Editing River Glen, Lincolnshire (section)

==Course==
[[File:East Glen River - geograph.org.uk - 312126.jpg|thumb|left|140px|The East Glen river between Edenham and Lound]]
The river has two sources, both in the low ridge of [[Jurassic]] rocks in the west of the [[county]]. The East Glen rises as a number of small streams near to [[Ropsley]] and [[Great Humby|Humby]], close to the {{convert|300|ft|m|adj=on}} contour. It flows in a southerly direction, passing to the east of [[Ingoldsby]] and to the west of [[Bulby]], to arrive at [[Edenham]]. The East Glen is sometimes called the River Eden, derived as a back-formation from its passing through the parish of Edenham. It continues south through [[Toft, Lincolnshire|Toft]], where a [[Grade II listed]] bridge built in the early 1800s crosses,<ref>{{NHLE |num=1165586 |desc=Bridge over East Glen River, Toft |access-date=29 December 2010}}</ref> and [[Manthorpe, Bourne|Manthorpe]], where there is another listed bridge with a single elliptical arch built in 1813,<ref>{{NHLE |num=1165592 |desc=Manthorpe Bridge |access-date=29 December 2010}}</ref> before turning east to join the West Glen at [[Wilsthorpe, Lincolnshire]]. The West Glen also has a number of sources, near to the {{convert|330|ft|m|adj=on}} contour at [[Old Somerby]] and [[Boothby Pagnall]]. It flows more or less parallel to the East Glen, passing through [[Bitchfield]], [[Burton Coggles|Burton-le-Coggles]], [[Corby Glen]] and [[Creeton]] to reach [[Essendine]], where it turns east towards [[Greatford]].<ref name=osmap>{{cite book |publisher=Ordnance Survey |title=1:25000 map, Sheets 234, 247, 248, 249}}</ref> In the village, a two-arched stone bridge built in the late 1700s carries Church Lane over the river.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1062685 |desc=Bridge over West Glen River, Greatford |access-date=29 December 2010}}</ref>

Most of the water from the West Glen river no longer joins that from the East Glen, as it now flows along the Greatford Cut to join the River Welland upstream of [[Market Deeping]]. The re-routing was devised by E. G. Taverner, the chief engineer for the Welland and Deepings Drainage Board, towards the end of the [[Second World War]], and was part of a much larger project which involved the digging of the Coronation Channel, a flood relief channel to divert the Welland around the south-eastern edge of Spalding, and the construction of Fulney lock, to exclude tidal water from the upper Welland. The whole scheme cost £723,000, and the Coronation Channel, which was completed in 1953, was named to commemorate the crowning of [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]] in the same year.<ref name=boyes248>{{harvnb |Boyes |Russell |1977 |pp=248–250}}</ref>

By the time the East and West rivers join, they are only just above the {{convert|35|ft|m|adj=on}} contour.<ref name=osmap/> Once joined, the river flows in a northerly direction, past Fletland Mill, a former grain mill which was built in 1759,<ref>{{cite web |title=Fletland Mill cottage |publisher=Explore Lincolnshire |url=http://www.explorelincolnshire.co.uk/accommodation/fletland-mill-cottage-greatford-36439.html |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130092051/http://www.explorelincolnshire.co.uk/accommodation/fletland-mill-cottage-greatford-36439.html |archive-date=30 November 2010 }}</ref> and [[Kate's Bridge]] weir, where a modern bridge carries the [[A15 road (England)|A15 road]] over it. This bypasses a single-arched bridge built in the late 1700s, which has a female head carved on the keystone of the western face, presumed to be the Kate after whom the bridge is named.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1062703 |desc=Kate's Bridge, Baston |access-date=29 December 2010}}</ref> Beyond the bridges, the river becomes a typical Fens high level carrier, embanked on both sides and partially straightened, with counter drains on both sides of the channel, to collect seepage through the banks, as the normal water levels are higher than the surrounding land. At [[Tongue End]] the waters of the [[Bourne Eau]] join. The river below here is navigable for its last {{convert|11.5|mi|km}}, and there was once a navigable connection to the Bourne Eau, but the Tongue End pumping station now sits between the two rivers, to aid drainage of the land to the west.<ref name=boyes>{{harvnb |Boyes |Russell |1977 |pp=251–253}}</ref> The Weir Dyke drain runs along the north bank of the Bourne Eau and then the west bank of the Glen, to join the [[South Forty-Foot Drain]] near [[Guthram Gowt]]. For some distance either side of Tongue End, the Counter Drain runs a considerable distance to the east of the channel,<ref name=osmap/> creating washlands between them which can be flooded if water is not able to dischange from the river into the Welland estuary, as a result of the state of the tides. A little before Guthram Gowt, the Counter Drain turns to the east to reach [[Pode Hole]] pumping station,<ref name=osmap/> which plays an important part in the drainage of [[Deeping Fen]].

Beyond Guthram Gowt, the river flows in a north-easterly direction, and is flanked on both sides by drainage ditches because the land is low-lying. It passes through [[Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire|Pinchbeck]] and [[Surfleet]] to reach the [[tide|tidal]] entrance [[sluice]] where it joins the River Welland.<ref name=osmap/> The sluice is only navigable when the tidal level is the same as the river level.