Walthamstow Marshes

Marsh in London, England

Walthamstow MarshesSite of Special Scientific Interest

Boardwalk across an environmental protection area

Location| Greater London
Grid reference| TQ352875
Interest| Biological
Area| 36.7 hectares
Notification| 1985
Location map| Magic Map
Walthamstow Marshes

Walthamstow Marshes, is a 36.7-hectare (91-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Walthamstow in the London Borough of Waltham Forest.[1][2] It was once an area of lammas land – common land used for growing crops and grazing cattle.

## In aviation history

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In 1909, the aero-designer Alliott Verdon Roe made the first all-British powered flight across the marsh in a Roe I Triplane (his earlier Roe I Biplane had been fitted with a French motorcycle engine). He went on to found the Avro Company, with his brother, in Manchester. A blue plaque records his achievement, on the railway arch in which he had his workshop.[citation needed]

## Geography

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The River Lea forms the boundary with the London Borough of Hackney, and the marshes lie within the Lee Valley Park. South of the Walthamstow Marshes lie the Leyton Marshes, and to the north the remains of Tottenham Marshes, parts of which are now the Banbury Reservoir. North of Coppermill Lane, are the linked set of Lockwood Reservoir, High Maynard Reservoir, Low Maynard Reservoir, Walthamstow Reservoirs, East Warwick Reservoir and West Warwick Reservoirs. The 90.7 acres (36.7 ha) area of Walthamstow Marshes south of these escaped both development and use for gravel excavation,[3] remaining a relatively untouched refuge for wildlife, crossed only by the railway lines in 1840 and 1870.

Springfield Marina on Walthamstow Marshes

The marshes are one of the last remaining examples of semi-natural wetland in Greater London. They contain a variety of plant communities typical of a former flood plain location, such as a range of neutral grassland types, sedge marsh, reed swamp, sallow scrub and areas of tall herb vegetation. Associated with this diversity of habitat are several species of plant and insect which are uncommon in the London area.

## Wildlife

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Essex skipper butterfly

The marshes contain several species of insect with a restricted distribution in the London area such as the Essex skipper butterfly Thymelicus lineola, an uncommon Parasite fly Ligeria angusticornis, a pyralid moth Shoeribius micronellus and the sporadic breeding by the nationally endangered marsh warbler.

The breeding bird community contains several species typically associated with marshland habitats such as reed bunting, and reed, sedge and willow warblers. A variety of wintering birds visit the marshes and neighbouring reservoirs while in autumn flocks of finches are to be found feeding on the seeds of the tall herbs.

## Split Leaf

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Northern half of Split Leaf

Split Leaf, a sculpture by Jon Mills, marks the formal entrance to the marshes. The sculpture was made in spring 2003 by Jon Mills in conjunction with pupils from Coppermill Primary School and Mission Grove Primary School, as part of the "Take pART" programme.[4][5] It was intended to form a gateway to the park and to the marshes beyond.[5]

## See also

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* List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Greater London
* Parks and open spaces in Waltham Forest
* Bomb Crater Pond (Walthamstow)
* Hackney Marshes
* Walthamstow Wetlands

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Natural England, Walthamstow Marshes citation" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
2. ^ "Map of Walthamstow Marshes SSSI". Natural England.
3. ^ Walthamstow Marsh – Our Countryside Under Threat
4. ^ "Education – Take pART". Lea Rivers Trust. Archived from the original on 9 October 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
5. ^ a b "Split Leaf". London Borough of Waltham Forest. 2003. `{{cite journal}}`: Cite journal requires `|journal=` (help)

## External links

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* Lee Valley Park
* River Lee – Our River Archived 6 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine

* v
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Parks and open spaces in London

Royal parks|

* Bushy
* Green
* Greenwich
* Hyde
* Kensington
* Regent's
* Richmond
* St James's

Large urban parks|

* Alexandra
* Arnos
* Barking
* Barra Hall
* Battersea
* Beckenham Place Park
* Blackheath
* Brockwell
* Burgess
* Charlton
* Clissold
* Crystal Palace
* Dulwich
* Enfield Town
* Finsbury
* Forster Memorial
* Hampstead Heath
* Hanworth
* Holland
* Mayesbrook
* Mountsfield
* Old Deer
* Parsloes
* Primrose Hill
* Pymmes
* Queen's Park
* Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
* Ravenscourt
* Ruskin
* Southwark
* Valentines
* Victoria
* Wandsworth
* Wanstead
* Waterlow Park
* West Ham
* Wimbledon

