The marshes with a sinister past (Chetney, Kent)

Chetney is a peninsula situated at the eastern end of the Medway Estuary & is separated from the Isle of Sheppey by the Swale. It is a low marshy area which is largely given over to rough grazing for ponies & cattle. Intersected by dykes, with several fresh water pools in its southern half & bordered by extensive estuarine mud flats, it is extremely attractive to  birds, particularly wildfowl & waders. These along with a large rabbit population attract several species of raptor. Chetney is a particularly good place to spot peregrine, kestrel, merlin, buzzard, rough-legged buzzard, marsh harrier, hen harrier, barn owl & short-eared owl.

Bedlam's Bottom with its old abandoned barges is an area of extensive mudflats situated on Chetney's western flank. Many birds congregate here to feed at low tide. Avocet, black-tailed godwit, knot, dunlin, redshank, turnstone, curlew & grey plover can be seen here regularly in good numbers.

Several of these fresh water pools are found in the southern half of Chetney. Wildfowl congregate here to drink & preen, particulary at high tide. Species include pintail, wigeon, teal, tufted duck, pochard, mallard , brent goose, greylag goose, shelduck & mute swan.

Ponies visit the pools to drink.

Marsh frogs abound in these dykes & they in turn attract many grass snakes.

The many rabbit warrens attract raptors, particularly buzzards & marsh harriers.

The northern part of Chetney has no public footpaths so is not accessible to the general public. Large flocks of lapwings,golden plovers, brent geese & mute swans congregate here.  The Thames port container terminal located on the Isle of Grain can be seen in the distance.

The pen below contains young partridges awaiting release onto the marshes. Chetney is managed as a private shoot & during the winter months shooting parties are often seen here. Although I don't agree with shooting as a sport , I have to admit that the way Chetney is managed does benefit much of the wildlife. The area is closely monitored & rogue shooters, people straying off the public footpaths & dog walkers who allow their pets off the lead to harass birds are quickly identified & admonished. Any foxes straying into the area are shot. All of this greatly benefits ground nesting birds , particularly lapwings & redshanks.

One of the several notices displayed around the area.

Chetney Hill is a low grassy island of 29 acres just separated from the west coast of the Chetney peninsula by a narrow tidal channel. There is a short stone causeway linking the two. During the early 19thC it was the chosen site for the construction of a 'lazaret' or isolation  hospital where people suffering from contagious diseases could be housed. Previously, ships moored in nearby creeks had been used for this purpose. Work started on the construction of the lazaret in 1801 but the marshy ground was found to be totally unsuitable for building & the project was abandoned less than 10 years later resulting in a loss of ~£200,000.

Looking west down the narrow tidal channel that separates mainland Chetney from Chetney Hill. Stangate Creek which was one of the main areas where isolation ships were moored goes off to the right. It is a good place to spot different grebe species during the winter months.

Deadman's Island lies off the northern tip of Chetney & is an important nesting site for  birds, including waders, terns, & gulls. However, the area has quite a sinister past. 200 years ago, it was used as a burial ground for the remains of men & boys who had died of contagious diseases whilst aboard floating prison hulks moored off the Isle of Sheppey. Coastal erosion is now leading to parts of the convicts' skeletons being exposed along the shoreline.

Also, a tragic event occurred here in 1290 when a sea captain abandoned his jewish passengers on a mud bank near Deadman's Island & left them to drown in the waters of the incoming tide. This happened during a time when the king had ordered the mass deportation of jews from England.