Early medieval coastal fish weir, NW of Pewet Island (EHER 9972)

A coastal fish weir located 440 metres NW of Pewet Island. The timber-built weir forms a double V-shape, with one structure within the other. The two weirs may be contemporary or the inner structure may represent a rebuilding of the weir after the outer one fell into disrepair. The weir is believed to date from the early medieval period.

1997. Aerial photography. See aerial photographs <1>. October 2000. Scheduled Monument. A coastal fish weir located 440 metres NW of Pewet Island. The site was first photographed by Mr Kevin Bruce, a local amateur archaeologist and boatman, and was subsequently surveyed from the air by members of Essex County Council's Archaeological Advisory Group. The timber-built weir forms a double V-shape, with one structure within the other, running parallel to the current Mean Low Water mark. The two weirs may be contemporary or the inner structure may represent a rebuilding of the weir after the outer one fell into disrepair. The weir is believed to date from the early medieval period. <2> A fish weir off Pewet Island near Bradwell-on-Sea. Several hundred metres long, with trap at the NE (seaward) end. There are a number of lines of posts, indicating either that it is multi-phase, or that there are other features in the same location. <3> <4> <5> A fishery is recorded in the Domesday Book as belonging to Hacflete manor, this land was previously held by Alfward and later went to the Bishop of Bayeaux. This may be the fish trap recorded off Pewett Island that has yet to be accurately dated. The weir takes the form of a double V-shape, with the two elements one within the other. The weir is sited parallel to the current Mean Low Water Mark, and the arms running parallel to this are substantially elongated. The larger, external weir, is 390m (SW-NE) by 190m (north-south) and the smaller internal weir is 310m (SW-NE) by 100m (north-south). The two weirs may be contemporary, or the inner weir may represent a complete rebuilding of the weir after the outer one had fallen into disrepair. <6> See aerial photographs <7> - <10>.