Newlands Fish Weir

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument.

Newlands Fish Weir is a well-preserved example of a post-medieval (AD 1536-1899) fish weir. A fish weir is usually characterised by a foundation of stone topped with a fence or row of stakes, often with nets attached forming an enclosure within a river or harbour and used for catching, or holding, fish. Newlands Fish Weir comprises a rectilinear weir defined by double-faced stone walls with a rubble core. The inner arm runs at 90 degrees from the shore to the north-west and incorporates a large outcrop of rock. Between the shore and the outcrop, the structure is somewhat fragmentary but a length of single skin boulder walling does survive. From the outcrop, the arm comprises a double-faced wall with rubble core some 1.6m wide and standing to a height of about 1m. It maintains its alignment until it reaches the edge of the river channel and then turns through 90 degrees to the north-east. A breach in the wall at this point may represent the remains of a sluice.

The outer arm runs parallel to the shore for 200m before turning shoreward a few degrees and running in a straight line for a further 100m. It also comprises a double-faced wall standing to a height of between 0.8m and 1.4m. The wall has a pronounced batter, being 1.4m wide at the base narrowing to 1.2m at the top. A rough line of stones continues from the end of the wall towards the shore while a better-preserved spur turns back towards the interior of the weir at an angle of approximately 45 degrees.

The site is large, impressive and well-preserved and retains substantial archaeological potential. The scheduled area is a rectangle some 350m by 300m, aligned on and containing the weir, with its south-eastern boundary formed by the high-water mark.