Steeple Marsh (EHER 48448)

An area of heavily ‘improved’ grassland located next to Steeple Creek on the southern bank of the Blackwater estuary. A sea wall survives on the eastern and northern edge of the area. The site is subdivided by a straight drainage ditch. There are no known archaeological remains from this site.

2014. Historic Grazing Marsh Project. Historic environment character: The marsh does not appear to have been reclaimed by the time of the Chapman and Andre map of 1777 <1>. It is however enclosed by the time of the 1st edition OS map <2>, the sea-wall relating to this survives, although has been altered. The site has been heavily improved, and it was under arable on the 2000 photographs. A single straight drain cuts across area. The 1st edition OS map shows extensive unenclosed saltings in Steeple Creek, these largely survive. The aerial photographic evidence suggests that there was an attempt to enclose a further portion of the saltings at some point after 1881, traces of a seawall and below-ground drainage are visible on the photographs. The attempt must have been short-lived however as it appears on none of the historic maps. There are no known archaeological deposits from the area. Character of vegetation: Heavily improved. Dominated by bent grasses Agrostis spp., Fescues Festuca spp. and Perennial Rye-grass Lolium perenne. Threats: Biodiversity – Grazing marsh vegetation already lost. Threatened by Managed Realignment proposed for 2055. See <3>.