About the reserve

This marsh is what remains of a former watercourse of the River Wye. The name 'Coughton' is derived from 'hillock settlement', possibly indicating a drier raised area within the marsh. A fine Neolithic axe found on the site also attests to ancient settlement here.

Although small, and surrounded by open agricultural land, the marsh woodland is of great historical and biological interest because it is the only area of plateau Alder woodland now left in the lower Wye valley.