the and early history of the carp its economic significance

8/20/2019 The and Early History of the Carp Its Economic Significance

1/11

T h e

and

Ear ly H istory o f the arp

i t s Economic S ign i f i cance

in Eng land

B y CHRISTOPHER K CURRIE

A b s t r a c t

T h e c a r p , b y t h e a d m i s s i o n o f m o s t a u t h o r i t a t i v e fi sh f a r m e r s a n d p i s c i c ul t u ri s t s, is on e o f t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t

f o o d f is h i n t h e w o r l d • H o w e v e r , t h e i r o r i g i n s a r e s h r o u d e d i n m y t h o l o g y . E v e n w h e r e s e r i o u s a t t e m p t s h a v e

b e e n m a d e t o t r a c e t h e o r i g i n s o f t h i s f i s h i n t h e B r i t i s h I s le s , t h e d i f f i c u l t y i n d i s t i n g u i s h i n g m y t h f r o m r e a l i t y

h a s c l o u d e d t h e i s su e . T h i s e s s a y a t t e m p t s t o p u t t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f t h e c a r p t o t h e B r i t i s h I sl e s i n it s c o r r e c t

h i s t o r ic p e r s p e c t iv e . C h a n g e s i n th e m a n a g e m e n t o f e st a te s o v e r t h e p e r i o d c i2 5 o- -I 4O 0 p r o m p t e d t h e g r o w t h

o f c o m m e r c i a l f i s h k e e p i n g a n d t hi s c r e a te d a s i t u a ti o n i n to w h i c h t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f th e c a r p w a s a p p r o p r i a t e .

T h e e a r l y h i s t o r y o f t h e s p e c ie s in E n g l a n d i s t ra c e d , a n d a t t e m p t s t o e x p l a i n t h e i r r is e t o d o m i n a n c e n a t i o n a l l y

a r e e x p o u n d e d .

C F HICKLING, writing in 1971, was of

the opinion that the species, carp

Cyprinus carpio) was introduced to

England between ci45o and I5OO, and was

still only maintained on a small scale by

fish-keepers by I53 I. I Furthermore he was

of the opinion that this fish, in his own

words 'the mainstay of fish farming', was

not a native of Europe but had been

transported from the East by way of Cyprus.

More recent research by the present author

and Balon has shown both opinions to be

inaccurate.-

Balon was the first scholar to question

the opinion that the carp was introduced to

Europe from China. 3 He showed that the

River Danube contained an indigenous wild

carp population since the retreat of the

last glaciation CLO-I2,OOO BC. 4 Cassiodorus

(AD 490-585) confirmed this when he told of

C F Hickling, Prior M ore s fishponds in

Medieva l Archaeo logy

XV, t97E, pp I18-23 ; pp 120-q.

: C K Currie, M edievalFishponds:aspectsof heir origin, function,

managementand development ,unpublishedMPhil hesis, Univer-

sity College,London, I988, pp 183-88;EKBalon,

Tl~edomestication

o f c a r p

Ro yal Ontario Museum Life Sciences Miscellaneous

Publications, Toro nto, t974.

3 Ibid p 5 .

4 lbid

pp 5 -7, 17-19.

the glory of King Theodorus ' (AD 490-526)

court in Italy:

• . . a n d f r o m t h e D a n u b e c o m e c a r p a n d f r o m t h e

R h i n e h e r r i n g . T o p r o v i d e a v a r i e t y o f f l a v o u r s , i t is

n e c e s s a r y t o h a v e m a n y f i s h f r o m m a n y c o u n t r ie s . A

k i n g s r e i g n s h o u l d b e s u c h a s t o i n d i c a t e t h a t h e

p o s s e s s e s e v e r y t h i n g )

Written sources are insufficient without

other evidence, since it was no t unusual for

classical writers to confuse fish species. For

instance, Ovid named 'swift pike and

perch' Rapid ique lup i percaeque) amongst

the common sea fishes 6 when both are

freshwater fish. It is, therefore, archaeology

that provides the most convincing proof of

the presence of carp in the Danube in

prehistoric times. At the mesolithic site at

Vlasac, on the Lower Danube, Prinz records

carp bones found in massive quantities

amongst the excavated food remai ns:

Having shown that the carp was a native

of the Danube from the earliest times, it

needs to be explained how they came to be

s Quoted,

ib id p 19.

: Ovid,

Ti le a r t o f love and o ther poems

(Original e xt with parallel

translation, Loe bLibrary),ed, J M ozley, 1923, p 3 8.

7B Prinz,

Meso l i th ic adap ta t ions on the lowe r Danube . Vla sac and the

Iron Ga tes Gorge

British ArchaeologicalReports, International

series 33o, Ox ford , 1987, pp 58, 61.

A g H i s t R e v

39 , I I, pp 97-Io 7

97


2/11

9

T H E A G R I C U L T U R A L

es t ab li shed in the r e s t o f E urope . B a lon has

d i scussed th is bu t l a id undue w e igh t on the

m o n a s t i c c o n t r i b u t i o n t o t h e sp r e ad o f f i s h -

k e e p i n g M o r e r e c e n t r e se a rc h h a s s h o w n

tha t f i shponds cam e to be e s t ab l i shed by

secu la r au thor i t i e s a s i nd ica t ions o f t he i r

s ta tus as landowners f rom at leas t the IS t

and 2nd centur ies BC. 9 In En glan d, the f i rs t

l a rge - sca l e bu i ld ing o f a r t i f i c i a l f i shponds

w a s u n d e r t a k e n b y t h e m e m b e r s o f t h e

N or m an secu la r a r i s toc racy to enhance the i r

s t a tus . T he ea r l i e s t m onas t i c f i shponds

w ere f r equen t ly g ran ted as a l r eady ex i s t ing

en t i t i e s by w ea l thy secu la r pa t rons . T he

m o nas t i c con t r ib u t ion w as genera l ly l a t e r

in da t e , and on a sm a l l e r sca l e t han tha t o f

the la i ty .9° Freshwater pond f i sh , as luxury

i te m s , w e r e r a r e l y c o n s u m e d d u r i n g L e n t

b y o r d i n a r y m o n k s . A s L e n t w a s a t i m e o f

penance i t w as m a in ly sa l t ed sea f i sh tha t

w as ea t en fo r m uc h o f t he tim e , w i th

freshwater f i sh reserved for specia l feas ts ,

a n d t h e e n t e r t a i n m e n t o f i m p o r t a n t g u e st s.

A n u m b e r o f e a r ly g r a n ts o f r e a d y - m a d e

p o n d s t o n e w l y f o u n d e d r e l i g i o u s h o u s e s

m a ke i t a spec i fi c cond i t ion o f t he g ran t t ha t

the f i sh shou ld be r e se rved fo r specia l

occasion s. ~

s Balon x974, pp 19-21.

C u r r i e ,

op cit

p p 2 6 - 4 1 .

' ° C K C u r r i e , ' Th e f u ue~ mn o f f i s h p o n d s in t h e mo n as t i c eco n o m y '

in R Gilcbr is t , and H Mytum, eds ,

The ardlaeolog of n~ral

monasteries

Brit isb Archaeological Repor ts , Br i t ish ser ies 203,

Ox f o r d , 1 9 89 , p p t4 7 - 7 2 ; M A As to n , ed ,

Medievalfish f isheries

andf i shponds in En¢land

Brit ish Archaeological Repor ts , Br i t ish

ser ies 182, Ox ford , 1988, p 4 .

C u r r i e , ' F u n c t io n o f f i s h p o n d s ' , p p 1 5 9- -6 o ; Ex amp les i n c lu d e th e

d e W ar en n es wh o wer e p a r t i cu la r ly p r ec i se ab o u t t h e i r r ea s o n s fo r

g r an t in g r ig h t s t o f r e s h wa te r f i s h in g . At L ewes , Eas t S u s s ex , t h e i r

gran t of Io91-8 to f ish their waters in the d is t r ic t held the condi t ion

' for the great feas ts and for great gues ts and especial ly the

( m e m o r i al ) s er v ic e o f m y m o t h e r a n d f a t h e r . . . ' ( c f. L F S a l z m a n ,

ed ,

The Cartulary o f he Pr iory o f S t Pancreas o f Lewes par t i

S u s s ex

Reco rd Society , vol 38 , t932, p 19) . At S t M ary ' s , York , th e sam e

f ami ly ma d e g r an t s o f f r e s h wa te r f i s h f r o m lo cal m er e s c l I 3 8 - 4 7

' a t t h e f e a s t o f t h e A s s u m p t i o n ' a n d

c l I7 4 -5

t h r ee t imes y ea r ly a t

t h e A n n u n c i a t i o n , t h e A s s u m p t i o n a n d t h e N a t i v i t y o f S t M a r y ,

cf . C T Clay , e d ,

Early Yorkshire Char te rs

VIII , Yorkshire

Archaeological Society ex tra ser ies , I949, pp 82 , I t 4 . The Ear ls of

S t C la r e g r an ted f i s h in g r ig h t s i n t h e i r p o n d s to t h e a l ien p r io r y o f

S to k e - b y - C la r e f o r t h e ce l eb r a tio n o f t h e f ea st o f S t J o h n th e

B ap t i s t ( 1 I 3 8- 4 3) an d th e an n iv e r s a r y o f t h e d ea th o f h e i r an ces to r,

Gilber t F i tzRichard (e l t 52-73) , cf . C Ha rper-Bil l and R M ort im er ,

eds ,

Stoke-by-Clare Cartulary

Suffo lk Record Society , Suffo lk

Char ters IV, t982, pp 17 , 25 .

