to a depth of 5 feet, and on another to overtopping the prayer desks. An enquiry into obstructions of the water near the cathedral was held in 1437, while in 1493 and 1664 Parliament directed that locals must keep the drains clear, but still in 1701 flooding was so severe that people could boat past the cathedral, and in 1744 services had to be moved to Christ Church Cathedral. Major flooding is also noted in 1778, 1791, 1795, and on through the 19th century. In the early 19th century two historians commented that even largely culverted the Poddle could still pose a hazard: "It occasionally, however, bursts from its caverns and inundates the vicinity ... particularly Patrick Street, Ship Street and the Castle Yard, and Dame Street, where it is sometimes necessary to use a boat." During the major reconstruction of the cathedral in the nineteenth century, the graves of Dean Jonathan Swift and Stella were moved to their present location, due to the problem of the Poddle. Even in the early 20th century, the Dean noted that the water level was only 7.5 feet below the floor. By this time the Poddle Water, as it was labelled, was fully underground in the area, coming from New Street vis Freestone Alley, with one channel passing in culvert right outside the main door of the cathedral, the other under the front edge of the buildings across St Patrick's Street. The Poddell (Poddle) Commission A statutory body, the Poddell Commission, was formed by an Act in the times of Charles II to manage city centre flooding from the river, especially if it might affect St Patrick's Cathedral. It had a small staff, and the powers to take emergency action, and to assess and collect a special tax to support its work. As of 1835, the commission's membership included many of the most senior officials of both Dublin and Ireland, including both the Lord Mayor and the Recorder of Dublin, the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, the Deans of both St Patrick's and Christ Church Cathedrals, the Lord Chief Justice, the Chief Justice of Common Pleas, the Principal Secretary of State for Ireland, the Attorney and Solicitor-General, and the Earl of Meath, along with later-added diocesan officials, the Chancellor of St Patrick's Cathedral and the Lord of the Manors of St Thomas Court and Donore, while the Secretary of State was replaced