Orford Ness Nature Reserve Board IMG_20240604_102105
In the medieval period, salt marsh built up behind the shingle spit as it formed, and eventually local people used these areas for grazing. Lighthouses were needed to make the area safer for coastal shipping. At some time walls were built around the marshes to control and eventually exclude the tidal river water. The area played its part in conflicts with the Dutch and the French as Britain became an Imperial power. A large part of Orford Ness was purchased by the War Department in 1913, with the whole of the site acquired soon after. From 1913 Orford Ness was used as a military test site and closely guarded to prevent public access. Top secret experiments were conducted across both World Wars and into the nuclear age.
Between August 1913 and 1916, the southern half of King's Marsh was drained and levelled to form airfields to the left and right of the road. The site was ready to receive its first aircraft in 1915. This was perhaps the most significant turning point in the history of the Ness, being the start of 70 years of intense military experimentation. This left a variety of physical traces, and the place acquired 'the mystique of secrecy'. In 1924 Orford Ness was reopened as a satellite of the Aeroplane and Armaments Experimental Establishment at nearby Martlesham. In the 1930s areas of research included naval & aircraft navigation systems, the aerodynamics and accurate aiming of aircraft bombing, and aerial tracking and advance monitoring of aerial attacking forces which became RADAR.
Between 1938 and 1959, a majority of the firing trials were concentrated in the northern airfield, part of which is now reedbed. The firing trials were to determine the vulnerability of aircraft and aircraft components to attack by various projectiles. Whole aircraft or individual parts were subjected to carefully controlled and recorded simulations of attack. During the 1950s the King's Marsh was used as an experimental range for recording the flight paths of air-launched rockets.
Between 1953 and 1966 six large test cells and most of the other buildings were built to carry out environmental tests on the atomic bomb. These tests were designed to mimic the rigours to which a weapon might be subjected before detonation, and included vibration, extremes of temperature, shocks and G forces. Huge labs were built to contain conventional explosive forces in case of accidents in the initiator systems (no nuclear material was involved). In 1968 work started on the top-secret Anglo-American System 'over-the-horizon' (OTH) backscatter radar project, code-name 'Cobra Mist'. In early 1973, a joint US/UK decision was made to terminate operations at Orford Ness, based on economic and 'other considerations'.
From the 1970s the Ness was home to RAF Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD). Large quantities of munitions were destroyed on the Ness, an often noisy process. The last service personnel to be based on site left in 1987, opening the way for vandals and the foolhardy curious. However, the Ness remained officially closed to the public, with the occasional trial on new equipment conducted as the need arose.
In 1993 the Ministry of Defence sold Orford Ness to the National Trust. By then, the importance of the landscape of the spit and the wildlife it supported were becoming apparent, in particular the internationally rare and extremely fragile coastal vegetated shingle. The site required careful decommissioning, removal of live explosives and dangerous materials & structures but eventually a compromise was reached between 'cleansing' the site and cost. Public access is necessarily restricted to safe areas and to safeguard the needs of the landscape & wildlife ecosystems being established.
The Trust now carefully protects its natural and historic features, but the re-wilding of the site takes priority over the military buildings, which are left to decay with a few exceptions to house exhibition material. The National Trust is in partnership with the RSPB at Havergate Island and is supported by the EU LIFE + Nature & Biodiversity programme. The Nature Reserves are part of the Natura 2000 network of top priority European conservation sites.
The shingle spit is one of the largest and finest examples of vegetated shingle in the world and a refuge for wildlife year round. The raer and fragile ridge & swale structure and plant communities including sea pea and lichens are easily damaged by trampling. Ground-nesting species like the little tern are vulnerable to disturbance. NT has to work with local communities and visitors to maintain a fragile balance between access to this inspiring place and the essential conservation of habitats and wildlife.
Managing and optimising water levels when weather patterns have become increasingly unpredictable with climate change is challenging. NT has established an improved system of pools, ditches, water controls, pumps & sluices to keep levels correct and retain moisture in the correct locations throughout the seasons. This will help to combat changing climactic conditions and support better environments for key bird species such as avocet, redshank, godwit and spoonbill. Monitoring population levels is important to confirm that the new wetland systems and interventions are performing well and as expected.
Within the grazing marshes on Orford Ness NT has created 3ha of new lagoons, restored another 3ha of lagoons and created 2.5km of new ditches to connect these together. These are blending in well and along with the grassland, which is managed by sheep grazing and cutting for hay, and are providing a rich mosaic of habitats for wildlife.