H I S T O R Y R E V I E W

E xa m ina t ion o f de t a il ed accoun ts o f

ar is tocra t ic f i shpond s before 135o seems to

ind ica t e t ha t l i t t l e a t t em pt w as m ade to

real ize thei r fu l l potent ia l in terms of

yie lds . In many cases they were seen as a

c o n s p i c u o u s l u x u r y . A g o o d e x a m p l e o f

this i s the 4oo acres of ponds ma inta ine d by

the b i shops o f W inches t e r , w h ere ba re ly a

tenth of thei r pote nt ia l was exploi ted. t~

Despi te extens ive searches , th is author

has been unable to f ind reference to carp

b e i n g k e p t i n p o n d s i n E n g l a n d b e f o r e

c i35o . R esea rch has show n tha t t he m os t

popu la r f r e shw ate r f i sh be fo re th i s da t e w ere

bream and p ike , pa r t i cu la r ly on the roya l

t ab le , w here i t i s t hough t con tem pora ry

t rends wo uld be m irrored. ~3

Although sea f i sher ies , and poss ibly es tuar-

ine f i she r i e s seek ing m igra to ry f i sh , w ere

invo lved in the com me rcia l sa le of fi sh , i t

s eem s un l ike ly tha t a r i s toc ra t ic and m on as t i c

l and lo rds kep t fi shponds fo r t he purpose o f

en te r ing the com m erc ia l m arke t be fo re the

ea r ly four t een th cen tu ry . E ven a f t e r t h i s

date there i s l i t t le evidence that the upper

c lasses o f m ed ieva l soc i e ty kep t f r e shw ate r

f i sh for prof i t . Before c i25o the kings of

E ng land seem to have been ab le to supp ly

the g rea te r pa r t o f t he ir r equ i rem ent s f rom

t h e i r d e m e s n e l a n d s t h r o u g h o u t t h e k i n g -

d o m . D u r i n g t h e r e i g n o f H e n r y II I

I216- -72)

roya l accoun t s r ecorded the

inc reas ing necess i ty o f purchas ing f r e sh-

w a te r f i sh fo r bo th s tock ing new ponds ,

and for providing for the larger feas ts held

a t Wes tm ins t e r . B y the ea r ly four t een th

' : E Rober ts , 'Th e Bis hop o f Win ches ter ' s f ishponds , i t5o-14oo:

th e i r d ev e lo p men t , f u n c t io n an d man a g em en t ' i n

Proe Hants Field

Club Archaeol Soc

42, I986, pp I25-38; p I3O; Curr ie , 'M edieval

F i s h p o n d s ' , p 44 an d f o l lo win g . A g o o d ex amp le i s q u o ted b y

R o b e r t s ( p 1 2 7) ; i n H9 3 th e B i s h o p o f W in ch es t e r p r o cu r ed

q u an t i ti e s o f s mo k ed an d s a l t s ea f is h an d s a lm o n f o r h i s h o u s eh o ld

from ou ts ide sources but i t was only w hen Richard I I v is i ted

Win ches ter in Septem ber that the episcopal po nds w ere f ished .

,9 Curr ie , 'Medieval F ish pond s ' , pp 5o-89.


3/11

i

T H E E A R L Y H I S T O R Y O F T H E C A R P A N D I TS

c e n t u r y , t h e k i n g s s e e m t o h a v e b e c o m e

l a r g e ly d e p e n d e n t o n c o m m e r c i a l s o u rc e s . ,4

F r o m t h i s i t c an b e co n c l u d ed t h a t a c la ss

ex i s t ed t h a t s u p p l i ed f r e s h w a t e r f is h fo r t h e

m a r k e t . R e s e a r c h s e e m s t o i n d i c a t e t h a t

t h e s e f i s h e r m e n w e r e c o n c e n t r a t e d i n a re as

o f l a r g e n a t u r a l f i sh e r ie s . I n t h e t w e l f t h

c e n t u r y i t i s r e c o r d e d t h a t , a l t h o u g h T h e

F e n s w e r e f i sh e d d a y a n d n i g h t t h r o u g h o u t

t h e y e ar , t h e y c o n t i n u e d t o s u p p l y l a r ge

q u an t i t i e s o f f r e s h w a t e r f i s h . T h e e s ta t e s

o f R a m s e y A b b e y i n t h e f if te e n th c e n t u r y

r e c o r d t h e c o n s i d e r a b l e i n c o m e d e r i v e d

f r o m t h e i r f i s h e r i e s t h e r e ; i n m an y ca s e s i t

w as a l m o s t a s g r ea t as th a t r e ce i v ed f r o m

l i v e s to ck , an d o f t en i n ex ce s s o f m an o r i a l

r e n t s . ' 6 S u c h i n c o m e , h o w e v e r , g e n e r a l l y

d e r i v ed f r o m r en t s an d l e a s e s ; i t w as n o t

g en e r a l p r ac t i c e f o r s u ch e s t ab l i s h m en t s t o

b e i n v o l v e d i n t h e d i r e c t sa le o f t h e p r o d u c e .

T h u s w h e n H e n r y I I I r e q u i r e d e x t r a f r e s h -

w a t e r f is h h e s e n t t o t h e s h e r i f f o f C a m b r i d g e

a n d H u n t i n g d o n s h i r e to p r o c u r e t h e m f o r

h i m , a l m o s t c e r t a i n l y f r o m t h e a b u n d a n t

natu ral f ish er ies in tho se areas . ,7

G en e r a l l y , t h e g r ea t e r a ri s t o c r acy s eem e d

u n i n t e r e s t e d in m a k i n g p r o f i ts f r o m t h e ir

o w n f is h p o n d s b e y o n d t h e r e l at iv e ly m e a g r e

r e n t s t h e y a s k e d f o r t h e m w h e n t h e y

w e r e p u t o u t t o f a rm . T h i s i s s h o w n a t

S t S w i t h u n ' s P r i o r y i n W i n c h e s t e r w h e r e ,

a s l a te a s I 4 9 I , t h ey w e r e a s k i n g 3s d p e r

a n n u m f o r t h e i r t w o p o n d s a t F l e e t w h i c h

c o v e r e d a m i n i m u m o f I 3 o a cr es . T h i s w a s

l i t t l e m o r e t h a n t h e v a l u e t h e y p u t o n t h e

o n e h u n d r e d f i s h f r o m t h o s e p o n d s t h a t t h e

l e s see w as r eq u i r ed t o s en d t o t h e p r i o r y

ea ch yea r. ,8

T h e c o m p a r a t i v e l y l o w r e n t p e r a c r e o f

t h e F l ee t p o n d s s eem s t o b e f a ir l y t y p i ca l o f

t h e m e d i e v a l p e r i o d . T h i s i s c o n f i r m e d b y

D y e r , w h o r e c o g n i z e d t h a t r i v e r in e f is h e ri e s

a p p e a r t o h a v e b e e n m o r e v a l u a b l e t h a n

~ C u r r i e , F u n c t i o n o f f i s h p o n d s , p p , 56 - -5 7 .

,s H C Darb y , Tile medieval Fenland, t 9 4 o , r ep r N ew t o n A b b o t ,

t974, p 28.

e J A Raftis, Estates o f Ramsey Abbey , Toronto , 1957, p 3oo.

~Calendarofliberate rolls, x267-72, p I65.

, s j G rea t r ex , The register of the com mo,t seal, Hants Record Ser ies I I ,

I978 , p I83; F G Baig ent , Th e Cro ndall record, I8 9 1 , p p 4 7 4 -7 £

E C O N O M I C S I G N I F I C A N C E IN E N G L A N D

p o n d s . H e a s s u m es t h a t t h is is b ecau s e r i v e r

f i sh e r i es a r e ' g en e r a l l y m o r e p r o d u c t i v e '9

T h e d i s p a r i t y i n r e n t s m a y a l t e r n a t i v e l y

d e r iv e f r o m t h e w a y i n w h i c h t h e d i f f e re n t

t y p e s o f f is h e r y f u n c t io n e d . M e d i e v a l p o n d s

h a v e b e e n s h o w n t o h a v e b e e n m a i n l y

m a n a g e d b y d r a i n in g d o w n a n d so r t in g t h e

en t i r e p o p u l a t i o n a f t e r a s e t p e r i o d ( o f t en

ev e r y f i v e y ea r s ). 2° P o n d s w e r e h en ce t r e a t e d

a s u n d e r w a t e r p a s t u r e a n d o n c e t h e s t o c k

h a d b e e n r e m o v e d , t h e y w e r e r a t e d a s a n y

o t h e r p a s t u r e , i .e . d e v o i d o f i ts s t o ck . T h e

y i e ld o f a p o n d w a s n o t g e n e r a l l y r e fl e c t ed

i n t h e r en t ch a r g ed , a s a l e ss ee w o u l d

g e n e r a l ly b e e x p e c t e d t o p r o v i d e h i s o w n

b r eed i n g s t o ck , b u t i n t h e e f f ec t i v en es s o f

t h e m a n a g e m e n t . R i v e r s m a y h a v e b e e n

s een d i f f e r en t l y a s t h e s t o ck w as en t i r e l y

s e l f -g e n e r a t i n g - a m a j o r p r o p o r t i o n o f

t h e ca t ch es o f a ll r i v e r f i s h e ri e s w e r e

o f m i g r a t o r y f is h w h i c h w e r e n o t e a s i l y

r eg u l a t ed . T h e r e f o r e t h e r en t w as h i g h e r a s

t h e f i s h w e r e i n a w i l d s t a t e an d w e r e

n o t d o m e s t i c a t e d a n i m a l s p r o v i d e d b y t h e

les see , as in the pon ds .

I t m u s t h av e b een t h e s e l e s s ee s w h o

c a u g h t m a n y o f t h e fi sh t h a t f o u n d t h e i r

w a y o n t o t h e o p e n m a r k e t . B e f o r e c I 3 o o

t h e l e a si n g o f p o n d s w as r e l a t i v e l y ra r e ; t h e

u p p e r c l a s s e s k ep t t h em f o r t h e i r o w n u s e .

