Wisbech prior to drainage schemes, it sat on the river Great Ouse. The port is Cambridgeshire's only gateway to the sea. In 1631 Sir Cornelius Vermuyden built the Horseshoe Sluice at Wisbech at a cost of £8,000. In 1680 the trade of Wisbech had increased sufficiently for the port to be reckoned independent and no longer a member of King's Lynn. In 1720 the corporation was licensed to buoy the channel for the first time. By 1751 it was possible in a dry year to walk across the river bed under Wisbech Bridge. Ship building was carried out in the late
Wisbech 18th and early 19th centuries. A custom house was built in 1801. The greatest shipowner was Richard Young (1809-1871), who had at various times 43 boats operating from the port. The port of Wisbech could accommodate sailing ships of 400 tons, but its prosperity declined after 1852 when extensive river works impeded navigation. The Wisbech Canal was cut to allow narrow boats to connect with the river, but no longer does so as parts have been filled in. Narrow boats continue to access inland waterways via the river Nene. In 1931 A concrete bridge was built to replace the previous