Gateshead, Helperyare Fishery

HER Number:
12257

District:
Gateshead

Site Name:
Gateshead, Helperyare Fishery

Place:
Gateshead

Map Sheet:
NZ26SE

Class:
Agriculture and Subsistence

Site Type: Broad:
Fish Trap

Site Type: Specific:
Fish Weir

General Period:
Medieval

Specific Period:
C12

Form of Evidence:
Documentary Evidence

Description:
Helperyare in 1344. The name could relate to a personal name such as Hialpar. 'Helpere' is old English for helper. This weir was below Gateshead Park, east of the Tyne bridge, probably in the fishery called Toulershell. 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:
24

Northing:
63

Grid Reference:
NZ2463

Lats/Lons:

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