Westwick Marsh (EHER 48444)

A small triangular area of semi-improved grazing marsh to the south-west of Bradwell Waterside, adjacent to the Blackwater Estuary. A sea wall survives on the estuary edge of the area, as do the boundary ditches. The earthworks of former creeks are visible on aerial photographs. The area is associated with the historic farmstead of Westwick.

2014. Historic Grazing Marsh Project. Historic environment character: The marsh was reclaimed by the time of the Chapman and Andre map of 1777 <1>. The sea wall depicted on the 1st edition OS map survives, although it has been altered <2>. The site is linked by a short track to the historic farmstead of Westwick, which is first recorded in 1435. The site was delimited on the inland side by a mix of sinuous and straight drainage ditches, which survive, as do the low earthworks of several sinuous creeks within the marsh area. The earthworks associated with stetch are visible on surface. Character of vegetation: Along creeks and the large drainage ditch Couch grasses Elymus spp. dominate with Sea club-rush Scirpus maritimus. Sea Aster Aster tripolium, Saltmarsh rush Juncus gerardii and Common reed Phragmites australis also occur. Meadow foxtail Alopecurus pratensis, Marsh Foxtail A. geniculatus, Creeping Bent Agrostis stolonifera, Perennial rye-grass Lolium perenne and Yellow oat-grass Trisetum flavescens dominant across the field. Nationally rare Strawberry clover Trifolium fragifera occurs. Glassworts Salicornia spp. with patches of Sea Purslane Atriplex portulacoides in lower-lying areas of the field. Along the sea wall Lady’s bedstraw Galium verum and Shrubby sea-blite Suaeda vera are frequent. Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna around the field boundary. Threats Biodiversity – Threatened by drying out, lack of traditional management and scrub encroachment. See <3>.