Rack Marsh
Nature reserve in Berkshire, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
| 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 |
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]
