Steeple Marsh (EHER 48450)

An area of highly improved grazing marsh on the southern bank of the Blackwater estuary. The sea wall survives at the northern side. A single sinuous drain runs behind the sea wall. No archaeological features are recorded.

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>. A single sinuous drain runs behind the sea wall. The marsh is now subdivided by a thick hedge with the western end being used as a recreation ground and campsite by Steeple Bay Caravan Park. There are extensive parks of below-ground drainage systems on the aerial photographs. The marsh was linked by a short track to Canney Farm to the west, now subsumed in the Caravan Park. No archaeological features have been recorded from the area, there is however an extant, roughly oval, duck decoy pond (EHER 12171) in the other half of the recreation ground to the west. Character of vegetation Dominated by Bent grasses Agrostis spp. And Meadow grasses Poa spp., with frequent Clovers Trifolium spp. And Narrow-leaved Bird’s-foot trefoil Lotus tenuis. Blackthorn scrub along ditch bank. Threats Threatened by drying out, scrub encroachment and lack of traditional management. Threatened by Managed Realignment proposed for 2055. See <3>.