1: GENERAL
INFORMATION
1.1: Maps
OS Sheets 1:50 000 - 122
1:10
000 - TF 55 NE, NW; TF 56 SE
1:25
000 - TF 45/55
1:75
000 - 108
Historical slide collection kept at Sykes’
Farm - Armstrong’s Map 1786-88 (1A); 1st
Edition of 1824 OS Map (4); 1905 1:2500 Map showing Sykes’ Farm (11)
1.2: Locality
Gibraltar Point NNR comprises a three
mile section of coast, stretching south from
Skegness into the Wash.
Whilst the SSSI commences at South Parade
TF 570624, the NNR northern boundary is
demarcated by a line of posts seaward from Seafront Esplanade at TF 566610. The
NNR is bounded by Seacroft Golf Course to the West and the Gibraltar Road. Further
inland, the landscape is predominantly arable, although the Trust is embarking on a
coastal habitat restoration scheme on Croftmarsh which falls outside the NNR boundary.
This is bordered by the Cowbank Drain along the western edge. The southern
boundary of the NNR is the River Steeping Haven.
Gibraltar Road gives access to North Car
Park TF 559589, and terminates at South Car
Park TF 555581.
1.3: Access
and management compartments
See appendix for the map of management
compartments and subsites.
1.4: Tenure
1.4.1: Owner
Lincolnshire County Council - the principal
landlords, owning …ha of the site, the Field
Centre, Aylmer Bungalow and various other out-buildings. Cycleway agreement file
3270 at SF
East Lindsey District Council - own a …ha block of dune and saltmarsh at Seacroft
Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust
Environment Agency own a tract of land
incorporating the River Steeping flood bank.
(Map of ownership in Appendix)
N.B. - The foreshore is leased to LCC
and ELDC by the Duchy of Lancaster and the
Crown Estate Commissioners respectively.
1.4.2: Type
of holding
NNR Measures' Sykes Croftmarsh Tennyson's Jackson's
NNR Farm Sands Marsh
Area 428 ha 16 ha 3 ha 22 ha 10.42 ha 7.2 ha
Tenure Lease Freehold Freehold Freehold Freehold Freehold
Date of 1995 1997 1978 2000 2000 1995
Agreement/ *
purchase
Duration 21 years - - - - -
Ownership LCC/ LWT LWT LWT LWT LWT
ELDC
* proposed NNR
1.4.3: Date
of acquisition or agreement
Leases and Management agreements - SF
file 3140
NNR - area owned by LCC. Trust entered
into management agreement/partnership with
LCC in 1949. A lease was arranged in 1952. The original lease of 1952 details the
landlords responsibilities for maintenance of the buildings and certain tracks and other
structures. This was reviewed in 1973 and renewed in 1995.
Sykes’ Farm - purchased in 1978 by
the Trust at development value (having been
omitted from the compulsory purchase of the land now known as the Plantation).
Measures’ 40 acres - management agreement
entered into between Trust and Mrs
Measures in 1991 for an initial five-year period, then reviewed annually. Purchased by
Trust in 1997, declared NNR in 1998.
Comprehensive details of all lease and
agreements can be found in File 6300 at
Banovallum House.
1.4.4: Length
of lease or agreement
21years, but negotiating 99 yr tenure
- awaiting confirmation from LCC.
1.4.5: Legal
rights of access / use
Some areas were designated an open space
by the Lindsey Sandhills Act of 1932. The
NNR is accessible at all times to members of the public on foot except Plantation,
Measures’ 40 Acres and other sanctuary areas (some of which may be temporary).
Formal access only on Jackson’s Marsh, Tennyson’s Sands and Croftmarsh. Access
to Croftmarsh along the Croftmarsh track is maintained for Roy Sanderson et al.
There are no statutory rights of way.
Yacht club lease of clubhouse and riverbank
from LCC, use of carpark and road to
riverbank where hard-standing has been instated for craning operations and not for
general car parking.
The situation with bait digging and sea
angling is complex. A few visitors claim
perceived rights to these activities at certain states of tide although proof of the location
of mean low water is difficult!
Public access is temporarily excluded
from an extensive area at the southern area of the
reserve where a shorebird sanctuary is set up annually April to July. This is covered by
the Bird Sanctuary Order.
The NNR is covered by a series of byelaws
which were introduced by LCC and ELDC
under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. These byelaws were
revised in 1996; the most significant addition being the Seasonal Dog Ban imposed on
the beach between April and September. See SF file 3110.
1.4.6: Special
terms, conditions and obligations
Sea defence and flood barrier - use from
EA - car park security (on understanding that
any damage resulting will be made good. (Chris Noble pers. comm. 2000)
Measures: Unofficial access rights for
D White permitted through the back of his
property at Aylmer Avenue, via Measures to the Golf course, although rubbish dumping
and burning being curtailed.
Wildfowlers permitted to cross Steeping
and use residents car park. Also, Yacht Club
members are permitted to use the residents car park.
1.5: Management infrastructure
1.5.1: Staff
responsibilities
The site staffing arrangements are largely
based upon the needs of the reserve and its
management, and the provision of educational/interpretative services. The reserve
management staff have the additional responsibility to service the regional aspects of the
Trust’s business.
Site Manager - Oversees the administration
of the whole complex, with most
responsibilities centred on the management of the NNR and non-routine matters
associated with the Field Centre and Visitor Centre and their staff. Member of Trust
Senior Staff and represents the Trusts on various panels particularly relating to the
Wash. Also oversees the implementation of regional management responsibilities.