B u t w i t h t h e d e c li n e o f d e m e s n e f a r m i n g

o v e r t h e f o u r t een t h an d f i f t e en t h cen t u r i e s

m a n y p o n d s w e r e f a r m e d o u t. T h i s w a s n o t

a l w a y s t h e c as e: m a n y l a n d l o r d s j e a l o u s l y

r e t a i n ed t h e i r p o n d s , b u t a s t h e f o u r t een t h

c e n t u r y p r o g r e s s e d , s o m o r e p o n d s f el l i n t o

t h e h an d s o f le s s e r g en t r y an d r i ch p ea s an t s

w h o co u l d a f f o r d t h e l ea s es . T h i s f a c i l it a t ed

acce s s t o r eg u l a r s u p p l i e s o f f r e s h w a t e r f i s h

ea s ie r f o r t h e s e g r o u p s . I n t h is w a y t h e r i g i d

d l i t i s m a s s o c i a t e d w i t h p o n d o w n e r s h i p

w a s d i l u t e d , a l t h o u g h t h e a s s o c i a t i o n o f

f r e s h w a t e r f i s h w i t h h i g h s o c i a l s t a t u s d i d

n o t d i e aw ay en t i r e l y u n t i l m u ch l a t e r . I t

,,a C D y e r , T h e c o n s u m p t i o n o f r e s h -w a t e r f is h i n m ed iev a l E n g l an d

in As ton , ed , Medieval Fish, pp 27-38; p 32.

: °R o b e r t s , B i s h o p o f Wi n ch es t e r s F i s h p o n d s , p I3 z ; C u r r i e ,

Medieval F i shp onds , pp 54-63 .


4/11

I O 0 T H E A G R I C U L T U R A L

m an aged to su rv ive un t i l t he f a sh ion o f f ly

f i sh ing fo r t rou t i n c l ea r cha lk s tr eam s w as

taken up by the upper c l a s ses in the

n ine teen th cen tu ry .- T h en a new aspec t o f

f r e shw ate r f i sh ing becam e assoc ia t ed w i th

pres t ige and s t a tus . T he in f lux o f supe r -

m a rke t t rou t i n r ecen t yea r s i s no w e rod ing

this manifes ta t ion of c lass 61i t i sm, but i t i s

s t il l a s ign o f s t a tus to ' ow n a b i t o f f i sh ing '

i n l at e t w e n t i e t h - c e n t u r y E n g l a n d .

C o m m e r c i a l f i s h e r m e n m a y h a v e b e e n

b r i n g i n g s o m e f r e s h w a t e r f is h t o m a r k e t

t h r o u g h o u t t h e m e d i e v a l p e r i o d b u t t h i s

increased dramat ica l ly af ter c i3oo-I35O.

B K R o b e r ts h a s s h o w n h o w w e a l t h y

peasan t s ow ned f i shponds in the F ores t

o f A r d e n i n W a r w i c k s h i r e i n t h e e a rl y

f o u r t e e n t h c e n t u r y a n d t h e w o r d i n g o f

a g r e e m e n t s b e t w e e n t h e se p e o p le a n d o t h e r

pe r sons o f m idd l in g s ta tus seem s to im p ly

tha t a t l eas t pa r t o f t he p roduce o f t he pon ds

m a y h a v e b e e n i n t e n d e d f o r c o m m e r c i a l

sa le . = Th ere i s l i t t le evide nce here for

m e m b e r s o f t h e a r i st o c r ac y b e i n g i n v o l v e d

in th is ac t iv i ty .

T h e b e s t e v i d e n c e fo r t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f

com m erc ia l p rod uc t ion da t e s f rom the la t e r

f o u r t e e n th c e n t u r y . A l o n g t h e s o u t h e r n

b a n k o f th e R i v e r T h a m e s a t S o u t h w a r k

w as a se r i e s o f w a te r f ron t p lo t s know n as

' T h e S t e w s '. T h i s w a s f o r m e r l y h e ld t o

represen t an area in hab i ted by pros t i tu tes , -'3

bu t i t w ou ld seem tha t t he r ea l o r ig in o f t he

nam e de r ives f rom the f i shponds the re in

the I36OS, and p oss ibly m uc h ear l ier.

In 1363 i t i s r ecorded tha t Joh n T ry g , a

f i s h m o n g e r , h a d a m e s s u a g e a n d y a r d t h e r e

c o n t a i n i n g a p o n d f o r ' f e e d in g a n d k e e p i n g

f ish ' wor th I3S 4d a year . He i s ordered to

repa i r t h ree pe rches o f w ha r f oppos i t e t h i s

m essuage . In the sam e yea r i t i s r ecorded

t h a t W i l l ia m S t o d e h a d a f is h p o n d a n d y a r d

w o r th I3S 4d a yea r p lus e igh t pe rches

o f d i tc h r o u n d t h e s a id y a r d o p p o s i t e

~ In d u s t r i a l p o l l u t i o n m ay h a v e co n t r i b u t ed t o t h i s .

: a R o b e r t s , B i s h o p o fW i n ch es t e r s F i s h p o n d s , p p 1 2 3 -5 .

~a H D o u g l a s - I r v in e , S o u t h w a r k b o r o u g h i n The Victoria History of

the County o f Surrey, IV, I912, pp 125-62; p 148.


Mayde lane . T he d i t ches w ere no t kep t c l ean

causing the r iver to f lood the adjacent land.

T w o o the r pe r sons a re o rde red to appea r

be fo re the K ing fo r t he sam e com pla in t ;

W i l li am S t roke lady had a ya rd and f i shpo nd

w o r th £ I a yea r and four pe rches o f d i t ch

b y M a y d e l a n e a n d W i l l i a m N e u p o r t o f

L ondon had the re ' d ive r s ' m essuages w i th

ya rds and f i shponds w o r th £ I 6s 8d w i th

30 perches o f unc leaned di tches . =4 H u g h

W a r e o f L o n d o n h a d m e s s u ag e s w i t h y a r d s

and f i shpo nds w or th £4- a year and 12

perches of unclea ned di tches . =5 I t i s fu r the r

recorded tha t t hese m essuages backed o n to

an area apt ly ca lled Py ke Ga rden . 26

T hese docum e nt s seem to r ecord a t h r iv -

i n g s y s te m o f h o l d i n g p o n d s o p e r a t e d b y

profess iona l f i shm o nger s t o sup p ly the open

m arke t . T he desc r ip t ion im pl i e s t ha t no t

on ly w as the sys t em ve ry ex tens ive bu t t ha t

the f i sh w ere de l ibe ra t e ly f a t t ened w i th

supp lem enta ry food . I t is even poss ib l e t ha t

the d i tches r efe r r ed to im ply a com pl i ca t ed

sys t em of supp ly l ea t s , and poss ib l e

d ive r s ion d i t ches to em pty the ponds w hen

the f i sh were needed. Archaeologis ts in the

area have of ten come across rec tangular

t anks and d i t ches bu t , un t i l t h i s docum ent

w as no t i ced , t hey had no t been ab le to

ident i fy the pu rpos e of these fea tures .27 Th is

ev idence seem s to r ecord tha t a com m erc ia l

f i sh -keep ing indus t ry ex i s t ed in E ng la nd b y

the I360s.

S upp lem enta ry f eed ing i s, i n m any w ays ,

the bes t i nd ica t ion tha t f i sh -keepe r s w ere

t ry ing to inc rease the i r y i e lds , p robab ly

for co mm ercia l ga in . -8 By the fo ur te ent h

cen tu ry changes in the na t iona l econom y

w ere beg inn ing to fos t e r t he em ergence o f

24 C T Flow ers,

Public works in medieval law , n,

Seldon Society , XL,

1923, p 188.

2s lbid,

p x89.

~' bid,

p 198.

:7 S o u t b w ark ex cav a t i o n p e r s o n n e l , p e r s o n a l co m m u n i ca t i o n .

. .s Al tho ugh t i le ga rdene r a t Abin gdo n A bbe y wa s g iv ing f i sh ar t if i cia l

fo o d , an d t h en s e ll in g t h em i n t h e fo u r t een t h / ea r l y f i f te en t h cen t u ry

(see R E G Ki rk , Accounts of the obedientariars of Abingdo n Abbey ,

C am d en , n ew s e r i e s, L l , 1 8 9 2 , p p 3 , 5 2 , 7 4 ), r e s ea r ch h as s h o w n

t h a t t h i s w as an u n co m m o n p rac t i ce fo r a h i g h - s t a t u s i n s t i t u t i o n

( see C u r r i e , F u n c t i o n o fF i s h p o n d s , p p 1 5 4 -6 . )

J

:t


5/11

T H E E A R L Y H I S T O R Y O F T H E C A R P A N D I TS

a m o r e m o n e y - b a s e d s y s te m i n w h i c h t h e

m i d d l i n g o r d e r s o f s o c i e t y w e r e a b le t o

a v ai l t h e m s e l v e s o f o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o b e t t e r

t h e m s e l v e s . T h e r e i s p e r h a p s m o r e t o

C h a u c e r ' s F r a n k l i n h a v i n g a f i s h p o n d t h a n

s o c ia l c l i m b i n g . ~9 I t m a y d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t

t h e r i s i n g m i d d l e c l a s s e s w e r e a l r e a d y

c o m m o n l y k e e p i n g f is h p on d s .

H i c k l i n g a r g u e d t h a t m e d i e v a l f i s h - k e e p -

i n g p r a c t i c e s w e r e f a r b e h i n d t h o s e r e c o m -

m e n d e d b y T a v e r n e r i n 1 6 oo . O n e o f h is

p r i nc i p a l a r g u m e n t s w a s t h a t m e d i e v a l fi sh -

k e e p e r s d i d n o t g i v e t h e i r fi sh s u p p l e m e n t a r y

f o o d ) ° T h i s m a y h a v e b e e n t r u e o f th e

l a t e e l e v e n t h - t o t h i r t e e n t h - c e n t u r y u p p e r

c la ss es , b u t i t w a s n o t b e n e a t h l o w e r o r d e r s

t o t r y t o i n c r e a s e t h e i r r e v e n u e s , a s i s s h o w n

b y t h e S o u t h w a r k f i s h m o n g e r s . H i c k l in g

f u r t h e r a r g u e d t h a t i t w a s o n l y w i t h t h e

i n t r o d u c t i o n o f t h e f a s te r g r o w i n g c a rp ,

' st il l t h e m a i n s t a y o f f i sh f a r m i n g ' , t h a t

E n g l i s h f i s h - k e e p i n g w a s a b le t o a d v a n c e

t o T a v e r n e r ' s s t a n d a r d s o f 1 6 oo . 3, Id e a s

t h o u g h t b y H i c k l i n g t o b e T u d o r i n n o -

v a t io n s w e r e k n o w n t o t h e R o m a n s - s u c h

a s s u p p l e m e n t a r y f e e d i n g - a n d h a d n o t

b e e n f o r g o t t e n i n t h e m e d i e v a l c e n t u r i e s .

