Open Farm Sunday, Park Farm, Thorney, Cambridgeshire was the venue for research student Dinah Smith to display her work on Fenland roddons – “fossilised tidal creeks of fenland prehistory”. Formed in the Bronze Age, on aerial photographs they show up as striking river-like patterns.  Dinah had been invited by the farmer and organiser, Mr. Michael Sly, who is helping with the research.

Despite atrocious weather, crowds poured into to see the many and varied demonstrations,   representing various aspects of farming and the environment, and farming life and farming communities. The vintage farm machinery, ploughing demonstrations, sheep shearing and “farm safaris” to the Nene Washes and RSPB lookout points were only part of the many Open Farm Sunday activities.

Latest radar image of the area near to Thorney, Cambridgeshire showing the intricate roddon patterns. The Nene Washes are visible at the bottom of the image. (Copyright Oxford Archaeology East/Cambridgeshire County Council, 2009 - courtesy of Crane Begg, senior illustrator).

As for the roddons, or silt hills as they are known locally – these are found on the majority of farms in this area of the Fens. Many of the farmers were interested to know more about them and the research findings.  Many recounted their farming stories and how the roddons affected their land and crop growth as the roddons stand slightly higher than the surrounding clays. The farmers spoke of the practical complexities of clays, silts and peats in the area.  One farmer stated that many farms had lost peat through farming techniques by the lifting of potato and celery crops with much of the peat still attached ;  another recounted the Fen “blows” and how often his young crops were torn out of the soils to end up infilling the nearby drains and dykes, so he had to start sowing a new crop and also clear the blown peat from the drains. Some farmers “clayed” by adding some of the heavier clays to their fields to try to keep the peat from being blown away. Many spoke of the complexities of the make-up of their land, with the patchiness of the peats and the effect of roddons on the land as they traverse through the clays. But modern farming techniques are really advanced and now computerised machinery is taking over how land is fertilized; crops can be analysed and pests controlled by land flooding.

Photograph – Dave York – University of Leicester (Geology Dept)

Dinah explained that part of the research was to try to work out how these palaeochannels were formed. They are so different to the tidal creek systems of today and to any river system.  Discussions ensued, about childhood Geography lessons with rivers meanders, ox-bow lakes, erosion and deposition in river systems. The roddon systems puzzlingly show none of these text-book patterns, which many farmers did not realise – so this was also a wonderful opportunity for exchanging ideas and knowledge too.
Part of the display showed the presence of microfossils in the roddon sediments with some electron microscope images which left many onlookers amazed.  The latest radar imagery (courtesy of Oxford Archaeology East – Cambridge Country Council) caused quite a stir too, with farmers trying to pick out where their farmland is situated.

This opportunity to spend time with the local farming fraternity, Internal Drainage Board personnel, agronomists and farmers from other parts of the Fens has led to more fenland contacts and to invitations to visit farms and examine other roddons.  It was also the chance to show the local farmers the results to date from sediments taken from their farms and to thank them for allowing access on to their land.

Dinah has been invited back to Thorney on Sunday July 12th to the Thorney History Society event where she will display her research  with the emphasis on the Thorney area.