Gateshead, Besi Hungri yar Fishery

HER Number:
12228

District:
Gateshead

Site Name:
Gateshead, Besi Hungri yar Fishery

Place:
Gateshead

Map Sheet:
NZ26SW

Class:
Agriculture and Subsistence

Site Type: Broad:
Fish Trap

Site Type: Specific:
Fish Weir

General Period:
Medieval

Specific Period:
C12-C14

Form of Evidence:
Documentary Evidence

Description:
Besi Hungri yar in 1128, Bosi hongri yare. 'Bisig' is old English for 'busy'. 'Bosig' is old English for 'cow-stall'. 'Hungor' is old English for 'hunger'. This word is used as a term of reproach alluding to barren ground - in this case the name may mean 'unprofitable weir'. In Gateshead, one of the bishop of Durham's weirs. The main catch would have been salmon, but in fact a wider range of fish would have been taken (eg. Eels, pike, minnow, burbot, trout and lamprey' {G.N. Garmondsway (ed), 1939, 'Aelfric's Colloquy', pp 101-2}.

Easting:
249

Northing:
634

Grid Reference:
NZ249634

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
Victor Watts, 1986, Some Northumbrian Fishery Names II in Durham Archaeological Journal, 2, 1986, pp 55-61