Little Holland Marsh (EHER 48484)

An area of grazing marsh along the former tidal reaches of the Holland Brook and Holland Haven, including a mixture of improved grassland and relict salt marsh. Sea walls survive, a single red hill has been recorded, as have preserved timbers, and there are records for a Second World War minefield. Historic records for Gunfleet Quay. The grazing marsh is good quality and species-rich despite improvement.

2014. Historic Grazing Marsh Project. Historic environment character: Most of the marshes on either side of the Holland Brook are thought to have been reclaimed at an early period, although 17th century maps show the mouth of the Holland Brook open to the sea. It is likely that in the early 18th century the Holland Brook was embanked on either side in the reach between Holland Bridge and the present Holland Haven, but below this point there was an embankment north of the stream, which protected the marshes of Great Holland, but to the south there may have been open saltings. Much of the original area survives under grass, although there is evidence for extensive improvements with drainage, including surface drains, and straightening of boundary ditches, which remain water filled. At least two periods of reclamation are evident from the surviving sea walls along the small river channel, which remain as earthworks in many places. Finds of preserved timber from close to Holland Bridge highlight the potential for waterlogging and palaeoenvironmental remains. Relict salt marsh surface is visible in some places, with former creeks and rills defined in the different vegetation. There are documentary records for a landing place called Gunfleet Quay. The HER records the area of a former Second World War mine field. Character of vegetation: Good quality grazing marsh, semi-improved but species-rich, with a nationally important ditch flora. Marsh dominated by grasses such as Creeping Bent Agrostis stolonifera, Crested dog’s-tail Cynosurus cristatus, Red fescue Festuca rubra, Perennial Rye-grass Lolium perenne and Meadow Barley Hordeum secalinum. Sea Couch Elymus pycnanthus, Strawberry Clover Trifolium fragiferum, Spiny Rest-harrow Ononis spinosa also frequent, nationally rare Sea Barley Hordeum marinum along former sea wall. Diverse ditch flora showing fresh-saltwater transition consists of Sea Club-rush Scirpus maritimus, Common reed Phragmites australis, regionally rare Parsley Water-dropwort Oenanthe lachenalii and Grey club-rush and nationally rare Brackish water-crowfoot Ranunculus baudotii and Divided sedge Carex divisa in saline parts. Regionally rare plants found in freshwater parts include Tubular water-dropwort O. fistulosa, Slender spike-rush Eleocharis uniglumis, Fat duckweed Lemna gibba and Greater Duckweed Lemna polyrhiza with nationally rare Soft hornwort Certophyllum submersum also found. Threats: Vegetation is threatened by agricultural run-off. Shoreline Management Plan: Could be subject to Managed Realignment from 2055. See <1>