Possible fish weir/trap, on the Heysham foreshore. Identified by CITiZAN Archaeologists in March 2016. The structure consists of 20 stakes and 2 possible stones, forming a j-shape features, with the long arm on an east-west alignment and the short arm on a north-south alignment.

It is worth noting that there are several V-shaped fishtraps with curving arms, off Throbsahw Point, marked on the 1st edition 1891 OS map. They are labelled on the maps as “fishing baulk”. An illustration from 1816, by Daniell showing the rock-cut grave at Heysham, also shows a fishtrap in the background, roughly in the same place as the fish weir found in 2016.

The ferature is noted in the Phase 2 of the North West RCZA (Eadie G. 2012; 135) "On the shoreline to the west of both churches, the Phase 2 survey recorded the remains of a probable post-medieval fish trap (221). This may be associated with fishing rights tied to the ecclesiastical sites on Heysham Head. The fish trap consisted of a degraded, truncated V-shaped alignment of upright timber posts, around which a wattle fence would have been constructed to form a barrier trapping fish during the ebb tide (Jecock 2011a, 2). The posts extended for a length of c.16m and c.34m and survived to a max. height of c.0.55m (Figure 4.54). The fish trap is not recorded in the Lancashire HER."

Period

Medieval (410 - 1540), Post-Medieval (1540 - 1901)

Period comments

The earliest date of the feature, as a year, if known

The latest date of the feature, as a year, if known

Monument Type - Broad

Fishing site

Monument Type - Narrow

Fishery (fish trap)

Monument Description

A device for catching fish, sometimes a fence or enclosure of stakes made in a river, harbour, etc.

Evidence Type - Broad

Structure

Evidence Type - Narrow

Extant

Evidence Description

Man-made roofless edifice or construction which is intact or substantially intact, with significant survival of original features, even if no longer serving original intended function.

Object Type - Broad

Fishing object

Object Type - Narrow

Fish trap

Object Description

A trap designed and used to catch fish.

Other records:

NRHE Number

Unknown

NT HBSMR Number

Unknown

HER Event Number

Unknown

External Link

None

Over to you...

If you know there are errors in the original feature record above, you can edit the original record

If you would like to visit the feature and carry out a 'Feature Update Survey', you can prepare a 'Feature Update Survey' pack for this feature (in PDF format)

If you have completed a 'Feature Update Survey' for this feature, you can submit your 'Feature Update Survey'

If you want to use your smart phone to carry out the 'Feature Update Survey', you can download the CITiZAN smart app.