Dick o' the Fens: A Tale of the Great East Swamp

"Dick o' the Fens: A Tale of the Great East Swamp" by George Manville Fenn, presents the story of Dick Winthorpe, a squire’s son caught in the middle of a struggle between the old ways and new developments in the Fenland. The initial setting introduces Dick and his friend Tom as they witness preparations with heated iron at the wheelwright's shop. This seemingly normal scene quickly turns into a discussion about an impending drainage project championed by Dick's father, a project Dick himself strongly opposes. The narrative highlights the growing conflict between local farmers who wish to maintain their traditional way of living and the encroaching modernization threatening to reshape their environment as tensions flare. Through this clash, sabotage begins, revealing the strong connection the people have to the fen. As Dick and Tom spend their evening together, they discuss the natural beauty of their home and the potential devastation the drainage could bring, building on the book’s themes of nature versus progress.