Waltham Abbey SSSI

[1][2] For 300 years the area was cut off from its surroundings by river boundaries and the highly secret nature of its work.

Decontamination work was carried out between 1992–96 and the site opened to the public in 2001.

[3] The woodland site lies to the north of the present day Gunpowder Mills and is bounded by the River Lee Flood Relief Channel to the north and west while the Cornmill Stream forms its eastern boundary.

The site is alder woodland on damp soils, with other trees including sycamore, ash and crack willow.

The wood has the largest heronry in Essex, which was present in 1974 and had 26 pairs in 1984.