Rack Marsh

51°25′13″N 1°21′04″W / 51.4202°N 1.3511°W / 51.4202; -1.3511InterestBiologicalArea4 hectares (9.9 acres)Notification1996Location mapDEFRA

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.

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. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Rack Marsh". Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
2. ^ ^{a b} "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. ^ ^{a b} "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.