Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses National Nature Reserve facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses NNR
Part of Whixall Moss
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Location	English/Welsh border near Whixall, Shropshire and Bettisfield, Wrexham
OS grid	SJ489361
Area	2,388 acres (9.66 km2)
Created	1953 (SSSI)

The Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses National Nature Reserve is a special place where England and Wales meet. It is located near Whixall and Ellesmere in Shropshire, England, and Bettisfield in Wrexham County Borough, Wales. This reserve is made up of three main peat bogs: Bettisfield Moss, Fenn's Moss, and Whixall Moss.

Together with Wem Moss and Cadney Moss, these areas form one of Britain's largest lowland raised bogs. They cover about 2,388 acres (966 hectares). This whole area is very important for plants and wildlife. It is known as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention since 1997. It is also a European Special Area of Conservation.

These mosses are a type of bog called an ombrotrophic raised bog. This means they only get water from rainfall, not from rivers or groundwater. Peat forms here when dead plants, especially a moss called Sphagnum, slowly break down without much oxygen. This creates thick layers of peat, sometimes up to 26 feet (8 meters) deep. In the past, people dug up a lot of this peat for fuel or gardening. This digging changed the natural shape of the bogs, which used to be like domes, higher in the middle.

Over hundreds of years, people have used these mosses. In the early 1700s, agreements were made to divide up the land. Later, in 1775 and 1823, laws were passed to remove common rights. This allowed landowners to use the mosses for business, especially for digging peat.

In the 1800s, canals and railways were built across the mosses. Engineers had to be very clever to build on the soft, boggy ground. The Llangollen Canal (then called the Ellesmere Canal) was built across Whixall Moss. A special team of workers, called the Whixall Moss Gang, worked for over 150 years to keep the canal banks stable. Railways also crossed the mosses, using special methods to float the tracks on the peat.

Commercial peat cutting started in 1851. Companies used small tramways with horses and later locomotives to move the peat. By the 1960s, most of the peat was sold to stores like Woolworths for gardening. However, in 1990, the Nature Conservancy Council bought the leases. This stopped all large-scale peat digging. Since then, organisations like Natural England and Natural Resources Wales have been working to restore the mosses. They block drains and remove unwanted plants to help the bog return to its natural, wet state. Today, there are walking trails for visitors to explore this unique nature reserve.

Exploring the Mosses: Geography and Formation

The Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses stretch across the border between England and Wales. Fenn's Moss is in Wales, while Whixall Moss is in England. They are separated by a ditch called the Border Drain. The Llangollen Canal runs along the southern edge of these mosses. Bettisfield Moss is south of the canal, partly in both countries.

What Makes the Mosses Special?

These mosses are part of a larger area that was named a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1953. This means they are very important for their wildlife and geology. The whole SSSI covers about 2,388 acres (966 square kilometers). It is the third-largest lowland raised bog in Britain. Bettisfield Moss has some of the biggest areas of peat that have never been cut.

Two other mosses, Wem Moss and Cadney Moss, are also part of this area. Wem Moss is a good example of a natural, untouched raised bog. Cadney Moss has mostly been used for farming and growing trees.

How the Mosses Were Formed

The ground under Whixall Moss and Bettisfield Moss is made of fine red silt and sand. This layer does not let water pass through easily. After the last ice age, the area was covered with thick layers of sand, gravel, and clay. This created the hilly landscape we see today. The lower, bowl-shaped areas filled with peat, forming the mosses. Deeper areas became lakes, called meres.

The depth of the peat varies a lot. In some parts of Bettisfield and Fenn's Moss, the peat is over 26 feet (8 meters) deep. In areas where peat was dug commercially, it might only be about 10 feet (3 meters deep).

Understanding Ombrotrophic Bogs

The mosses are called ombrotrophic raised bogs because they only get water from rain. These bogs form in flat areas with a lot of rainfall. In their natural state, they form domes of peat that can be up to 33 feet (10 meters) higher than the surrounding land. The surface is covered with living plants, especially Sphagnum moss. Below this, old plant remains are preserved without oxygen, turning into peat. When people drained the mosses for peat digging, the water levels dropped. This slowed down the natural peat formation.

