The downstream end of the Little Ouse has changed much over the centuries. In the Fens and Norfolk Marshland, it was quite possible for the course of a river to change as the result of a flooding episode so it is not surprising to find that the Great Ouse used to enter The Wash by way of the Old Croft River, the Wellstream and Wisbech (the Ouse beach). The modern lower Great Ouse was then the lower part of the Little Ouse. On this occasion, the change was artificial. The 17th century drainers under Cornelius Vermuyden dug the Old Bedford River between the Great Ouse at Earith and what had hitherto been the Little Ouse at Denver. A link was made for the Great Ouse between Littleport and the Little Ouse at Brandon Creek, and both the drainage and the navigation were directed towards King's Lynn rather than Wisbech.
the downstream end of the little ouse has changed much over the centuries in the fens and norfolk marshland it was quite possible for the course of a river to change as the result of a flooding episode so it is not surprising to find that the great ouse used to enter the wash by way of the old croft river the wellstream and wisbech (the ouse beach) the modern lower great ouse was then the lower part of the little ouse on this occasion the change was artificial the 17th century drainers under cornelius vermuyden dug the old bedford river between the great ouse at earith and what had hitherto been the little ouse at denver a link was made for the great ouse between littleport and the little ouse at brandon creek and both the drainage and the navigation were directed towards king's lynn rather than wisbech