Fosdyke

A very quiet village, which in the 1790’s enjoyed a reputation as a bathing and tea-drinking place. 

The All Saints Church built in 1871 by Edward Browning, replaces an earlier church built around 1755.   

Until almost  the end of the 18th century the outfall of the River Welland was in a very poor state. The course of the river was not very defined. Fosdyke Wash came inland nearly as far as Surfleet Reservoir, with the course of the Welland flowing through the middle, and until 1815 there was no bridge over the river. Despite there being no bridge Fosdyke was on the route used by drovers driving their cattle and sheep etc from the north of the country to Norwich and London. The only was across the river was by fording it. This could be done at low tide when there was only a few inches of water in the river. Those wishing to ford the river could find the state of the tide, and the time of low water by visiting the Old Inn nearby. In this Inn was an old long cased clock that besides giving the time of day, also gave the phases of the moon etc., and the time of high and low water. This clock was known as the “Fosdyke Tidal Clock” and is still in existence today. Several bridges were erected over a period of time, and the final swinging bridge was removed in 1990 as this was too narrow for modern traffic, and replaced with a wider constructed concrete bridge. Today Fosdyke boosts a new state of the art marina, which is fully operational with  modern pleasure craft moored up at the quay side.