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Historic England Research Records

Monument Number 1132692

Hob Uid: 1132692
Location :
Somerset
Somerset West and Taunton
Minehead Without
Grid Ref : SS9609648010
Summary : A Medieval and/or Post Medieval coastal fish weir, visible as a structure, was mapped from aerial photographs taken in 1970. Located in the intertidal area of Culver Cliff Sand, below Culver Cliff west of Minehead, the structure is constructed of two linear walls of heaped stones. The two walls form a V-shaped structure with the apex facing seaward, creating a tidal pool formed by the walls to the rear, trapping fish on the outgoing tide. A narrow opening known as a sluice at the weir's apex funnels the fish into nets set across it as the pool empties. The structure was still visible in 1999.
More information : One of three stone intertidal fish weirs that lie on Culver Cliff Sand at SS 9610 4802, SS 9617 4795 and SS 9624 4790. The largest, centred at SS 9610 4802 has arms 100m long, 0.8m wide and 0.5m high, surviving as 1-2 courses of beach cobbles. The south end is fragmentary. A sluice is visible but was not surveyable at the time of survey. To the east and inland are two further weirs. They are centred at SS 9617 4795 nad 9624 4790. The western weir has arms 50m long, 1.6m wide and 0.7m high. Some of the core structure is visible in the better preerved eastern arm; the southern end of the western arm is very fragmentary. Part of the sluice is visible as a channel 1.2x0.6m, with the seaward end blocked by tumble. The easternmost weir has arms 50m long, 5m wide and 0.5m high. The walls are low and spread. The sluice has been infilled with tumble; a recent breach lies to the southwest of it. The weirs were surveyed using GPS as part of the RCHME Exmoor project (1).

The largest fish weir is depicted on the 1st edition 25" map (2).

SS 9608 4803 A Medieval and/or Post Medieval coastal fish weir, visible as a structure, was mapped from aerial photographs taken in 1970. Located in the intertidal area of Culver Cliff Sand, below Culver Cliff west of Minehead, the structure is constructed of two linear walls of heaped stones about 4 to 4.5 metres wide, the western wall being 86 metres long and the eastern 98 metres long, although this is fragmentary. The two walls form a V-shaped structure with the apex facing north seaward, creating a tidal pool formed by the walls to the rear, trapping fish on the outgoing tide. A narrow opening about 3.8 metres long by 1.2 metres wide at the weir's apex, known as a sluice, funnels the fish into nets set across it as the pool empties. The structure was still visible in 1999. (3-4)

Sources :
Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : Riley H 1998 RCHME Field Investigation
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : Ordnance Survey 1889 25" 1st ed map, Somerset 35.1
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Source Number : 3
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Source details : NMR OS/70066 032 03-MAY-1970
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : NMR SS 9647/1 (18281/16) 19-MAR-1999
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Monument Types:
Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Medieval
Monument End Date : 1540
Monument Start Date : 1066
Monument Type : Coastal Fish Weir, Fish Trap
Evidence : Structure
Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : Post Medieval
Monument End Date : 1901
Monument Start Date : 1540
Monument Type : Fish Weir, Coastal Fish Weir, Fish Trap
Evidence : Structure

Components and Objects:
Related Records from other datasets:
External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Somerset)
External Cross Reference Number : 57143
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SS 94 NE 76
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :
Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : General association
Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : General association

Related Activities :
Associated Activities :
Activity type : AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION
Start Date : 2006-04-10
End Date : 2008-11-01