248 An Account of Lesbury Parish, by Geo. Tate, F.G.S, 



through it, and the old channel has been blocked up by sand. 



A few vessels still come to the port — about sixteen in a year — 

 bringing for the Alnwick tradesmen wood from Gottenburgh, 

 slates from Bangor, guano from London. As harbour dues, the 

 Duke of Northumberland claims 5s from each vessel. Fishing is 

 carried on, and employs about forty fishermen and sixteen cobles, 

 each carrying from 40 to 50 tons ; but they go to no great dis- 

 tance, generally from two to three miles from the shore, though 

 occasionally as far as the Dogger Bank. The fishing ground is 

 from 20 to 25 fathoms deep. Cod, haddocks, ling, turbot, hali- 

 but, mackerel, skate, flat fish, coal fish, crabs, and lobsters are 

 caught, most of which are sent to Liverpool, and other manufac- 

 turing places by rail. Cockles breed in the slake at the mouth 

 of the river and are occasionally gathered for use in the town ; 

 but they are not obtained in sufficient numbers for sale. At- 

 tempts were made by Algernon, Duke of Northumberland, to 

 form oyster and mussel beds ; but they were unsuccessful ; for 

 the mud brought down by the river during floods destroyed both. 

 Eight pounds yearly are paid for the whole of the fishing boats 

 to the Duke of Northumberland ; and he grants licenses to catch 

 salmOn in the sea, on payment yearly of one pound for each 

 boat. As illustrative of the past history of the fishery, I give 

 entire the following curious " Survey made, in 1649, by commis- 

 sioners of the fishings of Alnmouth, late parcel of the possession 

 of Charles Stuart, late King" : — 



' ' All that the tith or tenth parte of the sea-fishe gained or caught and hy 

 nett or otherwise into one boate or coble now occupied and employed by 

 Ephraim Armorer, of Alnmouth, gentleman, out of the water of Ayle or that 

 parte belonging unto Aylmouth to the worth per annum of 1 3s 4d. 



The same for William Armorer 13s 4d. 



The same in one boat by Geo. Woode or Shephard, Edward Gray, Thomas 

 Dunne, Patrick Woode. 



Memorandum we finde that the royaltie of the fishing of Alemouth is now 

 in the Trustees ( there were seven named in Act of Parliament) and that they 

 keepe as many boates or cobles there and netts for the fishing as they please ; 

 that usually the owner of the Boates or Cobles paid to the Crowne but a Noble a 

 yeare for each Boate or Coble or the tenth parte of the fish they gained or caught 

 out of the sea into eache boate, which the fishermen claim as a Custom, But they 

 not makeing any due proof thereof and finding by examination on Oathe the 

 tithe or tenthe parte of the Sea- fish gained or caught in one coble to be worth 

 at least 13s 4d per annum, we value the same accordingly, and wee doe find 

 that one William Eopping had 2 Cobles there in occupation for the annual 

 rente of 13s 4d, but the said Eopping is deade And three cobles now occupied 



