Marsh Farm CP

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This country park is centred on Marsh Farm, which is operated by Essex County Council on a semi-commercial basis. Both the farm itself, which raises cattle, sheep and other animals, and the surrounding grazing marsh are open to the public, with a small charge for entry to the farm. A number of themed walks have been laid out.

The grazing marsh has a long history going back to when the first seawall was built in the 18th century. The land was purchased originally to build the new town, but it was decided that land below the 5-metre contour was not suitable for building because of the risk of flooding, and for that reason it became a country park. Part of the seawall surrounding Marsh Farm was in fact breached during the 'Great Flood' of 1953 and the remains are still visible from the new wall built further back.

At the eastern end of the park is a nature reserve consisting of rough grassland, saltmarsh and a scrape – a shallow water lagoon. Hares are often about in the grassland and reed buntings nest along the dykes. The scrape attracts many wildfowl in winter and at migration periods, and especially wigeon and teal.

Shelduck, dunlin and redshank feed in Clementsgreen Creek when the mud is exposed. In winter brent geese graze the fields west of the entrance and you may see flocks of snow buntings along the seawall. The wetland area extending north is good for dragonflies in summer.