River Bain


The River Bain is a river in Lincolnshire, England, and a tributary of the River Witham.
The Bain rises in the Lincolnshire Wolds at Ludford, a village on The Viking Way long-distance footpath, and flows through or past the villages of Burgh on Bain, Biscathorpe, Donington on Bain, Goulceby, Asterby and Hemingby before reaching the town of Horncastle where it is joined by the River Waring, which rises at Belchford, to the north east of Horncastle.
After leaving Horncastle, the Bain flows through the villages of Kirkby on Bain, Coningsby and Tattershall, and joins the Witham at Dogdyke. In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, and after protracted negotiation, a group of venture capitalists led by Sir Joseph Banks canalized the Bain between Horncastle and the Witham. The Horncastle Canal opened in 1802 and was an important goods route before the coming of the railway. It is no longer navigable, but is used extensively by anglers, canoeists, and naturalists.
The river contains significant populations of chub, bream, roach and rudd, as well as brown trout, pike, eel, and smaller species such as miller's thumb, gudgeon and stone loach. It is also home to the threatened species of crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes, though there are also populations of the introduced American signal crayfish, which competes with the native species for food.
The Bain valley was formed by a glacier in the most recent ice-age and, although small, is very obvious. The River Bain is very susceptible to flooding and many floods have occurred during its history, about once every 30–50 years, the most recent being the 2007 United Kingdom floods, when the river overtopped its banks all along its course. Horncastle was particularly badly hit.
Settlements in the valley include Tattershall, Coningsby, Kirkby on Bain, Haltham, Roughton, Horncastle, Hemingby, Goulceby with Asterby, Donington on Bain, Burgh on Bain and Ludford.

Crossings of the River Bain/Horncastle Canal

This list is incomplete.
NumberNameLocalityDateTypeNotesImage
1Footbridge by at mouth by the River WithamDogdykeOn location of the Lincolnshire Loop Line railway bridge.
2Footbridge at Tattershall Lakes Country ParkDogdykePublic Footpath
3Bridge at Coningsby Ings Pumping StationConingsby Ings near Tattershall CastlePrivate access
4Tattershall SluiceTattershall CastleSteel TrussPublic Footpath
5A153 Road BridgeConingsby/TattershallConcrete Beam
6Mason's BridgeConingsby/TattershallSteel BeamPublic Footpath
7Old Railway BridgeConingsby/TattershallBrick ArchDisused. Formerly carried the Kirkstead and Little Steeping Railway.
8Coningsby Lock BridgeConingsby/TattershallConcrete BeamCarries Wharf Lane
9Farm Track BridgeTumbyPrivate access
10Farm Track BridgeTumbyPrivate access
11Bridge at Fulsby LockFulsbyPublic Bridleway
12Footbridge at St Mary's ChurchKirkby on BainConcrete BeamPublic Footpath
13Footbridge in Kirkby on BainKirkby on BainPrivate access
14Bridge at Kirkby Water MillKirkby on BainPublic Footpath. Rebuilt after 2007 floods.
15Red Mill BridgeKirkby on Bain/HalthamBrick ArchCarries Rime's Lane.
16Footbridge at Haltham LockHalthamConcrete BeamPublic Footpath
17Footbridge at RoughtonRoughtonPublic Footpath
18Bridge at Roughton LockRoughtonPrivate access
19Bridge at Dalderby LockDalderbyConcrete BeamPublic Bridleway
20Fifty Acre BridgeThornton/HorncastleCarries the Fifty Acre Road. Rebuilt December 2015.
21Footbridge at Horncastle Swimming PoolHorncastleConcrete BeamPublic Footpath
22A158/Jubilee Way Road BridgeHorncastle
23Bridge StreetHorncastle
24Bridge at TescoHorncastleConcrete BeamPublic access.
25Thimbleby Mill BridgeHorncastlePublic Footpath. Part of Thimbleby Mill infrastructure
26Thimbleby Mill FootbridgeHorncastlePublic Footpath
27Sherman's Wath BridgeWest AshbyCarries Sherman's Wath
28Bridge at Ashby ParkWest AshbyPrivate access
29Bridge at Horncastle Golf and Country ClubWest AshbyPrivate access
30Bridge at Horncastle Golf and Country ClubHemingbyPrivate access
31Hemingby Bridge at Upper Bain WeirHemingbyConcrete BeamCarries public highway
32Bridge at Watermill FarmBaumberPrivate access
33Market BridgeGreat SturtonConcrete BeamRestricted Byway. Crossing of the Bain by the Lincoln to Skegness Roman Road at this location.
34Bridge at Square PlantationRanbyPrivate access
35Bridge at RanbyRanbyPrivate access
36Bridge at Willow HoltGoulcebyPrivate access
37Top Lane BridgeGoulcebyPublic highway
INCOMPLETE

This list is incomplete.