What’s unique
about the Creek?
- An exceptional natural environment and wildlife habitat with quadruple protected status – Ramsar, SSSI, MCZ and a SPA.
- Home to the critically endangered European eel
- Saltmarshes – the most valuable ecosystem after coral reefs and rainforests
- Fed by the globally rare freshwater chalkstream
It’s under extreme
threat from:
- Rising sea levels and flood surge
- Saltmarsh being squeezed
- Excess water extraction from
the chalkstream bore - Sewage pumped into the waterway
- Rising silt levels blocking access to the Creek
Work with us
to Clean It Up!
- Join the citizen science group, Favwat, to test pollution levels and pinpoint sources
- Donate to help buy water quality testing kits
- Volunteer on ecology and environment projects – join the Friends of the Westbrook & Stonebridge Pond; take part in the Endangered Landscape and Seascapes Programme to restore oyster and seagrass beds.
- Support the Faversham Creek Navigation Company to dredge the Creek
- Campaign with us to restore the sluicing
- Join the Trust to raise awareness of these risks and and help us to Clean it Up!
What makes the Creek so important to Faversham’s identity?
The Creek sits at the heart of a rare coastal landscape. Its rich history as a trading waterway and how that has shaped the development of the town is to be celebrated. It is still home to skilled craftspeople and small maritime-related businesses. There are rich opportunities to enjoy the Creek and its surroundings.
“Faversham would not exist if not for its Creek”. William Lambarde (1536 – 1601)
But the Creek is under threat: chalk streams are drying up and water quality is low because of pollution from discharges of partially treated sewage and lack of sluicing. Maritime heritage skills are dwindling and may disappear without a navigable creek that will bring in more visitors and business.
There’s an urgent need to clean up the Creek and to make it fully navigable so we can restore the Creek Basin and attract more visitors by water to explore its surroundings and invest in local maritime businesses.
Help us protect, develop and support the Creek
We need your help to protect the Creek from these threats and to support and develop the maritime and leisure facilities that currently depend on the Creek.
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Its environment
An exceptional natural environment and wildlife habitat with quadruple protected status – Ramsar, SSSI, MCZ and a SPA.
Home to tidal saltmarshes - the most valuable ecosystem after coral reefs and rainforests
Home to the critically endangered European eel
Fed by the globally rare freshwater chalkstream, the Westbrook
"In terms of the services they provide to humans, salt marshes are the most valuable ecosystem in the world after coral reefs and tropical rainforests"
Matthew Hatchwell
Trustee, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust
"The Saltmarsh Restoration Handbook. . . would suggest that promoting expansion of saltmarsh has the greater purpose [than sea defences] in both ecological and habitat restoration and protection for the town"
Tim Ingram
Email to HG 23/3/2023. File: FavSoc info on Sea Defences
"The Creek is home to the critically endangered European eel"
Matthew Hatchwell
Trustee, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust
FACTOIDS
Did you know?
Faversham and Oare Creeks are ‘drying Creeks’ which means that boats sit on the mud when the tide goes out.
Silt comes up the Creeks with the tide and settles out of the water when the tide goes out. This is a natural process.
Silting up has always been a problem on our Creeks. Which is why regular sluicing and dredging have been needed for hundreds of years.
Its history and heritage
Faversham Creek is unique for its combination of history, heritage buildings, unique landscape, culture and arts, wildlife, flora and fauna. From the Belgi tribe – to Roman settlements – a medieval trading waterway – a shipbuilding and industrial centre – and now an area for all to enjoy and learn about.
Without the Creek, the town of Faversham would not exist. The Creek is still a Port and a ‘limb’ of the Cinque Port of Dover.
FACTOIDS
Did you know?
Graveney, near Faversham, is the location of the unique 1,000-year-old Graveney Boat - a coastal trader plying goods to the Continent The Creek is a centre of rare traditional boat-building skills used to restore Cutty Sark, HMS Victory and the unique Thames Sailing Barges