Orford Ness Nature Reserve Board IMG_20240604_102105
In the medieval period, salt marsh built up behind the shingle spit as it formed, and eventually local people used these areas for grazing. Lighthouses were needed to make the area safer for coastal shipping. At some time walls were built around the marshes to control and eventually exclude the tidal river water. The area played its part in conflicts with the Dutch and the French as Britain became an Imperial power. A large part of Orford Ness was purchased by the War Department in 1913, with the whole of the site acquired soon after. From 1913 Orford Ness was used as a military test site and closely guarded to prevent public access. Top secret experiments were conducted across both World Wars and into the nuclear age.
Between August 1913 and 1916, the southern half of King's Marsh was drained and levelled to form airfields to the left and right of the road. The site was ready to receive its first aircraft in 1915. This was perhaps the most significant turning point in the history of the Ness, being the start of 70 years of intense military experimentation. This left a variety of physical traces, and the place acquired 'the mystique of secrecy'. In 1924 Orford Ness was reopened as a satellite of the Aeroplane and Armaments Experimental Establishment at nearby Martlesham. In the 1930s areas of research included naval & aircraft navigation systems, the aerodynamics and accurate aiming of aircraft bombing, and aerial tracking and advance monitoring of aerial attacking forces which became RADAR.
Between 1938 and 1959, a majority of the firing trials were concentrated in the northern airfield, part of which is now reedbed. The firing trials were to determine the vulnerability of aircraft and aircraft components to attack by various projectiles. Whole aircraft or individual parts were subjected to carefully controlled and recorded simulations of attack. During the 1950s the King's Marsh was used as an experimental range for recording the flight paths of air-launched rockets.
Between 1953 and 1966 six large test cells and most of the other buildings were built to carry out environmental tests on the atomic bomb. These tests were designed to mimic the rigours to which a weapon might be subjected before detonation, and included vibration, extremes of temperature, shocks and G forces. Huge labs were built to contain conventional explosive forces in case of accidents in the initiator systems (no nuclear material was involved). In 1968 work started on the top-secret Anglo-American System 'over-the-horizon' (OTH) backscatter radar project, code-name 'Cobra Mist'. In early 1973, a joint US/UK decision was made to terminate operations at Orford Ness, based on economic and 'other considerations'.
From the 1970s the Ness was home to RAF Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD). Large quantities of munitions were destroyed on the Ness, an often noisy process. The last service personnel to be based on site left in 1987, opening the way for vandals and the foolhardy curious. However, the Ness remained officially closed to the public, with the occasional trial on new equipment conducted as the need arose.
In 1993 the Ministry of Defence sold Orford Ness to the National Trust. By then, the importance of the landscape of the spit and the wildlife it supported were becoming apparent, in particular the internationally rare and extremely fragile coastal vegetated shingle. The site required careful decommissioning, removal of live explosives and dangerous materials & structures but eventually a compromise was reached between 'cleansing' the site and cost. Public access is necessarily restricted to safe areas and to safeguard the needs of the landscape & wildlife ecosystems being established.
The Trust now carefully protects its natural and historic features, but the re-wilding of the site takes priority over the military buildings, which are left to decay with a few exceptions to house exhibition material. The National Trust is in partnership with the RSPB at Havergate Island and is supported by the EU LIFE + Nature & Biodiversity programme. The Nature Reserves are part of the Natura 2000 network of top priority European conservation sites.
The shingle spit is one of the largest and finest examples of vegetated shingle in the world and a refuge for wildlife year round. The raer and fragile ridge & swale structure and plant communities including sea pea and lichens are easily damaged by trampling. Ground-nesting species like the little tern are vulnerable to disturbance. NT has to work with local communities and visitors to maintain a fragile balance between access to this inspiring place and the essential conservation of habitats and wildlife.
Managing and optimising water levels when weather patterns have become increasingly unpredictable with climate change is challenging. NT has established an improved system of pools, ditches, water controls, pumps & sluices to keep levels correct and retain moisture in the correct locations throughout the seasons. This will help to combat changing climactic conditions and support better environments for key bird species such as avocet, redshank, godwit and spoonbill. Monitoring population levels is important to confirm that the new wetland systems and interventions are performing well and as expected.
Within the grazing marshes on Orford Ness NT has created 3ha of new lagoons, restored another 3ha of lagoons and created 2.5km of new ditches to connect these together. These are blending in well and along with the grassland, which is managed by sheep grazing and cutting for hay, and are providing a rich mosaic of habitats for wildlife.