Rivers and Canals Around the Mosses

Fenn's Moss is where the Wych Brook begins. This stream flows north and joins the River Dee. The River Roden also starts near Bettisfield and flows south. The Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal also starts near Whixall Moss. This branch was never finished, but part of it is now the Prees Branch Canal Nature Reserve.

Human History on the Mosses

People have lived and worked on the mosses for thousands of years. We know this from old things found there.

Ancient Discoveries: Bog Bodies

Archaeologists have found three bog bodies here. These are human remains preserved in the peat. The first was found around 1867. It was a young man from the Iron Age or Roman-British period. He was wearing a leather apron. Another woman's body from the same time was found in 1877. In 1889, an even older man from the Early Bronze Age was found. The acidic water and lack of oxygen in the bog preserved their skin and hair. Sadly, their bones dissolved. All three were re-buried in local churchyards.

In 1927, a Middle Bronze-Age bronze axe, called a palstave, was found. It is now on display at the Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery.

Peat Cutting Through Time

We do not have written records of peat cutting before 1572. But later, people were given the right to cut peat for burning by the Lord of the Manor. If someone cut peat without permission, they were fined. These fines were small at first. By 1702, peat cutting was more controlled. Fines became much higher for cutting peat without a license or in someone else's area.

Dividing the Land: Enclosure Acts

In the early 1700s, landowners wanted more control over the mosses. In Whixall, an agreement was signed in 1704 to divide up 600 acres of common land. This land was dry enough for farming. The boggy parts were kept as common land for cutting peat. This plan faced opposition, but a court order in 1710 helped it move forward.

Later, in 1775 and 1823, laws called Acts of Parliament were passed. These laws allowed landowners to take away the common rights of local people. This was common in England at the time. These acts divided the mosses into strips of land for peat cutting. This paved the way for large-scale peat extraction later on.

The effects of these divisions can still be seen today. The pattern of fields, the network of drains, and the roads around the mosses show how the land was divided.

Building Transport Links Across the Mosses

In 1797, the Ellesmere Canal company decided to build a canal straight across the peat. This was a big challenge for engineers like William Jessop and Thomas Telford. They dug drainage ditches to lower the water level. Then, they built a special raft for the canal to float on. A team of workers, the Whixall Moss Gang, worked from 1804 until the 1960s. They continuously added clay to the canal banks to keep them stable. In the 1960s, steel supports were used to fix the problem.

When railways arrived, they also had to decide how to cross the moss. The Oswestry, Ellesmere and Whitchurch Railway planned to cross Fenn's Moss. Other railway companies thought it was impossible. After a big debate, the railway started building in 1861. They dug drains to dry the peat. Then, they put layers of heather, wooden bundles, and sand on top. This allowed the railway to float on the peat. Trains ran safely from 1862 until the 1960s.

The Era of Peat Extraction

Commercial peat cutting began in 1851. Several companies came and went over the years. They built works to process the peat. Small 2-foot gauge tramways were used to move peat wagons, first with horses, then with locomotives. The first engine was bought in 1919. Later, in the 1960s, more modern machines were introduced.

By the mid-1960s, all the peat was sold to Woolworths for gardening. In 1989, the rent for the land increased a lot. A new company, Croxden Horticultural Products, took over. They planned to dig much more peat. However, people were becoming more concerned about using peat. In December 1990, the Nature Conservancy Council bought the leases. This finally ended commercial peat cutting on the mosses. For many workers, this was a sad moment, as working on the mosses was their way of life.

Locomotives Used on the Mosses

Here are some of the locomotives that worked on the peat tramways:

The tramways were 2 feet wide. Wagons were made locally and could carry peat bales or blocks. The main tracks were fixed to wooden sleepers. Temporary lines were added to move dried peat. The railway stopped being used in 1970. After that, tractors with trailers moved the peat.

