Martin Mere
Encyclopedia
Martin Mere is a mere
near Burscough
, Lancashire
, England on the West Lancashire Coastal Plain
. The mere is a vast marsh
, around that, until it was drained, was the largest body of fresh water in England.
, when water filled a depression in the glacial drift. Since then its size has varied as water levels have risen and fallen. The original giant lake can be seen on Christopher Saxton
's map from 1579 and stretched from Rufford
in the east, to Churchtown (then known as Meols
) in the west. To the north of the lake were the villages of Mere Brow
and Holmeswood
, the site of Holmeswood Hall, built by the Heskeths as a hunting lodge. South of the lake was the Scarisbrick Hall
estate, Martin Hall and Tarlefarwood, now known as Tarlscough
.
Active management of the mere began in 1692 when Thomas Fleetwood of Bank Hall
cut a channel in an attempt to drain it. Further attempts to drain it were made in the 1780s, but effective drainage was only achieved in the mid-19th century with the introduction of steam pumping. Farms and market gardens were established on the rich soils of the reclaimed land. Between 1974 and 1982 sand from the former lake bed was quarried for use in glass-making at Mere Sands Wood
which is now a nature reserve.
An ancient canoe
has been excavated from Martin Mere and is the oldest item on display in the Botanic Gardens Museum.
.
, home of Camelot Theme Park
which was named from the legend. Sir Lancelot's parents King Ban of Benwick and his queen Elaine escaped to Lancashire
from France
. Elaine went to help her husband who had fallen and put Lancelot down on the shore of the lake, from where he was abducted by nymph
, Vivian, who vanished into the waters of the lake with him. When Lancelot went to Arthur's court he was knighted as 'Sir Lancelot of the Lake'. Martin Mere has been known as the 'Lost Lake of Sir Lancelot' following the myth.
Mere (lake)
Mere in English refers to a lake that is broad in relation to its depth, e.g. Martin Mere. A significant effect of its shallow depth is that for all or most of the time, it has no thermocline.- Etymology :...
near Burscough
Burscough
Burscough is a village and civil parish within West Lancashire in North West England, to the north of both Ormskirk and Skelmersdale.-Growth:...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England on the West Lancashire Coastal Plain
West Lancashire Coastal Plain
The West Lancashire Coastal Plain is a large area in the south west of Lancashire, England.The plain stretches from the Rimrose Valley in Seaforth, near Liverpool on the Mersey, to the south, to Preston on the Ribble, to the north. To the east, the plain is bounded by the foothills of the Pennines,...
. The mere is a vast marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
, around that, until it was drained, was the largest body of fresh water in England.
History
Martin Mere was formed at the end of the last Ice AgeIce age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
, when water filled a depression in the glacial drift. Since then its size has varied as water levels have risen and fallen. The original giant lake can be seen on Christopher Saxton
Christopher Saxton
Christopher Saxton was an English cartographer, probably born in the parish of Dewsbury, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England around 1540....
's map from 1579 and stretched from Rufford
Rufford, Lancashire
-Population :-Economy:The village is largely rural with little or no industry. The farmland is grade one agricultural land. In the early 20th century the village was described as "one of the prettiest in South Lancashire" and was a destination for day trips from neighbouring towns...
in the east, to Churchtown (then known as Meols
North Meols
North Meols is a civil parish in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England. The parish covers the village of Banks and the hamlet of Hundred End...
) in the west. To the north of the lake were the villages of Mere Brow
Mere Brow
Mere Brow is a small village in Lancashire, England, situated between Tarleton and Banks, just off the A565 road. It is 6 miles east of Southport and 10 miles south west of Preston. It is administered by the West Lancashire District Council and the Tarleton parish council...
and Holmeswood
Holmeswood
Holmeswood is a small agricultural village in West Lancashire, in the north-west of England. It lies just north of the Martin Mere Wetland Centre and to the south of North Meols about six miles east of the Irish Sea coast at Southport....
, the site of Holmeswood Hall, built by the Heskeths as a hunting lodge. South of the lake was the Scarisbrick Hall
Scarisbrick Hall
Scarisbrick Hall is a country house situated just to the south-east of the village of Scarisbrick in Lancashire, England.-History:Scarisbrick Hall was the ancestral home of the Scarisbrick family and dates back to the time of King Stephen . The Scarisbrick family lived on the site from 1238 until...
estate, Martin Hall and Tarlefarwood, now known as Tarlscough
Tarlscough
Tarlscough is a hamlet in the West Lancashire District, in the English county of Lancashire. It is roughly 1.8 miles north of the centre of Burscough.-Environment:...
.
Active management of the mere began in 1692 when Thomas Fleetwood of Bank Hall
Bank Hall
Bank Hall is a Jacobean mansion south of the village of Bretherton in Lancashire, England. It is a Grade II* Listed Building. The hall was built on the site of a previous building in 1608 during the reign of James I by the Banastre family who were Lords of the Manor. It was extended during the 18th...
cut a channel in an attempt to drain it. Further attempts to drain it were made in the 1780s, but effective drainage was only achieved in the mid-19th century with the introduction of steam pumping. Farms and market gardens were established on the rich soils of the reclaimed land. Between 1974 and 1982 sand from the former lake bed was quarried for use in glass-making at Mere Sands Wood
Mere Sands Wood
Mere Sands Wood is a nature reserve between the villages of Holmeswood and Rufford in west Lancashire, England, managed by the The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside. It lies about five miles from Ormskirk...
which is now a nature reserve.
An ancient canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
has been excavated from Martin Mere and is the oldest item on display in the Botanic Gardens Museum.
Present
The mere is now the site of Martin Mere Wetland Centre, a wetland nature reserve managed by the Wildfowl and Wetlands TrustWildfowl and Wetlands Trust
The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust is a wildfowl and wetland conservation charity in the United Kingdom. Its patron is Queen Elizabeth II.It was founded in 1946 by the ornithologist and artist Sir Peter Scott, initially as the Severn Wildfowl Trust...
.
Culture
Martin Mere once stretched to Park Hall near ChorleyChorley
Chorley is a market town in Lancashire, in North West England. It is the largest settlement in the Borough of Chorley. The town's wealth came principally from the cotton industry...
, home of Camelot Theme Park
Camelot Theme Park
Camelot Theme Park is a resort and theme park located in the English county of Lancashire. It is based on the legend of Camelot. It is located on a site near the village of Charnock Richard, west of Chorley. The site is owned by The Story Group, and operated by Knights Leisure...
which was named from the legend. Sir Lancelot's parents King Ban of Benwick and his queen Elaine escaped to Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Elaine went to help her husband who had fallen and put Lancelot down on the shore of the lake, from where he was abducted by nymph
Nymph
A nymph in Greek mythology is a female minor nature deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. Different from gods, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing;...
, Vivian, who vanished into the waters of the lake with him. When Lancelot went to Arthur's court he was knighted as 'Sir Lancelot of the Lake'. Martin Mere has been known as the 'Lost Lake of Sir Lancelot' following the myth.