A Brief History of the Norfolk Broads
The Norfolk Broads are a system of lakes and rivers within the UK counties of Suffolk and Norfolk. Though the waters straddle the two counties, the area is more widely known as the Norfolk Broads because the larger proportion of the wetlands is in Norfolk country.
Covering an area of over 300 square kilometres, the Broads are the single largest government protected wetland in the country and enjoy the same protection as any National Park in the UK. Protection of the wetlands officially commenced with the passage of the 1988 Suffolk and Norfolk Broads Act. The Broads Authority was established in 1989 and has oversight on the activities that take place within the Broads.
The Norfolk Broads is not a single, continuous body of water in the strictest sense of the word is but in fact comprises 63 broads and 7 rivers. The depth of the broads hardly goes beyond 4 metres. Of the 63 broads, 13 are fully navigable with three others containing some navigable sections. Variations due to the changing seasons also mean that some broads may be closed to navigation during the winter and the autumn.
The history of the Broads is just as fascinating as its beautiful landscape. For hundreds of years, this intricate network of rivers and lakes was considered a result of natural causes. This belief held firm until the mid 1950s when Dr Lambert tabled the results of an extensive research that showed the broads were manmade.
As would be expected when such long held belief is dispelled, the initial reaction to Dr Lambert’s claim was doubt. Yet, the core proof of her findings mainly lay in a simple observation that was long overlooked – the sides of the Broads lakes were steep and vertical. This was in contrast to the sloping banks one would expect of naturally created lakes.
The theory of a man-made phenomenon was further supported by the historical records that showed the strong demand for peat in the area. By the 12th Century, historical records show that the present day Norfolk County was one of the fastest growing and most densely populated areas in the United Kingdom. The expected results of the population pressure kicked in with one of the most severe being a need for more fuel to satisfy the sharply rising demand.
With sources of timber dwindling. Peat was the most convenient alternative and the digging started in earnest. The extraction continued for more than 200 years before flooding of the huge pits due to the rising sea tides eventually rendered any further extraction impossible.