Dengie Marsh (EHER 48443)

A small irregular area of ‘improved’ grassland located to the north of Asheldham Brook, close to the former dryland/marshland interface. The earthworks of a former counter-wall survive, and the marks of former creeks are also visible. There are two probable bomb-craters on the site.

2014. Historic Grazing Marsh Project. Historic environment character: The marsh lies close the dryland/marsh interface to the south-east of Asheldham and immediately north of the Asheldham Brook. Given its inland position, it must have been one of the earlier marshes reclaimed on the Dengie peninsula. It was certainly reclaimed by the time of the Chapman and Andre map of 1777 <1>. The marsh is linked by a trackway to Landwick Farm, which is sited to the north on the drier ground. Landwick is first recorded in 1286. There is a surviving earthworks of a substantial former counterwall, which runs parallel to the Asheldham Brook as well as slighter earthworks relating to creeks. The boundaries of the site are still formed by Asheldham Brook and a mix of straight and sinuous drainage ditches. There are two small circular depressions, one water-filled, that probably represent Second World War bomb-craters (EHER 14994). There has been a degree of improvement to the grassland, largely through below-ground drainage. Character of vegetation: Semi-improved and species poor. Dominated by Perennial Rye-grass Lolium perenne and Common Couch-grass Elytrigia repens, with Meadow Barley Hordeum secalinum and Creeping bent-grass Agrostis stolonifera abundant. Ditches dominated by Sea club-rush Bolboschoenus maritimus – ditch vegetation has been badly affected by agricultural run-off. Threats: Biodiversity – Ditch vegetation threatened by agricultural run-off. Grazing marsh vegetation threatened by agricultural improvement and lack of traditional management. See <2>.