T h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f th e c a rp w o u l d h a v e

o p e n e d u p n e w a r ea s o f e x p l o i t a ti o n . T h e i r

f as te r g r o w t h w o u l d h a v e e n c o u r a g e d c o m -

m e r c i a l i s m a s y i e l d s c o u l d b e s u c h a s t o

m a k e i n v e s t m e n t m o r e w o r t h w h i l e .

II

T h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f t h e c ar p to E n g l a n d

s e e m s t o c o i n c i d e w i t h c h a n g e s i n b o t h t h e

e c o n o m i c c l i m a t e a n d a t t i t u d e s t o w a r d s

f i s h p o n d s . I t n o w s e e m s p r o b a b l e t h a t it

b e g a n t o b e i n t r o d u c e d t o t h i s c o u n t r y

i n t h e l a t e f o u r t e e n t h a n d e a r l y f i f t e e n t h

c e n t u r y . T h i s w a s a p e r i o d d e s c r i b e d b y

D y e r i n w h i c h :

The aris tocracy always recruited new blood from

below its ranks, but in the late fourteenth and fifteenth

: 9 D ye r , Co nsum pt i on o f f r e shw a t e r fi sh , p 35 .

3o Hickl ing, Pr ior M ore s f i shpon ds , p x23.

3, Ibid, p 320.

E C O N O M I C S I G N I F I C A N C E I N E N G L A N D I O I

century there was a new threat posed to the privileged

classes by parve nus lik e Chaucer 's Fran klin. The

leasing out o f demesnes, and with th em ma ny ponds,

provided just one o f the ch ange s threatening the

aristocratic way of life.3=

W r i t i n g i n 1 98 4, w i t h o u t t h e b e n e f i t o f m u c h

s u b s e q u e n t r e s ea r c h th e p r e s e n t a u t h o r

s u g g e s t e d t h e f o l l o w i n g r e a so n s f o r t h e

i n t r o d u c t i o n o f ca r p t o la te m e d i e v a l

E n g l a n d . A l t h o u g h m a n y o f t h e c o n c l u s io n s

d r a w n t h e n h a v e n e e d e d r e v i s i o n t h e b a s i c

p r e m i s e s h o l d t ru e :

The reasons for i ts ( th e carp's) introduction as a

popular species must no w start to become plain. T he

•

secularized fishing industry of England, in an age

of increasing materialism, could not have failed to

notice the oppor tuni ties await ing i t . . . They w ould

have been qu ick to notice the hardiness of the carp,

the ease with w hich it could be transported, and ,

mo re importantly, i ts rap id grow th rate compared

with othe r freshwater species. As fish culturists kno w

only too well , the quicker a f ish will grow, the m ore

mo ney there is to be m ade.

P r e v i o u s v i e w s c o n c e r n i n g t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n

o f c ar p t o E n g l a n d h a d b e e n b a s e d o n

c o m m e n t s i n ' T h e t r e a ty s e o f f y s s h y n g e

w i t h a n a n g l e ' , ~4 a t t r i b u t e d t o J u l i a n a

B e r n e r s , a n d p u b l i s h e d a s p a r t o f

The boke

of St Alban s i n 1 4 9 6 . H e r e t h e a u t h o r s a y s

s h e k n o w s l i t t l e a b o u t t h e c a r p a s ' t h e r e b e

b u t f e w i n E n g l a n d ' . 3s A s a c o n s e q u e n c e i t

w a s c o n s i d e r e d t h a t t h e fi s h w a s l a r g e l y a

T u d o r i n t r o d u ct i on . T h e r e is n o w s o m e

e v i d e n c e t o s u g g e s t t h a t t h e y h a d a l r e a d y

b e g u n t o m a k e t h e i r a p p e a r a n c e i n t h e l a t e

f o u r t e e n t h c e n t u r y , a t a t i m e w h e n c h a n g e s

w e r e t a k i n g p l a ce i n t h e f i s h - p r o d u c i n g

i n d u s t r y ( th is i n c lu d e s e v i d e n c e t o s u g g e s t

m a j o r c h a n g e s i n t h e s e a f i s h i n g i n d u s t r i e s

3~ D ye r , Co nsu mp t i on o f f r e shw a t e r fi sh , p 35 .

3J C K Cur r ie , Carp b eginn ings in C arp Fi sher , 7, x 984, pp 64-7,

66.

34 Hickl ing, Pr ior M ore s Fishpond s , p x2o.

3s j Be r ne r s , T r e a t yse o f fys shyng e w i t h a n a ng l e i n TI , e boke o f S t

A l b a n s , i496.


6/11

1 2 T H E A G R I C U L T U R A L

a t t h is t i m e . 36) A n e a r l y m a n u s c r i p t o f

B e r n e r s T r e a t y s e h a s r e c e n t l y b e e n f o u n d

t h a t s e e m s t o d a t e f r o m c r 4 o 6 t o c i 4 5 0 . 37

F u r t h e r m o r e i t h a s b e e n d i s c o v e r e d t h a t

r o y a l k i t c h e n a c c o u n t s o f t h e f o u r t e e n t h

c e n t u r y r e c o r d t h e c a r p . 38 I t w o u l d s e e m

f r o m t h i s t h a t c a r p h a d b e g u n t o f i n d t h e i r

w a y o n t o L o n d o n t a b le s to w a r d s t h e e n d

o f th e f o u r t e e n t h c e nt u r y . T h e m o s t o b v i o u s

p o i n t o f d i sp a t c h w a s t h e L o w C o u n t r ie s .

T h e f ir s t d e t a il e d w r i t i n g s o n t h e k e e p i n g

o f c ar p o r i g in a t e d f r o m T h e N e t h e r l a n d s i n

t h e m i d - s i x t e e n t h c e n t u ry . J a n u s D u b r a -

v i u s w o r k A new book o fgood husbandry w a s

a n e x t r e m e l y i n f l u e n t i a l w o r k o n f i s h -

k e e p i n g . 39 I ts w r i t e r w a s a D u t c h c le r ic , a n d

w h e n t h e f i rs t E n g l i s h w o r k t o e x to l th e

v i rt u e s o f k e e p i n g c ar p, J o h n T a v e r n e r s

Certaine experiments with fishe and r ite

w a s

p u b l i s h e d , i t w e n t t o s o m e l e n g t h s t o

r e c o m m e n d D u b r a v i u s a s a n au t h o r i ty o n

t h e s u b j e c t . E v e n m u c h l a t e r , i n t h e e a r l y

e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y , t h e D u t c h a n d F l e m i sh

p e o p l e s w e r e s ti ll s e e n a s m a s t e r s o f all f o r m s

o f h u s b a n d r y , p a r ti c ul a rl y t h e k e e p i n g o f

f i s h . 4 °

I t m a y , t h e r e f o r e , b e m o r e t h a n a c o in c i -

d e n c e th a t a F l e m i n g , F r o w s o f F l a n d e rs ,

w a s l e a si n g T h e S t e w s a t S o u t h w a r k at t h e

t i m e o f t h e p e a s a n t s r e v o l t o f r 3 81 w h e n h i s

p r o p e r t y t h e r e w a s a tt a c k e d a n d w r e c k e d . 4

D y e r h a s s u g g e s t e d t h a t p e a s a n t d i s c o n t e n t

o f t e n e x p r e s s e d i t s e l f b y a s s a u lt s o n f i s h -

p o n d s , w h i c h w e r e s e e n a s b a s t i o n s o f

pr iv i le ge . 4=

E a s t A n g l i a h a s a l o n g t r a d i t i o n o f

c o n n e c t i o n s w i t h t h e L o w C o u n t r i e s . I t is

t h e r e f o r e n o t s u r p r i s i n g t h a t t h e e a r l i e s t

~ M A S au l, Th e h e r r in g in d u s t r y a t Gr ea t Ya r mo u th c t2 8 0 -cx 4 0o

in

Norfolk Archaeology

38, I981, pp 33-43; P Heath , No r th Sea

f ish ing in the f i f teenth century : the Sca rboroug h f leet in

Northern

History

III, I968, pp 53-69.

57 R C Ho f f m an , F i s h in g f o r s p o r t i n med iev a l Eu r o pe : n ew ev id en ce

in Speculum 60/4, I985, pp 877-902; p 879.

j s j M c D o n n e l l ,

h~land f i sher ies in med ieval Yorksh ire ~o66-13oo

Borthwick Papers , 6o , York , z98z; p I .

3 9 j Du b r av iu s , A n e w b o o k o f good husbandry x599 t rans la t ion .

4o R No r th , The gent leman anner x7z6.

4~ Do u g la s - l r v in e , S o u th wa r k b o r o u g h , p x 4 8 .

4 : Dy e r , C o n s u m p t io n o f f r e s h wa te r f i s h , p 3 5 ; l e ctu re g iv en a t

Br is to l Univers i ty , Feb z984.


r e c o r d o f c a r p s to c k e d in p o n d s i n E n g l a n d

d a t e d f r o m t h i s r e g i o n i n 1 4 6 2 w h e n t h e

D u k e o f N o r f o l k s t or e d h is p o n d s w i t h

t h e m . T h e a c c o u n t s o f t h is m a n r e c o r d t h a t

b e t w e e n 1 4 62 a n d 1 46 8 h e s t o c k e d s i x o f h i s

o w n n a m e d p o n d s w i t h c ar p an d m a d e g if ts

f o r s t o c k i n g i n o t h e r p o n d s t o f i v e o f

h i s w e a l t h y n e i g h b o u r s , i n c l u d i n g L a d y

W a l d g r a v e a n d T h o m a s M o l e y n s . 43 T h e

e x t e n t o f t h e D u k e s i n t er e s t a n d t h e

g e n e r o u s g i f t s h e m a d e s u g g e s t s t h a t E a s t

A n g l i a , a t l ea s t, w o u l d h a v e b e e n r e a s o n a b l y

s t o c k e d w i t h t h e s p e c ie s b y t h e I 47 O S a t t h e

la test .

