Pagham Harbour: Difference between revisions

'''Pagham Harbour''' is a {{convert| 629 |ha|acre|abbr=off |adj=on }} biological and geological [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] on the western outskirts of [[Bognor Regis]] in [[West Sussex]].<ref name=dsv>{{cite web|url=https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1000620&SiteName=&countyCode=46&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Pagham Harbour | series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date = 6 May 2019}}</ref><ref name=map>{{cite web|url=https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271000620%27 |title=Map of Pagham Harbour|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 6 May 2019}}</ref> It is a [[Geological Conservation Review]] site,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=4174&gcr=1851 |title= Pagham Harbour (Coastal Geomorphology of England) |series=Geological Conservation Review |publisher=Joint Nature Conservation Committee|access-date= 6 April 2019}}</ref> a [[Nature Conservation Review]] site,<ref name=dsv/> a [[Ramsar site]],<ref>{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteGeneralDetail.aspx?SiteCode=UK11052&SiteName=&countyCode=46&responsiblePerson=&unitId=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Pagham Harbour | series= Ramsar Site|publisher=Natural England|access-date = 6 April 2019}}</ref> a [[Special Protection Area]]<ref>{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteGeneralDetail.aspx?SiteCode=UK9012041&SiteName=&countyCode=46&responsiblePerson=&unitId=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title= Designated Sites View: Pagham Harbour | series= Special Protection Areas |publisher=Natural England|access-date = 6 April 2019}}</ref> and a [[Marine Conservation Zone]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/4680895541805056?category=1721481|type=PDF|publisher=Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs November 2013|title=Pagham Harbour Marine Conservation Zone|access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref> An area of {{convert|599.1|ha|acre|abbr=off}} is a RSPB [[Local Nature Reserve]].<ref>{{cite web|url=httphttps://www.lnrdesignatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SpecialPDFsForWeb/lnrCitation/lnr_details1000620.asp?C=0&N=pagham&ID=325pdf |title= Pagham Harbour|series=Local Nature Reserves|publisher=Natural England}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=lnrIndex&query=REF_CODE%3D%271009061%27|title=Map of Pagham Harbour|series=Local Nature Reserves|publisher=Natural England}}</ref>

In earlier times Pagham Harbour was a working harbour with three ports. One port was situated at the western end, of the harbour near Sidlesham Mill{{efn|A [[tidemill]] was built in 1755 by Woodruffe Drinkwater of Chichester. It had three water-wheels, and eight pair of stones, capable of grinding a load of corn in an hour. After the attempt to drain the harbour in c. 1873, the mill was removed in 1876.<ref name=salz210>{{Cite book|last=Salzman|first=L.F.|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41747&strquery=wardur|title= Sidlesham|series=A History of the County of Sussex|volume=4|year=1953|pages=210-215210–215|access-date=27 November 2019}}</ref>}}, and was known as Wardur. The port of Charlton was at the entrance to the harbour and the third was on the [[Pagham]] side of the harbour and was known as the Port of Wythering (Wyderinges).<ref>{{cite book|last=Salzman|first= L.F.|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41664&strquery=pagham|title=The City of Chichester: The port|series=A History of the County of Sussex|volume =3 |year=1935|pages=100–102|access-date=27 November 2019}}.</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Salzman|first=L.F.|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41746&strquery=selsey|title= Selsey|series=A History of the County of Sussex|volume=4|year=1953|pages=205–210|access-date=27 November 2019}}</ref>

The port of Wardur was part of 'New Haven' a development in the Middle Ages.<ref name=salz210/> The Port of Wythering was overrun by the sea in the 13th century and the whole harbour eventually silted up and ceased to be navigable, except for small craft.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Salzman|first=L.F.|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41753&strquery=pagham_harbour|title= Pagham|series=A History of the County of Sussex|volume=4|year=1953|pages=227-333227–333|access-date=27 November 2019}}</ref>

An attempt was made to drain the harbour for farming in c. 1873 with an embankment constructed across the edge of the lagoon to hold back the sea; this failed during a storm in December 1910 and was not reconstructed.<ref name="Prater2010">{{cite book|author=A.J Prater|title=Estuary Birds of Britain and Ireland|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yxsxe_ZEpY4C&pg=PA192-IA3|date=30 November 2010|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=978-1-4081-3847-2|page=192}}</ref><ref name="Sedimentary response of Pagham Harbour, southern England to barrier breaching in AD 1910">{{cite journal|last1=Cundy|first1=A.B.|last2=Long|first2=A.J.|last3=Hill|first3=C.T.|last4=Spencer|first4=C.|last5=Croudace|first5=I.W.|title=Sedimentary response of Pagham Harbour, southern England to barrier breaching in AD 1910|journal=Geomorphology|date=August 2002|volume=46|issue=3-43–4|pages=163–176|doi=10.1016/S0169-555X(02)00060-0|bibcode=2002Geomo..46..163C |url=http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/8948/}}</ref><ref name="Changes of Pagham Harbour" />

Pagham Harbour today, is one of the few undeveloped stretches of the Sussex coast. It has a sheltered inlet. The harbour is designated as a nature reserve and is an internationally important wetland site for wildlife. It is {{convert|629|ha|acres}} in size.<ref name=dsv /> The Reserve is made up of saltmarsh and tidal mudflats with shingle, open water, reed swamp and wet permanent grassland habitats.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pagham Hrbour|publisher=West Sussex CC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111103052525/http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/leisure/explore_west_sussex/wildlife_and_landscape/coastal_plain/pagham_harbour_local_nature.aspx|url=http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/leisure/explore_west_sussex/wildlife_and_landscape/coastal_plain/pagham_harbour_local_nature.aspx|access-date=16 November 2021|archive-date=7 March 2011}}</ref>

*[http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-2044-theme=default Special Protection Area designation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070523011131/http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-2044-theme=default |date=23 May 2007 }}