Asst Warden - Duties exclusive to the
reserve, implementation of reserve management
and assistance with recording and administration. Deputises for Site Manager on most
aspects in his absence. Key duties include: overseeing implementation of weekly work
schedule, supervising and training volunteers, vehicle and machinery maintenance,
chemical responsibility, First Aid at work certificated.
Contract Warden - A 12-month contract
post guaranteed for five years though HLF
programme of reserve management. First phase of work programme is to oversee the
shorebird protection scheme April-August. Thereafter involvement concentrates on the
implementation of the HLF programme of capital works. HLF funding provides for a high
level of formal training in addition to in-house training.
NR Volunteers - Range of students, work
experience and other ‘career’ volunteers, day
volunteers on a casual basis. Formal training placements are available on a residential
basis for a three-month contract. Full induction is carried out and training schedules are
drawn up. Volunteers are treated as members of staff and are covered by the same
liability insurance, grievance and disciplinary procedures.
Field Centre Manager - A tutor/manager
post, funded for three years through HLF, to
oversee the day to day administration of the Field Centre and Visitor Centre, ensure
teaching provision for residential and day visit bookings and provide an interpretative
programme with reserve staff.
Catering Manageress - Caterer/housekeeper
for the field centre, responsible for kitchen
and accommodation facilities. Oversees the work of the seasonal domestic staff.
Field Centre Assistant - An assistant
to the Field Station manager, providing support with
Field Centre admin, teaching, interpretation programme.
Domestic Assistants - A full-time domestic
is employed from March-Nov to oversee the
cleaning and maintenance of the Field Centre and assist in the kitchen. A part-time
domestic is also required through most of this period.
Secretary - works part-time 20 hours per
week Monday-Thursday mornings. Principal
tasks include banking, reception and enquiries, preparation of correspondence and data
inputting. Often the first port of call for the public and prospective groups and this is an
important ambassadorial role to play for the Trust.
Visitor Centre Manageress - A voluntary
post which attracts an honorarium. Position
oversees the recruitment and training of shop volunteers, organisation of rota for opening
times, stock management with the Trust Sales Officer and other aspects of VC
administration.
Visitor Centre Volunteers - assistance
with opening and operating the visitor centre and
gift shop on a duty rota basis.
1.5.2: Buildings
and structures
(location + file numbers attached)
*Field Centre and Visitor centre (F/Centre
Office)
Built around the old Coastguard Station
of 1859. The first extensions were built in 1964
to provide dormitories, with further extensions in 1973 providing additional
accommodation, laboratory space and annexe. Visitor Centre completed and opened to
public in 1974.
*Field Centre Warden’s Bungalow (F/C
Office)
Built in 1974.
*Aylmer Ave Warden’s Bungalow (SF
1810)
Built 1972 between the 1932 showhouses
for the proposed Tennyson Glenn Estate.
Sykes Farm Barn and workshop
The old brick barn appears to have been
a typical 1830’s Lincolnshire style barn,
originally with four bays. Although semi-derelict in recent decades, funding from LCC,
Wren and Leader II enabled a rebuild incorporating reserve office and warden’s
accommodation on the upper floor with storage bays below. This was completed in May
2000. The adjacent workshop was built in 1985. Services were installed with the
aforementioned rebuild and a full range of machinery installed.
Wash viewpoint (SF 3240)
A converted gun emplacement; opened to
the public in 1986. Displays were installed but
suffered from vandalism subsequently and some require replacement.
Betty Allen Hide
A wooden hide erected in the Plantation
in 1992, overlooking Lamberts Pond and winter
feeding station.
West and East Fenland lagoon hides (SF
1980)
Hides were built in 1989.
Mere hide (SF 1870/1880)
Built in 1973 overlooking the Freshwater
Mere. Originally with separate compartments
for public and Trust members. Converted in 1998 to facilitate wheelchair access.
Jackson’s Marsh hide (SF 1720)
Built in 1999 overlooking Jackson’s
Marsh and beyond to Croftmarsh. Designed to
accommodate school and natural history groups as well as wheelchair users.
Tennyson Sands hides (2) planned for 2001
*North building
Situated on the East Dunes to the north
of Mill Hill. An old railway siding from military
activities during the second World War. Now blocked up and pat re- routed to avoid
visitor access as it is somewhat unstable. Future consideration for viewpoint?
*Cooler
Wartime building situated along the flood
bank adjacent to the Plantation. Occasional
use as ringing base, currently used as storage.
*Bird observatory (SF 2540)
Communication building from WWII situated
at the south end of the East Dunes.
Refurbished by Frank Bean (local builder, founder member of the Trust and ringer).
Opened in 1949 and housed the Trusts early activities on the reserve. Still maintained
as a ringing base.
Shorebird wardens hut
Wooden ‘shed’ constituting base
and accommodation for shorebird warden. Erected in
1980’s. Now in need of replacement.
* Part of lease to LWT from LCC.
LCC maintain landlords responsibility for certain
aspects of these buildings eg external structure.
1.5.3: Photographic
record
The Trust’s Honorary Secretary D
N Robinson holds an extensive library of aerial
photographs of Gibraltar Point. These date back to at least 1946.
Cambridge black and white and colour vertical
photos commissioned by Nottingham
University covering whole site.
Aerial photos are held in a box file in
Sykes Farm office and on CD. Most recent series
from 1998 and 2000.
EA have plan and oblique coverage of whole
Lincolnshire coast for Lincshore strategy.
An extensive slide library detailing species,
management and history is housed in the SF
office.
Fixed point photography has been maintained
by the Reserves Officer to record the
outer geomorphology and vegetation changes on the Freshwater Marsh and outer dunes.
An annotated historical slide collection
by R B Wilkinson is housed in Sykes’ Farm office.