Bringing the Mosses Back to Life: Regeneration

Since 1953, Fenn's and Whixall Mosses have been a Site of Special Scientific Interest. In December 1990, the Nature Conservancy Council bought the land and leases. This stopped all large-scale peat cutting. Local groups, especially the Shropshire and North Wales Wildlife Trusts, had worked hard to stop the digging.

Restoration Efforts and Challenges

English Nature (now Natural England) hired some of the former peat workers. Their knowledge of the drains and how to work on the soft land was very helpful. They also bought machinery from the peat companies. The mosses have areas that were never cut, areas cut by hand, and areas cut commercially. Each area has different problems. Because of the old drainage, unwanted trees and scrub, like pine and birch, grew in many places.

In 1993, a plan was made to restore the mosses. The main goal was to bring them back to being a raised bog. Workers cleared birch scrub and used it to block drains. This helped to raise the water levels. By mid-1995, dams were built across all the drains to keep water on the mosses. Pine trees were chipped, and birch was burned on metal plates. The ash was removed to keep the peat clean.

The British Waterways (now Canal and River Trust) also helped. They put deep supports along the Llangollen Canal in the early 1990s. This stopped water from leaking from the canal into the moss. A spring on Fenn's Moss that had too many nutrients was also dammed. These efforts have been very successful. The mosses are getting wetter, and bog plants are growing back.

In 1990, parts of Bettisfield Moss were sold to Natural England and Natural Resources Wales. In 1998, Natural England bought more land there. Much of this area was covered in pine trees. In 2001, the pine forest was cleared. Some oak and birch trees were kept around the edges. Ditches were dammed to help marsh plants grow. These include purple marsh thistle, yellow great bird's-foot trefoil, and cranberry.

Why the Mosses are Important: Wildlife and Plants

The mosses are a very important habitat. They are a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve. They are also part of the Midland Meres and Mosses Ramsar site. This means they are recognised as internationally important wetlands. Some of the restoration work has been funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The mosses are also a European Special Area of Conservation.

The mosses are home to many special plants and animals. They have three types of Sphagnum moss. All three British types of sundew (carnivorous plants) grow here. You can also find cranberry, bog asphodel, royal fern, and bog-rosemary. A rare moss called Dicranum affine also lives here.

The mosses are home to over 1,700 types of invertebrates (animals without backbones). Twenty-nine of these are rare in Britain. As the mosses get wetter, more curlews and mallards are nesting there. In winter, you can see teal and shoveler. More small birds mean more peregrine falcons, which hunt them. Raft spiders live near the peat pools. Twenty-eight types of dragonfly have been seen on the mosses.

In 2016, Natural England received £5 million for more restoration work. This money will help buy more peatland and raise water levels over 1,480 acres (600 hectares). They will use new methods like contour bunding to do this. There are also plans to restore other habitats around the mosses. These include swamp, fen, and wet woodlands. This will help birds like the willow tit and marsh tit. It will also encourage rare bog plants and micro-moths. The money will also help clean up an old scrapyard on Whixall Moss.

Since 2001, walking trails have been created. These trails allow visitors to explore parts of Fenn's and Whixall Mosses.

Animals and Plants You Might See

The nature reserve is home to many animals, including:

• Kingfishers
• mute swans
• watervoles
• Many types of damselfly and dragonfly, like the white-faced darter
• Various species of duck
• The rare bird of prey the hobby

Plants you might find include:

• Cotton sedge
• bog moss (Sphagnum)
• great hairy willowherb
• bog myrtle
• water figwort
• Flag iris
• cross-leaved heath
• bog rosemary
• cranberry
• sundew

In the wooded areas around the edges, you will see:

• Common alder trees
• alder buckthorn
• grey sallow
• crack willow
• Some scotch pine trees that were introduced.

Images for kids

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  Llangollen Canal, passing though the Nature Reserve

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  Layout of tramways around Old Shed Yard Works in 1912. Those to the west brought peat from the mosses for processing, and processed peat was taken to Fenn's Bank station on the tracks heading north.