Summary

A group of eight fishponds 125m south of Park Farm, Thornbury.

Source: Historic England

Details

The fishponds at Thornbury comprise a series of eight interconnected pools of varying size and depth arranged in a tight group of three broadly rectangular ponds, aligned north-west to south-east, at right angles to either side of a rectangular central pool with an outlying pond to the south. The ponds, used for the breeding, raising and storing of freshwater fish, are fed by springs and a stream to the west and are interconnected by a series of leats and sluices to allow control of the water levels within them. The ponds, range in size from the smallest at c.8m by 6m, probably used for the breeding of fish, to the largest at c.29m by 6m, with individual ponds being used for different species or sizes of fish.

As well as the more obvious ponds, other features such as further leats and sluices, additional tanks, and buildings such as fish stores may survive in the immediate area. Although no longer visible, these will survive as buried deposits, adding to the archaeological potential of the site. The very water-logged nature of the site will mean that it has the potential to preserve very rare artefacts which might not normally survive burial such as remains of the original wooden sluice-gates and leats.

EXCLUSIONS: The modern post and wire fencing and notice boards are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath them is included.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

The Thornbury fishponds are scheduled for the following principal reasons:

Survival – the fishponds survive particularly well with many of the pools retaining water. They are an especially intact group retaining a range of features.
Period – fishponds are very representative of large scale animal husbandry during the medieval and post medieval period. As such they have considerable historic interest.
Potential - the likelihood of water-logged deposits means that the site has the potential to retain an especially good range of artefactual and environmental evidence.
Group Value – the historic interest of the fishponds is considerably enhanced by their association with Thornbury Castle (listed Grade I)

Source: Historic England

Sources

None.

Source: Historic England