South Cave Self Storage

Contact phone:

01522 521 455

Harbour Hours

10:00 – 18:00

Email

info@brayfordtrust.co.uk

Email us

01522 521 452

Harbour Office Hours
10:00-18:00

The Harbour

The Harbour

Built by the Romans in 120AD the Fossdyke is thought to be the oldest navigable, manmade canal in England. The Brayford Pool is a naturally formed lake at the junction of the Fossdyke canal and the River Witham situated 11 miles from Torksey Lock. Heading east the River Witham flows through the city centre of Lincoln and eventually leads to Boston and the North Sea.

Home to a variety of bars and restaurants there is something for everyone, a short walk from the hustle and bustle of Lincoln High Street, the Brayford Pool is the jewel in Lincoln’s crown.

As the Brayford Pool has such a rich history it is difficult to document how it has evolved in a few paragraphs but here is a brief snapshot of how it has changed into the waterfront we see today.

1st Century BC
Early settlers near the Brayford Pool inspired the City’s original name Lindon, Lin – pool Don – foot of the hill.

48 AD
Lincolnshire was conquered by the Romans who built a fort on the site of Lincoln. Lindon grew into a large and prosperous town. In the 4th century it had a population of 4000 – 6000 inhabitants. The Romans dug the Fossdyke canal to link the Brayford Pool to the River Trent.

5th Century By this time the Romans had left but the area they had left behind was prosperous and the medieval city of Lincoln was built using the wealth created by the thriving wool trade.
10th century Along came the Vikings, their name for the Pool was Breit-ford giving it its now modern day name the Brayford Pool.
13th Century The prosperity of Lincoln was coming to an end during the mid-13th century due to the gradual decline of the wool trade. Fast forward to the 18th and 19th centuries and the Brayford Pool was once again an important inland port. The Fossdyke canal had been dredged allowing passage for boats and the banks of the Brayford Pool were lined with mills, breweries, granaries and warehouses.
20th Century  The Brayford Pool fell once moor into decline.It could not keep up with the rapidly developing road and rail networks. Surrounding businesses closed and the Brayford was littered with derelict barges.
In 1969 The Brayford Trust was established with an aim to restore the Brayford Pool and preserve and protect this area of the city for generations to come.

As you walk along the Brayford waterfront it is hard to imagine its historical past, the only old building remaining is the Royal William IV pub, dating back to 1840.  The north bank is now home to a range of restaurants, bars and hotels, plus an Odeon 10 screen cinema and a Tesco express.