Castle Marshes

{{Short description|Nature reserve in Suffolk, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024|cs1-dates=ly formats}}

{{infobox park

| name = Castle Marshes

| photo = Castle Marshes 3.jpg

| photo_caption =

| type = Nature reserve

| grid_ref_UK = TM470911

| location = Lowestoft, Suffolk

| area = 71 hectares

| manager = Suffolk Wildlife Trust

}}

Castle Marshes is a 71 hectare nature reserve west of Lowestoft in Suffolk. It is managed by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust.{{cite web|url= http://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/reserves/castle-marshes |title= Castle Marshes |publisher= Suffolk Wildlife Trust |accessdate= 10 May 2017}} It is part of the Barnby Broad and Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1002462&SiteName=barnby&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea=|title=Designated Sites View: Barnby Broad and Marshes | series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate = 7 May 2017}} the Broadland Ramsar internationally important wetland site,{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteGeneralDetail.aspx?SiteCode=UK11010&SiteName=sprat&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&unitId=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Broadland | series= Ramsar Site|publisher=Natural England|accessdate = 8 May 2017}}{{cite web |url= http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/pdf/RIS/UK11010.pdf |title= Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (RIS): Broadland |publisher= Joint Nature Conservation Committee |accessdate= 4 May 2017 |archive-date= 10 August 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170810195145/http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/pdf/ris/uk11010.pdf |url-status= dead }} the Broadland Special Protection Area under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds,{{cite web |url= http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/pdf/SPA/UK9009253.pdf |title= Special Protection Areas under the EC Birds Directive. Broadland. |publisher= Joint Nature Conservation Committee |accessdate= 4 May 2017 |archive-date= 15 March 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160315185802/http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/pdf/SPA/UK9009253.pdf |url-status= dead }}{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteGeneralDetail.aspx?SiteCode=UK9009253&SiteName=barnby&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&unitId=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea=|title=Designated Sites View: Broadland | series= Special Protection Area|publisher=Natural England|accessdate = 7 May 2017}} and The Broads Special Area of Conservation.{{cite web |url= http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/ProtectedSites/SACselection/sac.asp?EUCode=UK0013577 |title= The Broads |series= Special Areas of Conservation |publisher= Joint Nature Conservation Committee |accessdate= 4 May 2017 |archive-date= 10 March 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160310072529/http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/protectedsites/sacselection/sac.asp?EUCode=UK0013577 |url-status= dead }}{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteGeneralDetail.aspx?SiteCode=UK0013577&SiteName=barnby&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&unitId=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea=|title=Designated Sites View: The Broads | series= Special Area of Conservation|publisher=Natural England|accessdate = 7 May 2017}}

The site has fen, freshwater dykes and grazing marshes. Resident wildfowl include wigeons, gadwalls, teals and shovelers are joined in winter by migrants when the marshes are flooded. Scarce chaser and the nationally rare Norfolk hawker dragonflies breed on the site, and there are blue-tailed damselflies.

There is no public access but the Angles Way footpath runs along the northern boundary.

{{commons category|Castle Marshes}}