Corringham and Fobbing (EHER 48406)

One of the largest areas of historic grazing marsh in Essex, located to the south and east of the village of Corringham and historic fishing port of Fobbing, with a complex and largely intact historic environment. The marsh includes a significant central area that is likely to be medieval in origin. There are considerable earthwork remains, ranging from probably roman salterns, to raised causeways, old seawalls or counter walls, settlement mounds and extensive ‘stetch’ cultivation. The marsh includes a number of historic farmsteads, a brickworks and the route of the Corringham Light railway that used to serve the docks at Shellhaven and Knocktown explosives factory. Second World War anti landing ditches, bomb craters and anti-aircraft battery have been recorded as earthworks and cropmarks, and a spigot mortar, pill box and scheduled bombing decoy survive. The Manor Way fleet survives as a significant palaeochannel and many creeks remain as sinuous, water-bodies, along with later, straight drainage ditches. The marshes are managed by grazing and contain a number of nationally rare and protected plant species, including Least Lettuce Lactuca saligna.

2014. Historic Grazing Marsh Project. Historic environment character: The marsh was reclaimed by the time of the Chapman and Andre map of 1777 and a large central area of Fobbing Marsh is likely to be 13th century in origin <1>. The sea walls depicted on the 1st edition OS map along Fobbing Creek survives, although has been altered, and significant lengths of contemporary, or potentially earlier sea walls or counter walls also survive. Earthwork mounds may represent late Iron Age or Roman salt making sites. An unusually large D-shaped earthwork is likely to have been used as a cattle refuge. The site of Oozedam farm is likely to be 16th century in origin and the modern farmhouse sits on a substantial settlement mound, which straddles a raised trackway. The sites of Little Ilford Farm and Great Ilford farm are also likely to have been 16th century in origin. Brick building foundations survive at the site of Great Ilford farmhouse, and there is extensive evidence of ‘stetch’ cultivation across the marsh. Evidence for industrial activity includes the earthworks of brickworks and remnants of a dismantled light railway that ran from Corringham to the docks at Shellhaven and the Knocktown explosives factory. Cropmarks of WWII anti landing ditches have been identified from aerial photographs and as earthworks on the ground, along with an anti-aircraft gun site and a large number of bomb craters left over from attacks on the refinery during the Second World War. A spigot mortar and pillbox are located on the marsh along with the night shelter of a bombing decoy which is designated as a scheduled monument. Character of vegetation: One of the largest areas of relict grazing marsh in Essex. Contains nationally rare and protected Least Lettuce Lactuca saligna. Also contains nationally rare Sea barley Hordeum marinum, Slender Hare’s-ear Bupleurum tenuissimum, Sea Clover Trifolium squamosum and Stiff saltmarsh-grass Puccinellia rupestris. Common species such as Hairy Buttercup Ranunculus sardous also present. Threats: Part of the marsh has been affected by habitat creation associated with the London Gateway development. Earthworks are suffering from erosion by livestock and the sea wall at Fobbing may be affected by recreational pressure. The scheduled ‘night shelter’ has suffered from vandalism/graffiti. Thames 2100 Lower Estuary Urban/Industrial and marshland Policy Unit: potential impact on historic environment resulting from required provision of freshwater compensatory habitat at Fobbing from 2020. Also impacts on existing sea walls from maintenance/improvements to sea defences and potential impacts from improvements to marsh drainage system of ditches and creeks. See <2>.