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North Weir and Smoke Tower, Ynys Gorad Goch is a post-medieval fish weir constructed on Early Carboniferous limestone bedrock in Wales. The weir exploits the natural geology of its location, where limestone and associated claystone and siltstone have shaped the river channel. Fish weirs of this type were engineered structures designed to trap and direct fish into holding areas, their construction adapted to the specific hydrological and geological conditions of individual river sites.
The smoke tower is an integral feature of the complex, serving to cure or preserve fish caught at the weir. This combination of catching and processing structures reflects the economic importance of fisheries in post-medieval Wales, where such installations formed part of substantial commercial operations. The tower's presence indicates that fish processing took place on site, eliminating the need to transport fresh catch over distance.
The monument remains protected by Cadw under reference AN096, recognising its historical significance as evidence of post-medieval fishing practice and infrastructure. The surviving structures demonstrate how communities adapted their engineering to work with the underlying limestone geology, creating installations that operated within the natural constraints and opportunities of the Welsh landscape.
North Weir and Smoke Tower, Ynys Gorad Goch is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference AN096. View the official record →
North Weir and Smoke Tower, Ynys Gorad Goch is a post-medieval fish weir constructed on Early Carboniferous limestone bedrock in Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference AN096.
North Weir and Smoke Tower, Ynys Gorad Goch dates from the post medieval/modern period, and is classified as a fish weir. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
North Weir and Smoke Tower, Ynys Gorad Goch is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is AN096.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Hut Group Near Tan-y-Coed Pont Rhythallt (7.6 km), Pen-Isa'r-Waen Camp (7.7 km), Llys Dinorwig (8.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of North Weir and Smoke Tower, Ynys Gorad Goch's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
North Weir and Smoke Tower, Ynys Gorad Goch stands on Early Carboniferous limestone, bedrock that formed in the Early Carboniferous. The rock here is major:{limestone}, Minor{claystone,siltstone}.