Rainham, Wennington and Aveley Marshes (EHER 48395)

Part of ‘Rainham level’ during the late medieval period. There is a mixture of straight and curving drainage ditches throughout the marsh. Features from the former First World War Purfleet rifle range survive in places, including surface remains of targets and trackways. The marsh’s setting has been almost entirely compromised by modern industrial development and transport infrastructure. Current land use is grazing. The marsh is dominated by common grasses but includes rare species, such as stiff saltmarsh grass Puccinellia rupestris.

2014. Historic Grazing Marsh Project. Historic environment character: This area of marsh is open, but sub divided by a mixture of straight and curving drainage ditches, the latter representing remnants of old creeks. The marsh includes areas of short grazed grass and un-grazed areas of scrub. The marsh is considered medieval in origin and reclamation was completed by the time of the Chapman and Andre map of 1777. During the late medieval period the marsh was part of ‘Rainham Level’. The 1st edition OS map shows track-ways and a sheepfold. During the 20th century, the marsh was part of the MOD Rainham rifle ranges with adjoining land to the south east, which originated during WW1. These are first depicted on the 3rd edition OS map and appear to have been established without destroying the overall character of the marsh. Surface remains of rifle range structures survive. During WWII light anti-aircraft guns were located on the site to defend the Murex Works at Rainham, and aerial photographs indicate that one or more anti-landing ditches were constructed on the marsh. The marsh’s setting has been severely compromised by modern industrial development and the A13 road to the north, which separates it from associated marshland (2.2). On its east side, the marsh is separated from the site of an adjacent silt lagoon constructed in the 1970s by a modern earthwork bank and ditch and is crossed by at least one surfaced cycleway with associated bridges. Character of vegetation: Mix of un-grazed and grazed areas. Nationally rare divided s edge Carex divisa is extensive. The marsh is dominated by common grasses such as red fescue Festuca rubra, meadow foxtail Alopecurus pratensis, crested dog's-tail Cynosurus cristatus and perennial rye-grass Lolium perenne. Wet drains are dominated by common reed Phragmites australis, contain locally rare aquatic species such as lesser pondweed Potamogeton pusillus and threadleaved water-crowfoot Ranunculus trochophyllous; and nationally rare soft hornwort Ceratophyllum sumbersum and brackish watercrowfoot Ranunculus baudotii. One creek contains stiff-saltmarsh grass Puccinellia rupestris, a rare plant only known in the London region from this and a few neighbouring sites. A pond/depression contains nationally rare species such as saltmarsh rush Juncus gerardii and marsh dock Rumex palustris. Threats: There are no immediate threats to the marshes natural and historic environment as the land is within a Natural England Environmental Stewardship scheme. However there is a risk of neglect of surface structures associated with the former rifle range, and deposition of pollutants from traffic along the A13. See <1>.