Walton le Soken Marshes (EHER 48489)

A small area of surviving marshland on the south side of Hamford Water, with sea wall and borrow dyke demarcating its eastern side and a mixture of straightened drainage ditches and sinuous creeks on its other sides. A refuse facility has been constructed in the middle of the marsh, served by a road way. The grassland has been improved.

2014. Historic Grazing Marsh Project. Historic environment character: This small unimproved area is part of the larger Walton Le Soken grazing marsh. The sea wall is still on the same alignment to that of the 1st edition OS map <1> but reclamation probably wasn’t until the early 19th century. A track-way (now under the modern road) is recorded on the 1st edition OS map, as is a sluice in the sea wall. Very few features associated with the grazing marsh are still visible, other than the short stretch of sea wall and borrow dyke, and sinuous drains. Character of vegetation: Dominated by grasses such as Bent grasses Agrostis spp., Meadow grass Poa spp., Perennial Rye-grass Lolium perenne and Red fescue Festuca rubra. Occasional herbs such as Common Bird’s-foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus. The rare Slender Hare’s-ear Bupleurum tenuissimum is found on the sea wall. Area of scrub towards the sea wall, area bordered by hedgerow. Threats: Threatened by further development, scrub encroachment, and flooding. Shoreline Management Plan: Hold the line to 2105. See <2>.