Newspaper article from
1931
AN INLAND FYLDE LAKE
CENTURIES OLD
How many
people, I wonder, are aware that the Fylde possesses a great expanse
of water which comparatively few residents have ever seen, and of
which some may even never have heard. Next year; when the boundaries
of the borough are extended, the Mere will come within the confines
of Blackpool.
Marton Mere figured in history long before Blackpool existed. Much
of the famous Mere's glory has departed front it. It is now an
insignificant dozen or so acres, whereas we are told that in ancient
days it was six miles long and at least one and a half miles wide.
It certainly figures conspicuously on the map of the Fylde published
by John Speed, of London, early in the 17th century, and a stream is
shown connecting the Mere with the sea at what is now Blackpool.
On the map, too, from the Mere right along, the coast to the mouth
of the Ribble is described as Marton Moss, which is probably the
great moss mentioned in the charter for the foundation of the Lytham
Priory in the reign of Richard I.
Fishing Rights
One wonders if those old monks of the Cell of
Lethum ever used to go fishing in that great Mere for their Friday's
dinner, or were they content with the salmon from the Ribble and the
fish from the sea?
As long ago as the 13th century, we are told that Theobald Walter
(le Bo- teller) granted to the abbots of Stanlawe the right to make
a pool out of ;Marten mere or marsh, and to take the water to their
mill at Staining. with a ' proviso that the fish in the said more
were not to he injured. A little later the Earl of Ormond, James,
son of Edward le botelier, held the fishery called Marton Mere,
paving yearly for it at Michaelmas ten shillings and one soar hawk.
It is asserted by one historian that the right of fishing In the
Mere formed the subject of litigation in the reign of Edward III,
but no authority is quoted for this statement.
Anglers' Paradise
In the reign of Henry VIII, Thomas Hesketh and
Richard Banester fought an action in the Duchy Court over the right
of fishing in Marton Myre, and about 1589 John Singleton of
Staining, held the privilege of fishing in the Mere.
It is quite evident that at that period of history Marton Mere
brought joy to the hearts of anglers.
I can well imagine one local parson at least, if he had lived in
those bygone days, sitting happy and content for hours, in his
monkish habit by the side of Marton Mere, fishing rod in hand,
endeavouring to tempt enough fish to leave the security of the cool
waters of the Mere, to provide a substantial dinner for fast days
for his fellow monks at the Priory at Lethum. Tradition states that
a stream which issued from Marton Mere formerly turned the wheel of
a Water mill near to the village of Great Marton. Thornber describes
it as an undeniable fact, for in 1657 it was in the occupation of
Margaret Butler, and in 1683 under the management of one Wilkins.
Mere Overflows
In 1731 the overflowing of the Mere evidently
caused considerable annoyan and loss to the owners of land in the
neighbourhood, and an agreement was entered into between them and
Edward Jolly of Marton, for him to clean widen and sink the
watercourse "which goes or runs from the north end of the Mere
eastwards, and so in its circuit and several turnings through Weeton
cum-Preese, Hardhorn-cum-Newton. and Singleton to Skippoole and
thence the River Wyer."
Ten years later we find other land-owners stating that by an Order
from a Court of Sewers they are ordered to widen the ditch running
front "Martin Mear" to Mythop or Preese Carr to two yards and a half
at the bottom, and agreeing that William Jolly should do the work.
During the work of draining the Mere large quantities of tree trunks
of oak and yew trees were found in the soil, all of which were in a
slanting position towards the sea.
Thornber expresses the opinion that far back in history the whole
district was covered by a great forest which was overwhelmed by the
sea before the Roman conquest, and he says that in cutting the main
dyke a person named E. Jolly found
coracles, which were taken to Poulton, and which probably
belonged to the ancient Britons who lived in this district in those
far away days.
Contrasts
Now, through drainage and the gradual
accumulation of sediment, the mere has shrunk to a comparatively
insignificant sheet of water compared with centuries ago, and it
forms part of the area which was acquired by the Corporation for the
construction of the aerodrome and racing track under the Act of
1928.
What a great step front those distant days to the present age of
great air liners and racing motor cars which attain a speed of four
miles a minute.
One can imagine the look of consternation which would have spread
over the faces of those old Fyldeans if a great bird, such as we
often see nowadays, had swooped down from the blue skies while they
were calmly fishing by the great Mere of Marton or hawking over the
peaceful fields.
I am afraid they would have been too surprised for some time to see
if they had got a bite, even if they had not jumped into the Mere in
panic.
And, whisper it in the hearing of ardent anglers, there are still
fish in Marton Mere, even if it has shrunk in size.