A p a r t i c u l a r l y in t e r e s t i n g a c c o u n t o f t h e

k e e p i n g o f c a rp i n t h is r e g i o n d a te s f r o m

1 5 3 8 w h e n i t i s r e c o r d e d t h a t t h e G y f f a r d

f a m i l y o f S u f f o l k h a d b e e n a b o u t t o s u p p l y

t h e K in g w i t h c a rp f o r his p o n d a t C o m e b u r y

w h e n m i s f o r t u n e o v e r to o k t h e m :

Abo ut Christmas 2 years ago the King wrote to Tho s

Gyffard to provide ca rp and other fish for his man or

of Comebury. He drew his pools and put the chosen

fish into Theves pond, which was robbed in the night,

before they could be taken to Com ebury, by persons

from Claydon. R affe Gyffard stole 5 carps w orth 5

crowns out o f the same pond, and on the 6th o f this

August, the W arell s pond was robb ed, and a cart

was traced to S teple Claydon, w here R affe Gyffard

lives and nets and other things were found there.

Raffe told those sent by T hos Gyffard that he w ould

fish his ponds before his face. About 5 yea rs ago

Nicholas Gyffard (and others) . . . were taken in

Thom as park at nigh t with stalkinghorse, crossbows,

longbows and last St Thom as Day a buck was killed

. . . the keeper s houn d drew straight towards

Claydon but Tho mas ordered him to stop, as he did

no t wis h his kinsman s conduct to be talked of in the

cou ntry . 44

B y t h e t i m e o f t h is d o c u m e n t , c a r p a re

f r e q u en t ly r e c o rd e d . T h e l a rg e n u m b e r o f

p l ac e s f r o m w h i c h i t w a s p o s s i b l e lo c a l l y to

o b t a in t h e m m u s t s h o w t h a t H i c k l i n g s

c o m m e n t t h a t th e y h a d o n ly b e e n i n tr o d u c e d

t o E n g l a n d o n a s m a l l s c a l e i n t h e I 5 3 o s

s e e m s t o b e i n c o r r e c t .

43 T Hu dson , ed ,

Man ners and household expenses of England in the 13th

at~d 15th centu ries

Ro xbo rou gh Club, I84X, pp 560-3 .

44

Letters and Papers Foreign attd Dom estic Hen ry VI II

1538, II, p 246.


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T H E E R L Y H I ST O R Y O F T H E C R P N D I TS E C O N O M I C S I G N I F I C N C E I N E N G L N D

103

A m o n g s t t h o s e r e c o r d e d a s k e e p i n g c a r p C r o m w e l l w a s i n F a r n h a m , S u r r e y , a ls o i n

i n p o n d s w a s P r i o r M o r e o f W o r c e s t e r . g5 I n 1 53 9, a M r s C o v e r t b r o u g h t h i m c a r p w o r t h

1 53 o t h e P r i o r o f L l a n t h o n y S e c u n d a , n e a r

G l o u ces t e r , s en t a g i f t o f c a r p t o t h e K i n g . 46

I n H a m p s h i r e , e a r ly i n 1 53 7, T h o m a s

W r i o t h e s l e y i s r e c o r d e d a s b e i n g a b o u t

t o s t o c k t h e f o r m e r m o n a s t i c p o n d s a t

T i t c h fi e ld w i t h t h e m . T h e d o c u m e n t t el ls

u s h o w t h e y w e r e t o b e t r a n s p o r t e d t o t h e

s i t e , a s w e l l a s i n d i c a t i n g t h a t c o m m e r c i a l

d e a li n g s i n f is h w a s n o w a c c e p ta b l e a m o n g s t

t h e r i s i n g c l a s se s o f s o c i e t y :

The bailey of Gernsey and M r Wells of Hampton

were here at the sam e time. Viewed the ponds - four

of them a mile in len gth. The bai ley wil l give

Wriothesley 500 carp to stock the ponds, M r H uttuft

providing the freight, M r M ylls tub s, and Mr W ells

conveyance of the carps, so that in 3 or 4 years time

he m ay sell£20 to £30 worth of them every ye ar . . . 4v

I n I 5 3 8 it is r e c o r d e d t h a t t h e m o n k s o f th e

L o n d o n C h a r t e r h o u s e h a d k e p t c a rp in t h e ir

p o n d s . A t t h e c l o s u r e o f t hi s m o n a s t e r y , t h e

d e s p o i l e r s w e r e k e e n t o h a v e t h e i r s h a r e o f

t h e se fi sh , a n d a q u a n t i t y w e r e s e n t to t h e

r o y a l p o n d a t F o y e r w e l l . 4~ M e a n w h i l e a

n u m b e r o f t h e r o y a l c ir cl e a r e r e c o r d e d a s

e a t in g c a r p . I n a le t t e r o f J o h n H u s e e t o

L o r d L i sl e , d a t e d 1 53 8 , it i s m en t i o n e d t h a t

t w o p a s t i e s o f c a r p h a v e b e e n d e l i v e r e d t o

t h e L o r d P r i v y S ea l . 49 S i r W i l l i am P e n i s o n

w r o t e t o C r o m w e l l t h a t sa m e y e a r t o in f o r m

h i m h o w t h e m a y o r ( o f L o n d o n? ) h a d

p r e s e n te d m y L a d y w i t h :

1o grea t pik es, Io carps, IO fresh grea t eels, fresh

salmon and sturgeon, tench, bream and all other good

fishes as can be go tten , s°

I n 1 5 3 9 S i r B r i a n T u k e w r o t e t o L o r d L i s le

c o n c e r n i n g a g i f t h e h a d r e c e i v e d : I t h a n k

m y l a d y f o r h e r b a k e n p a r t r i d g e s , b a k e n

c a r p s . . . s t F i n al ly , w h i l s t T h o m a s

4~ E S F eg an ,

Journa l o f Pr io r W i l liam M or t ,

W o r c e s t e r H i s t o r i c a l

S oc i e ty , I9~4 , p 345 .

4 e j N L a n g s t o n , P r i o r s o f L l a n t h o n y b y G l o u c e s t e r i n

Tram Br i s to l

and Glouces ter Ar d , Soc ,

6 3 , 1 9 4 2 , p p I - I 4 5 , x 3 6 .

4~ Le t t ers and Papers , Fore ign and Domes t i c , Henry VII I ,

t 538, I , p 19.

4Slbid,

1538,

1 1

p 9 0 3 .

4 ~lbid,

1538, I , p 716 .

S°Ibid,

1538,

I I

p 177.

5 , Le t t er s and Papers , Fore(~n and Domes t i c , Hen ry VIH ,

15~ 9, I, p

965.

two shillings.S=

A t M a n g o t s f i e l d ( G l o u c e s t e r s h i r e ) , a n

i n c i d e n t is r e co r d e d i n 1 53 7 t h a t r e f l e c ts t h e

a b o v e m e n t i o n e d G y f f a r d fa m i l y f eu d , a n d

d e m o n s t r a t e s t h a t f i s h i n g w a s n o t a l w a y s a

p eace f u l p u r s u i t . H e r e , a s t h e r e s u l t o f a

l o c a l d i s p u t e , s i x ty p e o p l e b r o k e d o w n a

m i l l d am an d l e t a l l t h e f i s h o u t , s t e a l i n g

t e n ch , b r e a m , a n d c a rp w o r t h m o r e t h a n

£2 0. s3

F r o m t h e s e a c c o u n t s i t w o u l d s e e m t h a t

c a r p w e r e n o t h a r d t o c o m e b y i n th e 1 5 3o s.

T h e y w e r e o b t a in e d f r o m s u c h w i d e l y

d i v e r s e p l ace s a s N o r f o l k , S u f f o l k ,

H a m p s h i r e , L o n d o n , S u r r e y , W o r c e s t e r ,

a n d G l o u c e s t e r s h i re . F r o m t h is d i s t r i b u t i o n ,

i t w o u l d a p p e a r t h a t t h e y w e r e r e a s o n a b l y

w e l l e s ta b l i s h e d i n t h is c o u n t r y .

T h e r e i s a s c a r c it y o f r e c o r d i n g i n m a t t e r s

o f f i s h - k e e p i n g b e t w e e n c I 3 5 o a n d t h e 1 53 os

f o r r e a s o n s t h a t a r e n o t a l t o g e t h e r c l e a r .

F r o m t h e p o p u l a r i t y o f f is h i n t h e I5 3O S ,

w h en t h ey a r e c l e a r l y s t i l l p r e s t i g i o u s g i f t s ,

i t m i g h t b e s u g g e s t e d t h a t d i s r u p t i o n s i n t h e

r e c o r d i n g s y st e m s b r o u g h t o n b y t h e p la g u e s

a n d w a r s o f t h e la t e r f o u r t e e n t h a n d f i ft e e n t h

c e n t u r ie s w e r e m o r e l i k e l y r e a s o n s t h a n l a c k

o f i n te r e s t f o r t h is a b s e n c e o f n o t i c e . T h e

r e c o r d s s u g g e s t t h a t c a r p w e r e p r e s e n t i n

E n g l a n d f r o m t h e l a t e f o u r t e e n t h c e n t u r y ,

a n d t h a t b y t h e I 5 3 O S t h e y s e e m w e l l

e s t a b li s h e d a n d m u c h s o u g h t a f te r .

