Moorcroft Magwitch

The RSPB Rainham Marshes Collection

Just beyond the Thames Barrier in East London, RSPB Rainham Marshes, once a Ministry of Defence firing range, now explodes with wildlife which thrives on the ancient grazing mashes of the Thames Estuary. Its mix of shallow lagoons, scrub, lowland grazing marsh dissected by ditches, reedbed and woodland provides habitat for a wide range of birds and scarce wetland plants and insects.

The mysterious and ecologically important RSPB Rainham Marshes, which set the natural drama for Charles Dickens to write Great Expectations, is a wetland world of mists and mud flats of some 870 astounding acres. With sheer pride, Moorcroft now unveils this great RSPB success story in the new RSPB Rainham Marshes Collection, allowing you to quite literally stroll along the boardwalks and viewing platforms. It is here where old shooting butts become viewing posts for herons; teals bathe in tranquil lagoons; Red-Listed birds, like Lapwings, thrive along the muddy banks, and curious little Water Voles scuttle within the reed beds as the Shrill Carder bees buzz in air filled with Ruddy Darters and Brimstones.

Magwitch

Designer: Vicky Lovatt

Shape: 121/14

Edition: 15

One of very few ancient landscapes remaining in London, RSPB Rainham Marshes, was closed to the public for over 100 years. Skilfully, Vicky positions the vast Dartford bridge in the background of the design as one of Britain’s largest birds, the Grey Heron, takes centre stage in his wetland home. The sight of her Grey Heron, standing in solitary siege on over the medieval marshes is one that is as familiar as it is bewitching.

In pensive stillness, the Grey Heron stands on Magwitch style bent, stilt-like legs as it overlooks the Thames Marshes.  This sparse, reed-clustered landscape "intersected with dykes and mounds and gates, with scattered cattle feeding on it" inspired Charles Dickens to write Great Expectations, with Abel Magwitch as one of its major fictional characters.  Over the reeds a flying Grey Heron beats its outstretched wings like the white billowed sails that once moved slowly up and down the river.