Editing Halvergate Marshes (section)

==History==
Halvergate Marshes were an [[estuary]] in [[Roman Britain|Roman]] times and remained a tidal creek into the medieval period.<ref name=lca /><ref name=williamson>Williamson.T (1997) ''The Norfolk Broads" a landscape history'', Manchester University Press.</ref> By the time of [[Domesday Book]] the land was already being used for grazing sheep, with Halvergate being recorded as having 960 sheep at the time, a larger amount than any other part of the marshes.<ref name=williamson /> Some evidence of possible salt workings also remains.<ref name=lca /> Around 400 years ago the land was drained and converted to grazing marsh using a series of [[windpump]]s or windmills and drainage ditches. It was used mainly to graze sheep and cattle, although was occasionally farmed as arable land until [[coastal flooding]] in the 1780s.<ref name=williamson />

Arable ploughing in the 1960s and 70s damaged the ditch landscape and ecology and in the 1980s further draining was undertaken.<ref name=lca /><ref name=cook>Cook. H.F & Williamson.T (1999) ''Water Management in the English Landscape: Field, Marsh and Meadow'', Edinburgh University Press.</ref> This led to the loss of wildlife [[habitat (ecology)|habitat]] and in 1981 an area {{convert|1430|ha|acres}} in size was designated as a [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]].<ref name=sssicitation>[http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002542.pdf Halvergate Marshes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225031034/http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002542.pdf |date=2014-02-25 }}, SSSI citation, [[Natural England]]. Retrieved 2014-02-20.</ref> In 1985 the [[Broads Authority]], [[Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food]] and [[Countryside Commission]] developed the Broads Grazing Marsh Conservation Scheme, a series of financial incentives to persuade farmers to adopt more environmentally friendly methods on Halvergate Marshes.<ref name=broadsmarsh>[http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/managing/land/grazing-marsh.html Grazing Marsh] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231074832/http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/managing/land/grazing-marsh.html |date=2013-12-31 }}, [[Broads Authority]]. Retrieved 2014-02-20.</ref><ref name=clarkobit>[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/apr/19/michael-aitken-obituary Aitken Clark obituary], ''[[The Guardian]]'', 2010-04-19. Retrieved 2014-02-20.</ref><ref name=brouwer>Brouwer.F & van der Straaten.J (2002) ''Nature and Agriculture in the European Union: New Perspectives on Policies that Shape the European Countryside'', Edward Elgar Publishing, p.202.</ref> This led to the creation of the UK's first [[Environmentally Sensitive Area]] on Halvergate Marshes in 1987 and was the prototype for ESAs nationally.<ref name=guardian10may04>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/may/10/ruralaffairs Heaven on earth, Wickhampton, Norfolk], ''[[The Guardian]]'', 2004-05-10. Retrieved 2014-02-20.</ref><ref name=broadsesa>[http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/farming/funding/closedschemes/esa/broads.aspx Broads ESA] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225032226/http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/farming/funding/closedschemes/esa/broads.aspx |date=2014-02-25 }}, [[Natural England]]. Retrieved 2014-02-20.</ref>

The marshes are dotted with [[windpump]]s, many without sails or even caps. These structures were used for draining the marshes before the introduction of motor or diesel pumps. Among the best preserved are [[Stracey Arms Windpump|Stracey Arms Mill]] on the River Bure, [[Lockgate Mill]], [[Mutton's Mill]] and the [[Berney Arms Windmill]], a [[Scheduled Ancient Monument]] on the River Yare.