III

B y t h e e n d o f th e s i x te e n t h c e n t u r y , i f n o t

b e f o r e , t h e c a r p h a d b e c o m e t h e m o s t

p o p u l a r f r e s h w a t e r f i s h i n E n g l a n d . T r e a t -

i se s s u c h a s th o s e w r i t t e n b y T a v e r n e r ( 16 o o)

a n d N o r t h (1 71 3) g i v e t h e m p r i d e o f p l a c e

ab o v e a ll o t h e r f is h .

A l a rg e n u m b e r o f e a r l y p o s t - m e d i e v a l

p o n d o w n e r s a r e r e c o r d e d k e e p i n g c a r p .

s: Ibid,

1539, II , p 782.

~3 E D e n n i s o n a n d R l i e s , M e d i e v a l f i s h p o n d s i n A v o n i n A s t o n ,

ed ,

Medieval Fish,

p p 2 0 5 - 2 8 , 2 o 5 .


8/11

I o 4 T H E A G R I C U L T U R A L

T h e E a r l o f R u t l a n d , i n t h e e a rl y s e v e n te e n t h

c e n t u r y , b o u g h t h i s s u p p l y f r o m a L i n -

c o l n s h ir e f i sh e r m a n , P a u l R o b i n s o n , w h o

charged I zd fo r Io - inch f i sh and 2s od fo r

I8 - inch f ish . s4 In I590 a Joh n P y ke w as

a c c us e d o f h a v i n g s t o l e n ' m a n y a n d g r e a t

c a r p es ' f r o m t h e B i s h o p o f W i n c h e s t e r 's

f i s h p o n d a t F r e n s h a m , n e a r F a r n h a m , i n

S u r r e y . s5 A t C o r n b u r y P a r k , i n O x f o r d -

s h ir e , a m i d - s i x t e e n t h c e n t u r y s u r v e y

records th ree f i shpond s nex t t o a m i l l w hich

were s tocked wi th bream, carp, and ee ls .56

C arp a re r ecorded in ponds , fo rm er ly

b e l o n g i n g t o t h e A r c h b i s h o p o f C a n t e r b u r y ,

a t H arro w , in Midd lesex , in I554. 5v

T h e . p o p u l a r i ty o f c ar p w i t h p o n d - k e e p e r s

i s d e m o n s t r a t e d i n in n u m e r a b l e p o s t - m e d i -

eva l t r eat i se s . T av erne r and N or t h , no ted

a b o v e , d e v o t e d t h e i r c o m m e n t s a l m o s t

en t i r e ly to the spec ie s , p ay ing l i t t le a t t en t ion

to any o the r k inds o f f i sh in the i r p ra ises.

A m o n g s t o t h e r s r e c o r d i n g t h e c a r p i s

G e r v a s e M a r k h a m , w h o r e co r d s a n g li n g

m e t h o d s f o r t h e m i n h i s C o u n t r y c o n t e nt m e n t s

or the hu sb an dm an s recreations. 58 H e r e h e

refers to them as r iver f i sh as wel l as pond

dw el l e r s , t he reby sugges t ing tha t su f f i c i en t

n u m b e r s h a d e s c a p e d i n t o E n g l i s h r i v e r

s y s t e m s b y t h e e a r l y s e v e n t e e n t h c e n t u r y

fo r t hem to be so cons ide red . O th e r t r ea ti ses

r e c o r d i n g m e t h o d s o f k e e p i n g c a r p o r

fish ing for th em are W alto n, 5') W orli dg e, '~°

Ba lgra ve ,6' Sm ith , 6- Mortimer, '~3 B rad ley , 64

a n d H a l e 6s t o m e n t i o n b u t a f e w . M a n y o f

t h es e w o r k s a r e l it tl e k n o w n b u t w o u l d

r e p a y f u r t h e r s t u d y f o r t h e i n f o r m a t i o n o n

54 D Da vis,

A History o f Shopp ing ,

1966, p 128.

s s H J B ak e r an d H C Min c h in ,

Frensham then and now ,

F ar n h am,

1948, p I6.

s aC J B o n d an d R A C h am b er s , Ox f o r d s h i r e f is h p o n d s i,~ As to n ,

ed ,

Med ieval Fish,

pp 353-70, 366.

s7 C K C u r r i e , Ea r th w o r k s in Th e G r o v e , Ha r r o w- o n - th e - Hi l l i n

London Archaeologist, vol 5, no 7, 198 6, pp 18o-85, 18o.

s s G M a r k h a m , Coun try contentments, 5th edition, 1633, pp 59-IO2.

sv I W alton , The compleat angler, t653.

6oj Wo rl idge, Systema agricultura, 1669.

6~j Balgrave, The epitome o f the art of husbandry, 1669.

aaJ Sm ith , Englat,d s improvem ent revived, 1673.

a JJ Mo r t im er , The whole art o f husbandry, z7o7.

6 , j Bradley , A general treatise on husbandr), and gardening, 172L

~s T Hale , Tt, e complete book o f husbandry, 1756.


ea r ly f i sh -keep ing and f i sh ing tha t t hey

conta in .

T ha t f i shponds w ere s t i l l popu la r i n t he

p o s t - m e d i e v a l p e r i o d w i t h a g r e a t m a n y

l a n d o w n e r s c a n b e d e m o n s t r a t e d f r o m

num erous sources . R oger N or th ind ica t e s

that f reshwater f i sh are s t i l l considered

l u x u r y i te m s a t t he b e g i n n i n g o f th e

e igh teen th cen tu ry :

B u t y o u m a y c o n t r i v e t o k e e p y o u r S t o c k o f f is h)

w i t h i n C o m p a s s ; f o r y o u m a y e n l a r g e th e E x p e n c e

o f y o u r H o u s e , a n d g r a t i f y y o u r f a m i l y a n d f r ie n d s

th a t v i s i t y o u , wi th a Di sh as accep t ab l e as an y y o u

c a n p u r c h a s e f o r M o n e y ; o r y o u m a y o b l i g e y o u r

f r ie n d s a n d N e i g h b o u r s , b y m a k i n g P r e s e n t s o f th e m ,

w h i c h , f r o m C o u n t r y - m a n t o th e K i n g , i s w e l l ta k e n;

• . . i t i s a p o s i t i v e Di sg race t o ap p ear co v e to u s o f

t h e m , r a t h e r m o r e t h a n o f V e n i s o n , o r a n y o t h e r

t h in g ; so t h a t P resen t s a r e n o t o n l y ex p ed i en t , b u t

n e c e s s a r y t o b e m a d e b y h i m t h a t p ro f e s s e t h a M a s t e r y

o f f i s h . ~ 6

F ur the r w i tness t o th i s s t a t em ent i s t he

a c co u n t o f L o r d W h a r t o n o f U p p e r W i n c h -

e n d o n i n B u c k i n g h a m s h i r e f o r t h e y e a r

I 6 8 6 . M a n y h u n d r e d s o f g r e a t carp ' a re

t aken f rom a nu m b er o f ponds on h i s e s ta te s,

som e fo r sa le and som e fo r re s tock ing o the r

p o n d s Y I n S u ss e x , t h e d ia ri e s o f T h o m a s

M a r c h a n t s h o w t h a t a l a rg e n u m b e r o f

p o n d s i n t h a t c o u n t y w e r e s t o c k e d w i t h

ca rp . H ere Marc han t spen t m u ch o f h i s t im e

as a f i sh dealer , t ravel l ing f rom pond to

po nd to ca tch the f i sh there in . ~8 A t var ious

p laces in O xfordsh i r e , s even teen th - and

e igh teen th -cen tu ry ponds a re iden t i f i ed a s

b e i n g s y s t e m a t i c a l ly m a n a g e d t o p r o d u c e

go od sized carp for eating an d sto cki ng . '~'J

I n H a m p s h i r e , a n u m b e r o f p o n d s a re

iden t i f i ed w i th in the T i t ch f i e ld a rea in the

I74os that conta in carp.

T

At leas t a dozen

can s t i l l be ident i f ied today, four of these

a¢, R No rth , A discourse offish andfishponds, 1713, p 67.

aT R A C r o f t an d A R P ik e , B u ck in g h ams h i r e f i s h p o n d s an d r iv e r

fisheries in As ton , ed, Medieva l Fish, pp 229-66, 264 - 5 .

as E Turn er , Th e Ma rchan t d iary i,~ Susse x Ardtaeologica l Collections,

XX V, 1873, pp 163-99.

a,~ B o n d an d C h am b er s , Ox f o r d s h i r e F i s h p o n d s , p 3 6 6.

7o Han ts R O, 5M53/I11O-4, le tters re la t ing to the m ana gem ent of

forme r Wrio thes le y esta tes in the n t id .-e ighteenth centu ry .

j

[i

i11


9/11

THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE CARP AND ITS

p o n d s b e i n g t h o s e s t o c k e d i n 1 5 3 8 b y

T h o m a s W r i o t h e s l e y (s ee a b o v e ) .

A l t h o u g h N o r t h r e c o r d s a f l o u ri s h in g

m a r k e t f o r c a rp , t h e r e a r e h i n t s o f s o m e

d e c l i n e i n t h e k e e p i n g o f f is h p o n d s i n t h e

p o s t - m e d i e v a l p e r io d . I n t h e m o r e r e m o t e

p a r ts o f t h e c o u n t r y , h e c o m m e n t s t h a t th e

cur ren t fa sh ion i s to l e t e s ta te s to tenan ts ,

w h o t e n d t o n e g l e c t f i s h p o n d s . 71 Ta v e r n e r

c l a im s a l so o n e o f h is r e a s o n s f o r p r o m o t i n g

t h e q u a l i t i e s o f t h e c a r p s o s t r o n g l y i s t h a t

f i s h - k e e p i n g is n o l o n g e r a s p o p u l a r a s i t

onc e was . 72

IV

A s t u d y o f m e d i e v a l f is h - k e e p in g s h o w s

t h a t t h e b r e a m w a s b y f ar t h e m o s t p o p u l a r

f r e s h w a t e r f i s h o n t h e r o y a l t a b l e i n t h e

t h i r t e e n t h c e n t u r y . O t h e r s p ec i e s t h a t

e n j o y e d p o p u la r i ty a m o n g s t t h e n o n -

m i g r a t o r y s p e c ie s w e r e t h e p i k e a n d t e n c h . 73

By t h e t i m e o f t h e f ir s t m a j o r t r e at is e s o n

f i s h - k e e p i n g in t h e s i x t e e n t h a n d s e v e n -

t e e n t h c e n t u r i e s , t h e s e f i s h h a d b e e n s u p -

p l a n t e d i n p o p u l a r i t y b y t h e c a rp .

