Rack Marsh
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 | |
  Location within Berkshire | |
| Location | Bagnor, Berkshire |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | Grid reference SU322798 |
| Coordinates | 51°25′13″N 1°21′04″W / 51.4202°N 1.3511°W |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 4 hectares (9.9 acres) |
| Notification | 1996 |
| Location map | DEFRA |
Rack Marsh is a 4-hectare (9.9-acre) nature reserve in Bagnor, on the north-western outskirts of Newbury in Berkshire. It is managed by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.[1] It is part of Kennet and Lambourn Floodplain, which is a Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest,[2][3] and a Nature Conservation Review site.[1] It is also part of the Kennet and Lambourn Floodplain Special Area of Conservation.[4]
Geography and site[edit]
Rack Marsh is an old wet meadow.[1] A thick layer of peat has developed on top of the deposits of alluvium and gravel which the river has spread over the chalk.[1] The river Lambourn flows through the meadow.
History[edit]
There is evidence of prehistoric activity in the area: a prehistoric canoe was discovered in the layer of peat by some labourers who were digging a ditch to form a boundary of a garden.[5]
In 1996 the discovery of the rare Desmoulin's whorl snail on the reserve meant that the Newbury bypass was almost stopped, but the high court ruled in the developers' favour.[6] The decision to continue with the construction of the road meant that the nature reserve was cut in size, losing half its area.[7]
Fauna[edit]
The site has the following fauna:[8][9][1]
Invertebrates[edit]
Birds[edit]
- Common chiffchaff
- Grey heron
- Common kingfisher
- Eurasian reed warbler
- Sedge warbler
- Common whitethroat
- Barn owl
Flora[edit]
The site has the following flora:[8][1][2]
Plants[edit]
- Filipendula ulmaria
- Trifolium pratense
- Lychnis flos-cuculi
- Caltha palustris
- Scutellaria galericulata
- Geum rivale
- Scrophularia auriculata
- Myosotis scorpioides
- Mentha aquatica
- Angelica sylvestris
- Triglochin palustris
- Dactylorhiza praetermissa
- Marsh valerian
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f "Rack Marsh". Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- ^ a b "Kennet and Lambourn Floodplain citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- ^ "Map of Kennet and Lambourn Floodplain". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- ^ "Designated Sites View: Kennet & Lambourn Floodplain". Special Areas of Conservation. Natural England. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
- ^ "The History and Antiquities of Newbury and Its Environs: Including Twenty ... - Google Books". 1839. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
- ^ Matt Weaver and agencies. "End of the road for protected snail | Environment". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
- ^ "The Newbury bypass 20 years on: A road to environmental ruin or recovery? | Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust". Bbowt.org.uk. 1 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
- ^ a b "THE WALKER'S GUIDE : DONNINGTON, SNELSMORE & BAGNOR" (PDF). North Wessex Downs. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
- ^ "Rack Marsh gets an Owl Box | the Natureheads blog". Natureheads.wordpress.com. 5 October 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2017.