Bark Pots at the Anchorage

Reasons for Designation

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: This set of bark pots of later C18 date is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* Rarity: a rare survival of a once widespread process designed to preserve items associated with the pre-modern fishing industry

* Date: as an C18 structure, this is a very early example of an east coast fishing related industrial process

* Intactness: the main elements of the tannin extraction process are preserved in situ at this site including hearths, pots and chimneys.

* Longevity: several phases of development are represented by this structure which spans the later C18 through to the mid-C20, a period at which the importance of the fishing industry was at its height.

Details

BEADNELL

1404/0/10013 HARBOUR ROAD 31-MAR-10 (East,off) BARK POTS AT THE ANCHORAGE

II Set of bark pots of late C18 date and a single bark pot of C20 date

MATERIALS: sandstone with cast iron pots and brick chimneys, later example is of sandstone with a brick flue and a steel pot set in concrete.

PLAN: rectangular in shape and oriented east to west with a square, detached C20 example at the east end.

The later C18 structure is of sandstone construction and has the remains of at least three deep and circular cast iron 'pots' set into its top surface. There are rectangular flue holes beneath each pot, in which fires were set, and there are the remains of two (rebuilt) brick chimneys to the rear at the east end. A detached sandstone structure is situated at the east end of the main structure; this has a brick flue and a square steel 'pot' set in concrete; this is considered to be of early to mid-C20 date and a continuation of the same tradition of steeping fishing equipment to give greater longevity.

SUBSIDIARY ITEMS: There are two cast iron pots set into the ground to the rear of the main structure.

HISTORY: The Northumberland fishing Industry has its origins in medieval times, and in the post-medieval period, it became focussed on a handful of small ports including Beadnell Haven, a man-enhanced natural opening in the rocks giving access to a sandy beach where boats could be dragged out of the water. From the late eighteenth century, the east coast herring fishing industry became increasingly dominant in national economic terms, exploiting the regular migration of large herring shoals that moved southwards from Northumberland in mid summer to East Anglia by early autumn.

The process of steeping fishing line, nets, sails and related items in a tannin solution was common to fishing communities around England in the later C18 and C19. Water and a tannin rich substance were boiled together, over a fire, in order to extract the tannin for the preservation of items associated with the pre-modern fishing industry. The tannin solution had astringent, degreasing and preservative properties and was known as 'bark' as it was originally derived from oak bark. From the later C19, fishermen used a substance called 'cutch' derived from the sap of a tropical plant. This set of bark pots are considered to have been constructed in the later C18 at the same time as a group of fishermen's cottages known as 'Fisher Square' (now demolished). They are depicted on the First Edition 25 inch plan of c. 1860 and the plan also depicts a shorter, second structure to the rear of the first (also now demolished). A single bark pot was added to the group in the early to mid-C20 and latterly, they were used to prepare tar for the same purpose.

SOURCES: Porteous, K The Bonny Fisher Lad, memories of the North Northumberland fishing community, (2003) 22, 38-39, 109, 115 Porteous, K Know Your Fishing Heritage: Bark Pots Archaeology in Northumberland Issue No 17 (2007), 26-27 Porteous, K, Northumberland's Sea-Fishing Heritage in Archaeology in Northumberland Issue No 18 (2008), 14-15 Porteous, K Know Your Fishing Heritage: Beadnell Haven in Archaeology in Northumberland Issue No 18 (2008), 62-4

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: This set of bark pots of later C18 date is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* Rarity: a rare survival of a once widespread process designed to preserve items associated with the pre-modern fishing industry

* Date: as an C18 structure, this is a very early example of an east coast fishing related industrial process

* Intactness: the main elements of the tannin extraction process are preserved in situ at this site including hearths, pots and chimneys.

* Longevity: several phases of development are represented by this structure which spans the later C18 through to the mid-C20, a period at which the importance of the fishing industry was at its height.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

508183

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

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