Country parks|

* Bayhurst Wood
* Bedfont Lakes
* Belhus Woods
* Eastbrookend
* Fairlop Waters
* Foots Cray
* Fryent
* Hainault Forest
* Havering
* High Elms
* Hornchurch
* Lee Valley
* South Norwood
* Stanmore
* Stockley
* Trent

Commons|

* Barnes
* Blackheath
* Bostall Heath
* Clapham
* Ealing
* East Sheen
* Eel Brook
* Eltham
* Hackney Marshes
* Hainault Forest
* Ham
* Hampstead Heath
* Hayes
* Keston
* Mitcham
* Monken Hadley
* Peckham Rye
* Plumstead
* Stanmore
* Streatham
* Sutton
* Tooting
* Tylers
* Wandsworth
* Wimbledon and Putney
* Winn's
* Woolwich
* Wormwood Scrubs

Village greens|

* Camberwell
* Crooked Billet
* Islington
* Kew
* Newington
* Parsons
* Richmond
* Shepherd's Bush
* Turnham
* Twickenham

Marshes and wetlands|

* Crayford
* Erith
* Hackney
* Hornchurch
* Ickenham
* Ingrebourne
* Leyton
* Rainham, Wennington, and Aveley
* Tottenham
* Walthamstow
* Woodberry Wetlands
* WWT London Wetland Centre

Woodland|

* Bostall
* Braeburn
* Coldfall
* Copse
* Dulwich
* Epping Forest
* Grangewood Park
* Highgate
* Lesnes Abbey
* Mad Bess
* Old Park
* Oxleas
* Park
* Petts
* Queen's
* Repository Woods
* Russia Dock
* Sydenham Hill

House gardens|

* Avenue House
* Belair Park
* Boston Manor Park
* Broomfield House
* Cannizaro Park
* Chiswick House
* Danson Park
* Grovelands Park
* Grove Park
* Gunnersbury Park
* Hall Place
* Hampton Court Park
* Hillingdon Court
* Kenwood House
* Lamorbey Park
* Langtons
* Manor House Gardens
* Marble Hill Park
* Morden Hall Park
* Morden Park
* Osterley Park
* Syon House
* Valence House Museum
* Walpole Park

Entry-fee charging|

* Kew Gardens
* London Wetland Centre

Community gardens|

* Phoenix Garden

* v
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Parks and open spaces by London borough

* Barking and Dagenham
* Barnet
* Bexley
* Brent
* Bromley
* Camden
* Croydon
* Ealing
* Enfield
* Greenwich
* Hackney
* Hammersmith and Fulham
* Haringey
* Harrow
* Havering
* Hillingdon
* Hounslow
* Islington
* Kensington and Chelsea
* Kingston upon Thames
* Lambeth
* Lewisham
* Merton
* Newham
* Redbridge
* Richmond upon Thames
* Southwark
* Sutton
* Tower Hamlets
* Waltham Forest
* Wandsworth
* City of Westminster

* v
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Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Greater London

Biological|

* Barn Elms Wetland Centre
* Bentley Priory
* Brent Reservoir
* Bushy Park
* Chingford Reservoirs
* Crofton Woods
* Croham Hurst
* Denham Lock Wood
* Downe Bank
* Epping Forest
* Farthing Downs
* Frays Farm Meadows
* Hainault Forest
* Hampstead Heath Woods
* Happy Valley
* Hayes Common
* High Elms
* Home Park
* Ingrebourne Marshes
* Inner Thames Marshes
* Kempton Park Reservoirs
* Keston Common
* Mid Colne Valley
* Old Park Wood
* Oxleas Woodlands
* Richmond Park
* Riddlesdown
* Ruislip Woods
* Ruxley Gravel Pits
* Saltbox Hill
* Syon Park
* Walthamstow Marshes
* Walthamstow Reservoirs
* Wimbledon Common

Geological|

* Abbey Wood
* Elmstead Pit
* Gilbert's Pit
* Harefield Pit
* Harrow Weald
* Hornchurch Cutting
* Wansunt Pit

51°34′14″N 0°02′59″W﻿ / ﻿51.570606°N 0.049861°W﻿ / 51.570606; -0.049861
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