Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
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Location | Bagnor, Berkshire |
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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]
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.
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]
The site has the following fauna: [8] [9] [1]
The site has the following flora: [8] [1] [2]
Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
![]() | |
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]
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.
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]
The site has the following fauna: [8] [9] [1]
The site has the following flora: [8] [1] [2]