Walton le Soken Marsh (EHER 48488)

A small area of surviving marshland at Peter’s Point, on the south side of Hamford Water, with sea wall and borrow dyke demarcating three sides side and a mixture of curving drainage ditch on its landward side. A red hill is recorded from the area and a former decoy has been reinstated. The grassland has been improved.

2014. Historic Grazing Marsh Project. Historic environment character: This small area is part of the larger Walton Le Soken grazing marsh. The sea wall is still on the same alignment to that of the 1880s map. Reclamation was probably not until the early 19th century. A sluice is recorded on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map on the sea wall on the western side of the marsh <1>. Very few features associated with the grazing marsh are still visible, although the borrow dyke is continuous along the sea wall and is 9-10m in width. The only recorded heritage asset other than the sea wall and borrow dyke in the area is a red hill and former decoy pond. The latter has recently be re-cut and is still water filled. Aerial photographs show that the area has been ploughed in the last 10 years although it is currently under grass Character of vegetation: Grazing marsh flora has been lost. 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. Threats: Threatened by further agricultural improvement and flooding. Shoreline Management Plan Subject to managed realignment from the present See <2>.