THE last surviving part of a historic moat is at the heart of a restoration project bringing history and wildlife together.
Cox’s Pond, at Harbour Crescent in Harwich, once formed part of the creek and ditches surrounding the medieval town.
The current pond is believed to date back to the early 19th Century.
The project is being led by volunteers from the Friends of Cox's Pond, founded by life-long Harwich resident Craig Hales.
Mr Hales, 51, said: "It's a very important part of Harwich's history dating back to the early 1800s.
"It's the final piece of a moat that was around certain parts of Old Harwich, and this is the remaining part of that."
Over the past year, volunteers have been working to revive the pond and improve the surrounding area to make it more welcoming for wildlife and the community.
The project has involved clearing overgrown vegetation, planting new species to attract wildlife, and working with Tendring Council to remove large trees that were overshadowing the site.
The group is also restoring four benches with support from Trinity House, which is shop-blasting the bench legs before new wood is fitted.
Other improvements include repainting the railings with help from Heritage Police Cadets and ongoing maintenance supported by the Market Fields Grow Project, which gives horticultural work experience to young autistic adults and children.
The group also plans to replace the old duck hut and repair cracks in the pond that are leaking.
Mr Hales said local business, such as LRS Exterior Cleaning, have been involved in trying to restore the area.
"We had LRS clean all the stonework around the perimeter of the pond, which totally transformed the whole look," he said.
A recent highlight for the community was the arrival of a mother duck and her ducklings.
Mr Hales said: "The whole community was reporting daily about how many ducklings there were.
"They were keeping an eye on them, they were feeding them.
"So it gained so much attention around the town, young and old.
"That was a fantastic highlight of the year for us."
The group now hopes to install a water fountain, additional railings, picnic benches and make the pond a welcoming space for primary schools and the nearby Arc Centre.
Mr Hales said: "It is a community-based project, that we'd like everyone to make use of."
He thanked Harwich Town Council, the Harwich Society, and all the individuals and organisations that have supported the project.
The group is also working with Harwich Town Council and the Harwich Society to gain historic status for the pond and have it included on their map of historic places in Harwich.
Share