Court of Sewers — Living Levels

In 1531, King Henry VIII passed the Act of Sewers, creating Commissioners and Courts of Sewers to oversee the management of coastal marshlands, productive but flood-prone agricultural land.

The Courts were tasked with maintaining sea defences and drainage of low-lying areas and consisted of ‘gentlemen’ of the county, often justices of the peace, who were named as Commissioners. Individual landowners were made responsible for the maintenance of sea defences and drainage ditches, and could be compelled by the Courts to carry out work.

There were two separate courts for the Caldicot and Wentlooge Levels, although proceedings were kept in the same book. Commissions ran for 10 years, after which a petition was made to the Crown for a new Commission.

The Court was in operation for the next 300 years until the Act of Sewers was repealed by Parliament in 1930 and replaced by the Land Drainage Act. The Court was replaced by the Caldicot and Wentlooge Levels Internal Drainage Board in 1942.

In 2015, responsibility for the management of the Levels passed to Natural Resources Wales, ending 400 years of local control on the Levels.

Commissioners of Sewers maps

In 1830, the Commissioners of Sewers ordered a survey of the Gwent Levels, recording land ownership, field boundaries, drainage and sea defences. This was then used to establish responsibilities for the upkeep of flood defences.

Two books of maps were produced, one for the Caldicot Levels and one for the Wentlooge Levels. The works costs around £440 (£27,000 at 2018). These beautiful maps are now stored at Gwent Archives. When overlain on modern OS maps or aerial photographs there is a remarkable degree of conformity.

Move the slider to compare the modern OS map (left) and the 1830 map (right):

More stories from The Levels

Marsh Harrier

After a long absence, Marsh Harriers are once again resident (and breeding) on the Gwent Levels.

Parish Portraits in the 1880's

Using the 1881 census and contemporary historical sources, the History RATS have produced a series of portraits of parishes on the Levels in the late 19th century.

Severn_Tunnel_Junction_Yard_coal_train_geograph-2935923-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg

Railways across the Gwent Levels

History RATS Glyn Parkhouse recounts the story of the coming of the railway to the Gwent Levels.

Cheese-making on the Wentlooge Levels

History RATS Marjorie Neal recounts the history of Caerphilly cheese making on the Wentlooge Levels.

After the monks: the Tudor Levels

Tony Hopkins, former county archivist at Gwent Archives and one of our History RATS, considers the effects of Henry VIII’s policies on Monmouthshire and the Gwent Levels.

Life alongside Monks Ditch Pill

Local farmer and member of the History RATS, David Waters, whose family have lived on the Levels since the 1600s, shares his memories of living and working alongside Monk’s Ditch.

Wesleyan Methodist chapel Castleton (Penny Gregson)[2].jpg

Nonconformism on the Wentlooge Level

History RAT Penny Gregson charts the history of nonconformism on the Wentlooge Level.

Sea walls and the 1884 Act of Commutation

History RAT, Tony Pickup, tells the story of the struggle to maintain the sea wall protecting the Levels during the 19th Century and the historic piece of legislation that solved the problem.

Wales Coast Path

The Wales Coast Path is a long distance footpath that begins (or ends) in Chepstow and follows the coast of Wales for 870 miles (1400km) to Queensferry in Flintshire.