BEFORE the continuous encroachment of the North Sea had removed so much of the east coast south of Bridlington, there is no doubt that the coastline was much higher than at present, and formed an effectual barrier to the Wold water shed, so that its only escape was southwards towards the Humber.
The surface of the country was chiefly characterised by innumerable hollows. This conformation naturally led to the accumulation of large bodies of water in lagoons which, connected by sinuous necks and streamlets, cut up the land into a multitude of islands.
An examination of the ordnance survey map will show constant repitition of the terms 'carr' and 'mere', which illustrates that the entire district of Holderness was once as much characterised by numerous inland lakes as Norfolk.
In the course of time the peat era commenced and these meres and lakes began to fill up, until at length all the deeper hollows of the land filled up and the water spread in a marsh-making expanse, in parts drying up at a high level.
Hornsea Mere is the last surviving mere of many of the kind along the Holderness coast. It is a large sheet of fresh water extending over 467 acres, dotted with islands, and of long and picturesque appearance and shape.
A dispute in the 13th century, at a time when the consumption of fish was great, and fisheries, whether on the inland lakes, or on the coast, were in great demand, arose between the Abbot of Meaux and the Abbot of St Mary's. It was decided that the controversy should be settled by combat. A horse was swum across the mere and stakes were fixed to mark the extent of the boundary in dispute.
On the day appointed for the combat, the parties and their champions appeared 'properly accoutred', the fight commenced and lasted from morning till evening, when the champions of the Abbot of Meaux were beaten to the ground.
In 1595, the Mere was sold by the Countess of Warwick to Marmaduke Constable, of Wassand:
'…Witnessethe that the said ladye Anne Countesse of Warwick for and in consideration of the some of fyftye and fyve pounds of lawful English money to her before handed payed by the said Marmaduke Constable. Wherof and wherewith she the said ladye Anne acknowledgeth herself fully sattysfyed contented and payed …'
On December 23rd , 1723, a violent hurricane arose from the Mere in a direction towards the sea, destroying and unroofing 24 houses, 14 barns and other outhouses standing near the market cross, or within 150 yards on each side of it.
The hurricane, in its progress towards the sea, overturned the windmill, in the field called the Dales, the mill stones were carried 150 yards. Sheets of lead were blown from the church. Yet in Eastgate there was no violent wind or any damage done at all.
Edward Anderson of Kilham, in his poem, ' The Sailor ', published in 1829, gives us a description of the Mere at the time:
'Many go there to fish for pleasure's sake,
But they always pay for what they take;
When caught, they weigh it at the New Inn door,
The money it is given to the poor.
The lake is two miles long, and one mile broad,
And both with fish and fowl it is well stor'd;
And in the midst of it an island lies,
Where sea birds breed, for miles you hear their cries.'The Inclosure Acts put an end to the kind of football which had been practised in the district round Hornsea Mere up to that time. The game was carried on so roughly that broken bones and other serious injuries were often incurred and much drunkenness usually followed. Matches were often made between different villages, the play being from village to village, two or three miles apart.
One great match was between Sigglesthorne, with men from all the country round, and Hornsea. The ball was driven close to the Old Hall at Wassand, and Mr Marmaduke Constable being at home, the game was suspended while he gave the men ale. After this refreshment the play re-commenced, and the ball was carried triumphantly by the Hornsea men, along the south side of the Mere, into Hornsea town Street.
In the early part of 1838, the Mere was hard frozen for upwards of six weeks during which space of time the people held an ice carnival with events such as shin-up, a game played with a hooked stick and a ball or part of a sheep's vertebra or a knotted piece of wood, skating, curling, reel dances and running races. In February of that year a brick fireplace and an eating and drinking booth was erected on the ice. At eleven o'clock one morning a sheep was put on a spit and at three the head cook announced it ready for the table.
Dinner was held with music and much jollity. Between eight and nine o'clock the same evening revellers, accompanied by a band of torch bearers, marched in procession around Lady Island and Swan Island, dancing, singing and shouting until the woods in Wassand vibrated with their revelling.
- Wally Simpkin's latest local history book
- - Driffield And District Through The Times -
- is on sale at the Driffield Times offices on Mill Street, Driffield, at a price of £10.
