Abbotts Hall Farm

Abbotts Hall Farm
Map
TypeNature reserve
LocationGreat Wigborough, Essex
OS gridTL 963 146
Area282 hectares
Managed byEssex Wildlife Trust

Abbotts Hall Farm is a 282 hectare nature reserve in Great Wigborough in Essex. It is the head office of the Essex Wildlife Trust, which manages the site.[1] It is also part of the Blackwater Estuary National Nature Reserve,[2] Site of Special Scientific Interest,[3][4] Ramsar site,[5] Special Protection Area[6] and Special Area of Conservation,[7] It is an important archaeological site,[8] and includes a Scheduled Monument, Great Wigborough henge.[9]

This is a working farm which is managed to encourage wildlife. Seawalls have been breached to create marshland, which has many fish, insects, invertebrates and plants which provide food for migrating birds. A new lake has also been constructed, and fields provide additional habitats for fauna such as skylarks.[1]

There is access to some areas and footpaths across others.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Abbotts Hall Farm". Essex Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  2. ^ "Essex's National Nature Reserves". Natural England. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  3. ^ "Blackwater Estuary citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  4. ^ "Map of Blackwater Estuary". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  5. ^ "Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (RIS): Blackwater Estuary (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 4)" (PDF). Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  6. ^ "Blackwater Estuary (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 4)". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  7. ^ "Essex Estuaries". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  8. ^ "Abbotts Hall Farm: Archaeology" (PDF). Essex Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  9. ^ "Great Wigborough henge". Historic England. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
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51°47′46″N 0°50′42″E / 51.796°N 0.845°E / 51.796; 0.845