Background

The land at Marsh Farm Country Park has seen many developments over time. Iron Age settlers were attracted here by a river, rich for fishing, hunting and salt.

In Roman times Marsh Farm had several "Red Hills". It is believed that these areas were where saltwater was evaporated by the sun or by using very hot stones, which left a red earth deposit. The sea salt left behind was a highly valued commodity. Trading boomed and by the 15th century a wooden bridge had been built across to Hullbridge, only to be destroyed in the Civil War around 1645.

The River Crouch was an important transport route four hundred years ago, when the Essex clay soil roads were impossible to negotiate.

Over 300 years ago the marshes were drained and a sea wall was built by the Dutch, transforming tidal creeks into the grazing marshes you can see today.

We know that there was once far more woodland in the Country Park than there is now because the town's name was spelt "Wudeham" in the Doomsday Book, which is Anglo Saxon for "house in the wood".