Wrabness Marsh (EHER 48497)

A small area of improved grazing marsh along the south shore of the Stour Estuary. The estuary side is demarcated by a sea wall and borrow dyke. Internally there are straight linear drainage ditches. The grassland is improved but species-rich.

Historic environment character: The marsh was reclaimed by the time of the Chapman and Andre map of 1777 <1>. The area is grassland, divided by straight water-filled drainage ditches. It is one of very few surviving wet grazing marshes in the Stour estuary. Waterlogged wood has been recorded from the upcast from one of the marshes ditches, and a flint scatter was found in the near vicinity. Character of vegetation: Improved species-rich grassland, Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil Lotus corniculatus, Black knapweed Centaurea nigra, Common Centaury Centaurium erythraea, Wild Parsnip Pastinaca sativa, Weld Reseda luteola, Creeping cinquefoil Potentilla reptans and nationally rare Dittander Lepidium latifolium all frequent. Threats: Marshland biodiversity is threatened by further agricultural improvement and drying out. Shoreline Management Plan: Hold the line to 2105. See <2>.