Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The
Editor
©
F.Coakley , 2024
[From Ramsey Courier 6th April 1956]
"Designed by Man as Drainage Area"
(By a Special Correspondent )
Two Dutchmen, it is reported, have lately carried out a survey of the Ballaugh curraghs with a view to preparing a plan for the drainage of the area. The following contribution is from a gentleman with a considerable knowledge of the subject, and will be read with close interest:-
Two more experts have had a look at Ballaugh Curragh to see if it is possible to drain and reclaim it.
To most people the draining of Ballaugh curraghs will be an almost impossible job. but I wonder how many people knew that at one time Ballaugh curraghs drained naturally, that the curraghs as we know them to-day were actually designed by man to be what they are to-day a drainage area for the Killane river, and it is performing the purpose for which it was designed perfectly.
To most people this will also seem a strange statement, but Ballaugh curraghs were never meant to drain into the Killane river: when the curraghs drained naturally the Killane river didn't exist.
Few people will know where the natural drainage is. and where the barrier was created, which diverted this water from the Lhen to the new Killane trench.
We have to go back to the days when our Corn Mills were being built: it was necessary to have them spaced all over the Island, especially in the rich agricultural districts. The Killane river would never have been made had it not been for the fact that no water supply of any account is available in the Ballaugh river below Squeen Mill, at Ballaugh Village: the water then soaks into the gravel, and for the greater part of the year this portion of the Ballaugh river is dry and useless for a mill.
Going along the coast the next suitable position for a mill is at the Lhen. Andreas. 5 to 6 miles distant so we find it is desirable to have a mill at the Killane. about mid-way between Ballaugh and the Lhen.
At this time there wasn't a river at the Killane though a small ditch probably existed for a short distance, and we find an artificial river was created, to bring water from Ballaugh curraghs. This river, commonly called the "Killane trench." is. I believe, the only artificial watercourse on the Island. which was constructed solely to bring a supply of water from one river to another, to provide water for the corn mill at the Killane. as we find the water which used to flow to the Lhen trench is new diverted to the Killane.
The making of the Killane trench must have been quite an engineering feat in its day as many difficulties had to be overcome, and very few aids to overcome them. Between the Killane and "Cashens Bridge" the trench had to be cut deep into the ground, and from "Cashens Bridge" to "Close Taggart" high retaining banks had to be built, so that the Killane trench is actually above the adjoining lands. Drainage for the adjoining lands is provided by piping the water under the Killane trench to the Lhen trench, which flows close by at a much lower level.
Being an artificial watercourse the Killane trench doesn't gather much water along its course, it depends mainly on Ballaugh curraghs for its supply, and it is here that we find that the water which used to flow to the Lhen has been diverted, or dammed, so that it flows to the Killane. How was this done?
To the east of the "Elian Rhenny" at the junction of the "Close Moar" and Close-a-Verley roads, we find the natural, and original, drainage from Ballaugh currage. This watercourse is several feet lower than the newly constructed Killane trench, which proves that it was the natural drainage from the curraghs and could drain the curraghs to a much lower level than the artificial Killane trench. Now only a small portion of the curraghs drains to the Lhen river; this portion couldn't be diverted to the Killane as it is actually lower than the Killane trench.
Few people will be aware of the existence of the barrier which was formed to divert the Lhen trench into the Killane. We find that the curragh road "from the Ellan Rhenny" to the "Sulby Ballaugh road" serves this purpose, to a point, where this road and the "Curragh Aspit" road join, and then the "Curragh Aspit" road acts as the barrier in an easterly direction: this part of the barrier actually cuts across the original, natural watercourse, which flowed to the Lhen.
We now find that the section of the curraghs to the west of the curragh road, and to the south of the "Curragh Aspit" road, has been turned into a collecting and storage area for the Killane trench. This spoiled to a certain extent the natural drainage of this portion of the curraghs. but ensured a supply of water to the mill at the Killane. which at that time would be a very important place, and no one could object, as the owner of the Island at that time was the person who was building the mills. Although the drainage would be partly spoiled, the ditches would be kept perfectly clean, as the people at this time depended on the curraghs for turf and hay and it was important to get the water away which had gathered during the winter before the turf and hay cutting began.
At this time turf would be sold in the curraghs at so much a yard. I believe the price was about sixpence per yard square, and a yard deep, so anyone owning a meadow would have a nice little income coming in from their meadow, the hay too was valuable, as the poor people got their fuel and hay from the meadows and rough lands.
Up to now I have tried to describe how the natural drainage of the curraghs was destroyed to enable the mill at the Killane to be constructed, but it also shows us where our trouble is now that the mill at the Killane has gone out of use. The Killane trench no longer serves any useful purpose, so we are free to restore the natural drainage system by diverting the water of the curraghs to the original, and natural outlets to the Lhen trench.
But this wouldn't overcome the neglected state of the curraghs; the neglect of the past 50 to 100 years would have to be righted by cutting new ditches and clearing out the old ones which have become silted up. but this simple operation would drain the curraghs.
There is a limit to the extent to wliich the curraghs can be safely drained. If this drainage is made too good, the water lowered too much, then there is the risk that the meadows will become too dry and should this happen and they got on fire then they would burn down to the water level as they are composed mainly of turf. So we find that the original and natural drainage system was capable of draining the curraghs to a safe level.
To-day few people will realise how important the corn mill was in days gone by and what a feat of engineering the damming of the curraghs and bringing the water to the Killane would be, but the corn mill at that time meant life, and was one of the earliest efforts at using water power to make life easier, and do those jobs which up till then had either been done by animals or humans. So we find that any damage done the curraghs would be compensated by the benefits which the mill would bring.
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Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The
Editor |
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