Lost or ghost ponds
by Lewis, 18 December, 2020, 2 comments
The 1950’s and 60’s saw the destruction of many hedgerows, particularly in farming areas like East Anglia. The logic behind this was to increase field size and allow ease of access of machinery, like large combine harvesters that were coming available at that time. The loss of the hedgerows and their associated wildlife is quite well documented, but the loss of ponds that occurred in and around this time has not attracted much attention.
Many hundred of ponds were filled in (often using the debris and material from the destruction of the hedgerows), giving a few more metres of arable land. The position of these ponds can sometimes be found on old ordnance survey maps. Ponds across Norfolk have suffered from neglect or have been filled in, over the last 50 -70 years. Many are located on farmland and their origins may extend back centuries when they were created as marl or clay pits, sometimes for the watering of livestock; they are sometimes referred to as the lost or 'ghost' ponds.. Some were formed in depressions (pingos) left after the last age. Read more...
