richard de rulos, who was lord of deeping fen during the reign of william the conqueror erected a strong embankment to prevent flooding of the meadows adjoining the river, which then became fertile fields and a pleasure garden. during the reign of henry iii (1207–1272), complaints were made that of the two channels below crowland, the one to spalding was more favourable to the passage of barges, but the abbot of crowland had obstructed and narrowed its course by planting willow trees. in the fourteenth century, spalding was charged with failing to scour and repair the river, causing damage to the king's liege people, but argued that because it was tidal at this point, it was an arm of the sea, and so they were not responsible.