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Stone and wooden fishtrap is an uncertain fish trap located in Ards, Northern Ireland, protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 13297. The monument sits upon Early Carboniferous limestone bedrock, a durable foundation formed during the Early Carboniferous period and interspersed with deposits of claystone and siltstone. This geological setting provided both stone for construction and access to productive waterways characteristic of the Ards peninsula.
Fish traps of stone and timber represent ancient and medieval methods of harvesting fish from tidal waters and river systems. Such structures typically consist of walls or barriers built to channel fish into confined areas where they could be caught or contained. The combination of local limestone and wooden elements in this example reflects the use of readily available materials.
The designation as an uncertain fish trap indicates that while the monument's physical remains suggest a fishing function, the exact nature and date of its original construction remain unclear. The structure contributes to our understanding of traditional fishing practices and resource exploitation in coastal Northern Ireland. Its survival and protection ensures this evidence of historical economic activity continues to inform archaeological study of the region's maritime heritage.
Stone and wooden fishtrap is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 13297. View the official record →
Stone and wooden fishtrap is an uncertain fish trap located in Ards, Northern Ireland, protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 13297.
Stone and wooden fishtrap dates from the uncertain period, and is classified as a fish trap. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Stone and wooden fishtrap is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Ni. The official designation reference is 13297.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Stone fish trap (2.7 km), 2 portions of quay works and slipway (5 km), Nendrum tide mill - see itr record for more details) (5.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Stone and wooden fishtrap'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.
Stone and wooden fishtrap stands on Early Carboniferous limestone, bedrock that formed in the Early Carboniferous. The rock here is major:{limestone}, Minor{claystone,siltstone}.