Minsmere

[citation needed] A survey of 1587 records that the early Tudor period 'entrenchments' at Minsmere were in ruins and recommended that they be rebuilt.

[11] The marshes along the Minsmere River were drained for agricultural use in the 1840s[4][12] but reflooded during the Second World War to defend against invasion along the East Anglian coast.

[3] Cottages and a beach cafe on the coast at Minsmere sluice were evacuated, used as target practice and later demolished.

[4][15] Minsmere is in a low-lying area of the Suffolk coast approximately 24 miles (39 km) north-east of Ipswich.

[16] The grazing marshes to the south of the Minsmere Levels provide over-wintering grounds for a variety of different waterfowl species.

The cliffs consist of loose, unconsolidated sand and shingle glacial deposits and suffer from coastal erosion.

[19][21] The abbey was originally built on an island in the marshland but is believed to have suffered from frequent coastal flooding which led to its relocation to Leiston in 1363.

[4][19] Geophysical surveys have shown that a number of archaeological features lie buried in the immediate area, including remains of the abbey church, cloisters and fish ponds.