Rack Marsh

Rack Marsh (Kennet and Lambourn Floodplain)

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
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

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.

Aerial view of Rack Marsh, Bagnor, as seen in winter.

History

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

The site has the following fauna:[8][9][1]

Invertebrates

• Desmoulin's whorl snail

Birds

• Common chiffchaff
• Grey heron
• Common kingfisher
• Eurasian reed warbler
• Sedge warbler
• Common whitethroat
• Barn owl

Flora

The site has the following flora:[8][1][2]

Plants

• 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

1. "Rack Marsh". Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
2. "Kennet and Lambourn Floodplain citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
3. "Map of Kennet and Lambourn Floodplain". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
4. "Designated Sites View: Kennet & Lambourn Floodplain". Special Areas of Conservation. Natural England. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
5. "The History and Antiquities of Newbury and Its Environs: Including Twenty ... - Google Books". 1839. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
6. Matt Weaver and agencies. "End of the road for protected snail | Environment". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
7. "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.
8. "THE WALKER'S GUIDE : DONNINGTON, SNELSMORE & BAGNOR" (PDF). North Wessex Downs. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
9. "Rack Marsh gets an Owl Box | the Natureheads blog". Natureheads.wordpress.com. 5 October 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2017.