NEN Gallery

Wicken Fen is unique in landscape terms. A remnant of the once massive Cambridgeshire Fens, it preserves a true sense of wetland wilderness. Standing in the middle of the reserve, nothing is visible other than wild habitats of fen, water and woodland. The nature of the Fen has been shaped by topography, hydrology, and by man. The wetland has played an important role in the social and economic life of the area. It provided materials for thatching local houses, bedding and feed for animals, fish and fowl for food, and peat for fuel. Such uses have all left their mark. The result is a landscape where centuries of rural culture are stamped on the Fen.