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,J. N. Clarke, (1990), The Horncastle and Tattershall Canal, Oakwood Press, 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 (Leuciscus cephalus), bream,Martin James, (2001), A Big Bream from a Little River, retrieved 22 November 2008 roach and rudd, as well as brown trout, pike, eel, and smaller species such as miller's thumb (Cottus gobio), gudgeon and stone loach (Nœmacheilus barbatus). It is also home to the threatened species of crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes, though there are also populations of the introduced American signal crayfish (Pasifastacus leniusculus), 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, one of the most recent being the 2007 United Kingdom floods, when the river overtopped its banks all along its course. Horncastle was particularly badly hit.Horncastle News, (23 July 2007), Floods return to Horncastle The river once again broke its banks in Horncastle during Storm Babet 20th October 2023.
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. NumberNameLocalityDateTypeNotesImage1Footbridge by at mouth by the River WithamDogdykeOn location of the Lincolnshire Loop Line railway bridge.2Footbridge at Tattershall Lakes Country ParkDogdykePublic Footpath3Bridge at Coningsby Ings Pumping StationConingsby Ings near Tattershall CastlePrivate access4Tattershall SluiceTattershall CastleSteel TrussPublic Footpath5A153 Road BridgeConingsby/TattershallConcrete Beam6Mason's BridgeConingsby/TattershallSteel BeamPublic Footpath7Old Railway BridgeConingsby/TattershallBrick ArchDisused. Formerly carried the Kirkstead and Little Steeping Railway.8Coningsby Lock BridgeConingsby/TattershallConcrete BeamCarries Wharf Lane9Farm Track BridgeTumbyPrivate access10Farm Track BridgeTumbyPrivate access11Bridge at Fulsby LockFulsbyPublic Bridleway12Footbridge at St Mary's ChurchKirkby on BainConcrete BeamPublic Footpath13Footbridge in Kirkby on BainKirkby on BainPrivate access14Bridge 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 Footpath17Footbridge at RoughtonRoughtonPublic Footpath18Bridge at Roughton LockRoughtonPrivate access19Bridge at Dalderby LockDalderbyConcrete BeamPublic Bridleway20Fifty Acre BridgeThornton/HorncastleCarries the Fifty Acre Road. Rebuilt December 2015.21Footbridge at Horncastle Swimming PoolHorncastleConcrete BeamPublic Footpath22A158/Jubilee Way Road BridgeHorncastle23Bridge StreetHorncastle24Bridge at TescoHorncastleConcrete BeamPublic access.25Thimbleby Mill BridgeHorncastlePublic Footpath. Part of Thimbleby Mill infrastructure26Thimbleby Mill FootbridgeHorncastlePublic Footpath27Sherman's Wath BridgeWest AshbyCarries Sherman's Wath (Road)28Bridge at Ashby ParkWest AshbyPrivate access29Bridge at Horncastle Golf and Country ClubWest AshbyPrivate access30Bridge at Horncastle Golf and Country ClubHemingbyPrivate access31Hemingby Bridge at Upper Bain Weir HemingbyConcrete BeamCarries public highway32Bridge at Watermill FarmBaumberPrivate access33Market BridgeGreat SturtonConcrete BeamRestricted Byway. Crossing of the Bain by the Lincoln to Skegness Roman Road at this location.34Bridge at Square PlantationRanbyPrivate access35Bridge at RanbyRanbyPrivate access36Bridge at Willow HoltGoulcebyPrivate access37Top Lane BridgeGoulcebyPublic highway38C559 Market Stainton Lane BridgeMarket StaintonPublic highway39Bridge at Dinah's plantationMarket StaintonPublic footpath (Market Stainton to Donington on Bain)40Culvert under disused railwayDonington on BainCulvert under the embankment of the disused Louth to Bardney railwayINCOMPLETE This list is incomplete.
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