Fishponds, NE of Sewingshields

...The tradition of constructing and using fishponds in England began during the medieval period and peaked in the 12th century. They were largely built by the wealthy sectors of society with monastic institutions and royal residences often having large and complex fishponds. The difficulties of obtaining fresh meat in the winter and the value placed on fish in terms of its protein content and as a status food may have been factors which favoured the development of fishponds and which made them so valuable. The practice of constructing fishponds declined after the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century although in some areas it continued into the 17th century....

The fishponds at Sewingshields survive well and retain significant archaeological remains. They are of particular importance as well preserved examples are not common in this area and because of their association with the medieval manor of Sewingshields.

The monument includes a set of fishponds of medieval date, situated immediately to the north of the site of Sewingshields Castle. The fishponds are of linear form, comprising three rectangular ponds orientated north-south with each long side abutting onto the next. They are all 33m long, and 10m, 7.5m and 12.5m wide with flat bottoms. The spoil dug from each pond has been used to form banks on three sides of each; these banks still stand to a maximum height of 1.5m and are an average of 7.5m wide. The area of the fishponds is also delimited by a substantial earthen bank 5m across and 1.3m high placed at a distance of 3m and 13m from the ponds on the west and south sides respectively. These ponds must have been constructed by the occupants of Sewingshields Castle which lay to the immediate south; however, the exact location, form and extent of the castle itself are not precisely known and it is not included in the scheduling.