Lincolnshire Marsh facts for kids

The Lincolnshire Marsh is a special area of land in Lincolnshire, England. It's a strip of land found between the Lincolnshire Wolds (which are hills) and the North Sea coast. This area is made up of salt marsh and sand dunes that have been changed by people over time.

The Lincolnshire Marsh can be up to seven kilometres wide. It's recognized as an important natural area by an organization called Natural England.

How the Lincolnshire Marsh Was Formed

The land that makes up the Lincolnshire Marsh has a very interesting history. It was shaped by huge changes in the Earth's climate over thousands of years.

Ancient Seas and Ice Ages

Long, long ago, during a warm period called the Ipswichian interglacial, the sea level was much higher than it is today. Because of this, the sea slowly wore away the edges of the Lincolnshire Wolds. That's why these hills still drop down sharply towards the flat coastal land.

Later, during the Devensian glacial period, a massive sheet of ice covered much of the land. This ice sheet moved right up to the steep slopes of the Wolds. As the ice melted, it left behind lots of rocks, dirt, and other materials. This material is called glacial debris.

Rising Seas and New Land

After the ice age, during a period called the Flandrian, the ice melted completely. This caused the sea level to rise again. As the sea rose, it brought fine mud and clay, which it spread over the land that the glaciers had left behind.

This process created different types of land. You can often find villages built on these different zones. Some villages are right at the bottom of the Wolds. Others are on the edge of the land left by the glaciers. A third group of villages is found in parts of the marsh that people have built walls or barriers around over time to keep the sea out.