I t h a s b e e n s u g g e s t e d a b o v e t h a t t h e c a r p s

f a s t e r g r o w t h a n d i t s h a r d i n e s s w e r e t h e

p r i n c i p a l r e a s o n b e h i n d i t s a s c e n d a n c y .

M e d i e v a l f i s h -k e e p i n g s e e m e d t o w o r k o n

a f i v e - y e a r m a t u r i t y c y c l e. 74 D u b r a v i u s ,

w r i t i n g i n 1 56 3 a b o u t f is h h u s b a n d r y b a s e d

m a i n l y o n c a r p , s e e m s t o r e l y o n a t h r e e -

yea r cycle . 7s

B y t h e p o s t - m e d i e v a l p e r i o d , t hi s la t te r

c y c l e s e e m s t o h a v e b e e n a c c e p t ed b y m o s t

c o m m e n t a t o r s . I t i s a l s o g e n e r a l l y a g r e e d

t h a t t h e b r e a m i s a s l o w g r o w i n g f i s h ,

a l t h o u g h t h e r a te o f i ts g r o w t h s e e m s t o

h a v e b e e n e x a g g e r a t e d b y H a l e w h o c l a i m s

t h e y a r e n o t p r o f i t a b l e a s t h e y t a k e f i f te e n

t o t w e n t y y e a r s t o g r o w t o e d i b l e

s ize 76

7, North ,

Discourse ofFish

p 69.

~ J Taverner,

Certaine experiments withfishe andfruite

16oo, p 22.

7~ Currie, 'Medieval Fishponds', p 255.

74Roberts, 'Bishop o f Winchester's Fishponds', p 132, Currie,

'Function ofFis hponds ', pp t 54-5.

7s Dubravius,

N e w b o o k o fgood husbandry p 19.

76 Hale,

Com plete book of husbandry

p 252.

E CONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE IN E NGL AND IO 5

T a v e r n e r i s m o r e r e al is ti c w h e n h e r e c o r d s

t h a t t h e y n e e d f i v e t o s i x y e a r s t o r e a c h

e d i b l e si ze , b u t t h i s i s o n l y i f t h e y a r e k e p t

i n a l a r g e p o n d a n d k e p t f r o m o v e r -

b r e e d i n g . 77 N o r t h r e p e a t s t h i s a d v i c e , s a y i n g

t h a t t h e y a re s l o w g r o w e r s o n w a t e r s o f

le ss than ten to tw e lv e ac res . 7s

I n c o m p a r i s o n , t h e c a rp g r o w s m u c h

q u i c k e r . N o r t h c l a i m s v a r i o u s r a t e s o f

g r o w t h , a ll o f w h i c h a r e m u c h q u i c k e r t h a n

b r e a m o r o t h e r i n d i g e n o u s c y p r i n i d s s u c h

a s t e n c h o r r o a c h . W i t h c o r r e c t k e e p i n g , h e

c l a i m s t h e y c a n g r o w f r o m t e n t o e i g h t e e n

i n c h e s i n o n e o r t w o y e a r s. T h i s i s a w e i g h t

g a in o f a p p ro x i m a t e l y t w o p o u n d s , a w e i g h t

t h e b r e a m c a n n o t u s u a l l y o b t a i n i n f i v e

y e ar s. B r a d l e y c l a im s t h a t t w e l v e ro d s o f

w a t e r w i l l p r o d u c e f o r t y - t w o c a r p a n d

e i g h t y - f o u r t e n c h i n t h r e e y e a r s t o e d i b l e

siz e. 79

H a l e g i v e s o t h e r r e a s o n s w h y t h e c a r p

s h o u l d b e p r e f e r re d t o o t h e r f i sh . H e c l a i m s

t h e y c o m m a n d t h e b e st p r ic e i n th e m a r k e t ;

t h e y al s o . . . r e q u i r e s o l i t tl e t r o u b l e , o r i s

l ia b l e t o s o f e w a c c i d e n t s . T h e y a r e p r a i s e d

f o r t h e i r a b i l i t y t o e n d u r e t h e h a r d s h i p o f

c o l d w i n t e r s , a n d a r e m u c h h a r d e r t h a n

o t h e r f is h t o ta k e b y t h e c o m m o n m e t h o d s

o f s t e a l in g , s° N o r t h r e c o r d s t h a t L o n d o n i s

t h e b e s t m a r k e t f o r c a r p , w h e r e t h e y a r e i n

m u c h d e m a n d . H e r e a f is h b e t w e e n t h i r t e e n

a n d s i x t e e n i n c h e s c a n b e e x p e c t e d t o r e a l i z e

i2d. s

N o r t h g i v e s a d v i c e o n b u l k s e l l i n g . H e

u r g e s t h e s e l l e r t o c o n t a c t t h e p e r s o n b e i n g

s o l d t o b e f o r e t h e e v e n t s o t h a t a p r i c e

c an b e a g r ee d b e f o re h a n d . T h e c o m m o n

p r o c e d u r e s e e m e d t o b e w i t h h i m f o r t h e

s e l l e r t o t r a n s p o r t t h e f i s h t o t h e b u y e r .

N o r t h c o n s i de r s i t a d is a d v a n t a g e to h a v e t o

h a g g l e af t er t h e f is h h a v e b e e n t r a n s p o r t e d . I f

t h e s a l e is o f f i s h f o r e a t i n g , t h e p r i c e w i l l

b e b y t h e m e a s u r e o f so m u c h p e r i n c h . I f

v7 Taverner,

Certaine experiments p 8.

7s North,

Discourse off ish

pp 53-4.

~~ Bradley,

Gen eral treatise

p 346.

s° Hale,

Com plete book o f husbandry

p 255.

s~ North,

DiscourseofFish

pp 63-4, 90.


10/11

l O 6 T H E A G R I C U L T U R A L

t h e y a r e f o r s t o c k i n g t h e n t h e p r i c e i s s o

m u c h p e r h u n d r e d o r d o z e n w i t h t h e f i s h

t o b e b e t w e e n c e r t a i n l e n g t h s . H e g i v e s

e x a m p l e s o f b e t w e e n s e v e n a n d t e n in c h e s

a n d b e t w e e n n i n e a n d t w e l v e i n ch e s . ~

O n t h e re t u rn f r o m p o n d s , N o r t h g iv e s

t h e m o s t d e t a i le d i n f o r m a t i o n . H e c o m p a r e s

h i s re t u r n s w i t h t h at o f t h e n o r m a l r e t u r n

p e r a n n u m o n m e a d o w l a n d , w h i c h is w h e r e

m o s t p o n d s a r e b u i lt . T h i s i s £ 2 p e r a c re a t

t h e m o s t i n 1 7 1 3 . H e a rg u es t h a t fo u r a c re s

o f p o n d s w i l l r e t u r n ~ o o o c a r p p e r y e a r fe d

t o f o u r t e e n o r f i ft e e n i n c h e s ( a b o u t t w o t o

t w o - a n d - a - h a l f p o u n d s i n w e i gh t ). W e h a v e

seen a b o v e t h a t a c a rp o f t h i s s iz e can

c o m m a n d a p r i c e o f I 2 d e a c h b u t N o r t h

c h o o s e s t o h a l v e t h i s t o 6 d t o p r o v e h i s

p o i n t . F r o m t h i s , w i t h c a r r i a g e d e d u c t e d ,

t h e s e l l e r c an ex p ec t t o m ak e £ 6 5 s o d p e r

ac re . 83

I t m i g h t b e w o n d e r e d w h a t s iz es t h e se

f is h a tt a in e d i n c o m p a r i s o n w i t h t h e m o d e r n

v a r i e ti e s , w h i c h c a n e x c e e d ¢ o p o u n d s

w e i g h t i n f a v o u r a b l e c o n d i t i o n s . R o g e r

N o r t h n o t e s t h a t h is c a r p c a n r e a c h e i g h t e e n

i n c h e s ( a b o u t f o u r p o u n d s w e i g h t ) i n f i v e

y e a r s . I t w a s n o t u s u a l t o k e e p f i sh m u c h

l a r g e r t h a n t h i s f o r th e c o m m e r c i a l m a r k e t .

N e v e r t h e l e s s T a v e r n e r c l ai m s t o h a v e s e e n

c a r p i n I 6 0 O t h a t w e r e t h i r t y - t h r e e i n c h e s

f r o m b e t w e e n t h e e y e to t h e f o r k o f th e

t ai l. S u c h a ca r p , e v e n a l l o w i n g f o r p o o r

c o n d i t i o n f a c t o r s , c o u l d b e e x p e c t e d t o

e x c e e d t w e n t y p o u n d s w e ig h t. S4

W i ll ia m P e a r d g i v es s o m e i d ea o f t h e

m a x i m u m w e i g h t s f o r c a r p i n t h e l a t e

e i g h t e e n t h a n d n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r i e s . H e

r e c a l l s h o w a w a t e r k n o w n a s S t o n e h e a d

L a k e w a s f i s h e d in 1 7 9 3 t o p r o d u c e 2 0 00

c a r p o f l a r g e d i m e n s i o n s i n c l u d i n g a f is h

o f t h i rt y i n c h e s l e n g t h , t w e n t y - t w o i n c h e s

b r e a d t h a n d w e i g h i n g e i g h t e e n p o u n d s . I n

W e s t o n H a l l , S t a f f o r d s h i r e , h e n o t e s t h a t

s = l b i d , p 69.

8 3 l b i d , p 86.

84 P e r s o n a l o b s e rv a t i o n : co n d i t i o n f ac t o r i s a f i s h - f a rm i n g t e rm

re fe r r i n g t o t h e r a t i o o f l en g t h t o w e i g h t i n f i sh . L o w co n d i t i o n

fac t o r s g en e ra l l y m ean t h e f is h a r e u n d e r f ed .

HISTORY R VI W

t h e r e is a p a i n t in g o f a c a rp o f n i n e t e e n -

a n d - a - h a l f p o u n d s w e i g h t . I n S u ss e x , a

M r L a d b r o k e p r e s e n te d L o r d E g r e m o n t

w i t h a b r a c e o f f i s h f r o m h i s p a r k a t G r a t t o n

t h a t w e i g h e d t h i r t y - f i v e p o u n d s b e t w e e n

t h e m . I t i s r e c o r d e d t h a t L a d b r o k e m a d e

t h i s g e s t u r e t o d e m o n s t r a t e t o t h e m e n o f

S u r r e y t h e s o r t o f c a rp S u s s e x w a s c a p a b le

o f p ro d u c i n g . 85

V

T h e g r o w t h o f a co m m e r c ia l m a r k e t i n

f r e s h w a t e r f i s h s e e m s t o c o i n c i d e w i t h t h e

g r a d u a l d e c l i n e o f d i r e c t d e m e s n e f a r m i n g .

A s m o r e lo r d s w e r e p r e p a r e d t o l ea s e

o u t p r o p e r t y f o r m o n e y r en t s, s o t h e

o p p o r t u n i t y f o r l a r g e - s c a l e a c q u i s i t i o n s o f

f o r m e r d e m e s n e f is h p o n d s a r os e . T h i s

c r e a t e d a s i tu a t i o n w h e r e p r o f i t a b l e b r e e d i n g

o f a h i g h s t a tu s , a n d h e n c e , h i g h l y - p r i c e d ,

f o o d i t e m , b e c a m e i n c r e a s i n g l y v i ab l e.

W h erea s , t h e re c an b e l i t t l e d o u b t t h a t

s o m e l e s s e r f i s h - k e e p e r s w e r e a b l e t o p r o -

d u c e f r e s h w a t e r f i s h f o r t h e m a r k e t b e f o r e

t h e f o u r t e e n t h c e n t u r y , o p p o r t u n i t i e s

i n c r e a s e d d r a m a t i c a ll y th e r e a f te r . N o t o n l y

w e r e c o m m e r c i a l f i s h - k e e p e r s a b l e t o

a c q u i r e m o r e p o n d s i n w h i c h t o p r o d u c e

s t o ck , b u t t h e d e cr e a s e i n t h e n u m b e r f a r m e d

b y t h e a r is t o cr a c y l e d t o a n i n c re a s e d d e m a n d

f o r f r e s h w a t e r f i s h o n t h e o p e n m a r k e t . I t

h as b e e n s h o w n t h a t t h e k in g s o f E n g l a n d ,

f o r m e r l y m a i n t a in i n g h u n d r e d s o f a cr es o f

p o n d s , c a m e t o b e la r g e ly d e p e n d e n t o n

t h e c o m m e r c i a l m a r k e t b y t h e f o u r t e e n t h

c e n t u r y .

H o w e v e r , n o t a l l t h e u p p e r a r i s t o c r a c y

l ea s ed o u t t h e ir p o n d s . M a n y o f th e c o u n t r y

a r is t o c ra c y m a i n t a i n e d f is h p o n d s t o s u p p l y

f is h w e l l i n t o th e p o s t - m e d i e v a l p e r io d . T h e

i d ea o f f r e sh w a t e r f i sh a s a s t a t u s i t em o f

f o o d m a y h a v e d e c l i n e d s o m e w h a t a s

f i s h p o n d s b e c a m e a c c e s s i b l e t o t h e l o w e r

o r d e r s o f s o c ie t y , b u t h i g h p r i ce s c o n t i n u e d

t o e n s u r e t h a t o n l y t h e w e a l t h y c o u l d a f f o r d

s.~ W Pe ard , P r a t i t a l w a t e r a r m i n g , E d i n b u r g h , x868, p 153.


11/11

THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE CARP AND

t o e a t t h e m . T h e e v i d e n c e s u g g e s t s t ha t t h e

e a rl ie s t c o m m e r c i a l f r e s h w a t e r f is h b r e e d e r s

w e r e d i r e c t i n g t h e i r s a l e s a t a g r o w i n g

L o n d o n m a r k e t . T h e a r ri v a l o f t h e c ar p in

E n g l a n d s e e m s t o b e r e l a t e d t o t h e s e

i n c r e as i n g o p p o r t u n i t i e s o f m a k i n g l a r g e

p r o f i t s f r o m t h e s al e o f f r e s h w a t e r f is h .

T h e o v e r a ll e v i d e n c e s h o w s t h a t th e c a rp

i s l i k e l y t o h a v e c o m e t o B r i t a i n a t s o m e

t i m e i n t h e f o u r t e e n t h c e n t u r y a l t h o u g h i t

w a s o n l y o v e r t h e c o u r s e o f t h e f i ft e e n th

a n d e a r l y s i x t e e n t h c e n t u r i e s t h a t t h e s p e c ie s

e s t a b l is h e d i t s e l f i n a n y n u m b e r s . B y t h e

1 5 3 o s i t w a s w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d a n d a p p e a r s t o

h a v e b e e n m u c h p r i z e d b y t h e a r i s t o c r a c y

a n d f is h st e al e rs a li k e. T h e m e t h o d s u s e d

f o r t h e k e e p i n g a n d b r e e d i n g o f th e f is h

a c h i e v e d a v e r y r e a s o n a b l e s t a n d a r d w h i c h

w a s m a i n t a i n e d u n t i l a t l ea s t t h e b e g i n n i n g

o f th e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y . A t s o m e t i m e

b e t w e e n c I 8 o o a n d t h e 1 9 5o s t as te s c h a n g e d ,

ITS ECONO MIC SIGNIFICANCE IN ENGLAN D 10 7

a n d t h e f is h d e c l i n e d i n p o p u l a r i t y a s a t a b l e

f is h . T h e e x a c t r e a s o n s f o r th i s d e c l i n e m u s t

a w a i t f u r t h e r s t u d y .

I t is t h is t h a t l e d t o t h e n e g l e c t o f t h e

m a n y p o n d s t h r o u g h o u t t he c o u n t r y t h at

h e l d c a r p . T h i s l o s s o f i n t e r es t p r o b a b l y l e d

t o t h e s il t in g u p a n d p o s s i b l e i n f i l l i n g o f

m a n y o f t h e se p o n d s . T h e l o s s o f h a b it a t

r e s u l t e d in a r e d u c t i o n i n t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f

t h e s p e c i e s t o s u c h a n e x t e n t t h a t b y t h e

I9 5O S p o p u l a r a n g l i n g w r i t e rs t h o u g h t c a r p

r e l a t iv e l y s c a r c e c o m p a r e d w i t h i ts c o u s i n

t h e t e n , w h i c h m a i n t a i n e d a w i d e d i st r i -

b u t i o n . N e v e r t h e l e s s , t h e e v i d e n c e s h o w s

c l e a rl y t h a t t h e c a r p w a s , f o r n e a r l y f o u r

c e n t u r ie s , t h e m o s t p o p u l a r f r e s h w a t e r fi s h

i n E n g l a n d a n d w a s w i d e l y c u l t i v a t e d , s6

S( Throughout this article, the term freshwater fish refers to fish

species that live entirely in freshwater. Migratory fish, like the

salmon, who come into freshwater to breed, are not considered

true freshwater species.

N o t e s and o m m e n t s

WINTERCONFERENCE

99I

Will be held on Saturday 7 Dec emb er at the Insti tute

of Historical Research, University of London. The

theme of the conference is 'Rural Society and the

Poor ' . Pap ers will be by D r Pau l Glennie on 'Early

Mo dern English Labourers ', Dr D ennis Mills on 'Th e

Peasantry and the Po or in Op en and Closed V illages' ,

Dr Christine Hallas on 'Nineteen th-centu ry Poo r in

the Yorkshire Dales ', and D r Alan Haw kins on 'The

Intermediate W orkforce: Peas ants, Labourers and

Farm Servants ' . The Co nference begins at IO.3O am

and lasts to 4 .3o pro. Registration forms can be

obtained from D r Peter Dew ey, History D epartment,

Royal Hol low ay and Bedford New Col lege , Egham

Hill, Egham, Surrey, TW 2o oEX.

SPRING CONFERENCEAPRIL

992

Th e Society's ann ual residential Spring Co nference

will be at Nottin gha m fro m M ond ay 13 to, Wednesday

15 April . A ccom mo dation has been arranged at

Florence Boot H all on th e spectacular campus o f

the U nivers i ty of Not t ingha m. A ful l conference

prog ram me of papers by leading f igures in agricultural

histo ry will be arranged an d the traditional fie ld trip

on the Tuesday af tern oon will be to the n earby famous

open f ield vil lage o f Laxton. Further deta ils can

be obtained fr om the loca l conference organizer ,

Professor Joh n Beckett, Dep artmen t of History,

Univers ity Park, Univers i ty of Not t ingham , N ot-

t ingham NG 7 2RD.

SPRING CONFERENCEAPRIL 993

This wi l l be a t Gregyn og H al l near W elshpool,

Powys. Further details will appear in the ne xt cop y

of t he Review.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE RECORD SOCIETY

Members may wish to kno w tha t the Nor tha mp ton-

shire Record Society has moved, together with the

Co un ty Record Office, to Woo tton Hall Park,

Nor thampton, NN4 9BQ. This has compel led the

Society to reduce the stocks of i ts publications, and

m any volumes fro m th e record ser ies, and copies of

Northamptonshire Past and Present are availab le at

reduced prices from the Secretary, No rtham pton shire

Record Society, Wootton Hall Park, Northampton,

NN4 9BQ.

the and early history of the carp its economic significance

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