This fish trap is 'A' shaped in structure, consisting of stone banks standing up to 0.7m in height, set with round wooden posts approximately 50-75cm apart. Evidence for wattling has been found within the bank of its main arm. The main arm, constructed of compacted cobles, begins at the high tide line at the top of the foreshore and extends in a northeasterly direction, terminating at the low tide line. The banks comprising the arms of the 'A' point shoreward. The main arm is approximately 440m length and 30m width, and still holds a pool of water at low tide. This is depicted as a tidal pool on the modern OS map. At its northern (seaward) end, the main arm converges with a smaller bank orientated northwest-southeast which forms the cross-arm of the 'A' shaped structure. The southwest arm is approximately half the length of the main arm, measuring approximately 180m length. The arms are seperated by a cod-end or sluice, which forms the apex of the 'A' (oriented northeast), and disappears into the sea at low water. The sluice consists of a narrow channel, measuring 4.3m length and 0.7m width is delineated by a line of flat topped boulders. Features comprising the 'A' shape are complex, probably reflecting phasing representing the fish traps? longevity of use. The fish trap is depicted on 2nd and 3rd edition OS maps. Both depict the eastern arm of the ?A? as some 50m longer than is now visible. Modern aerial photographic evidence appears to show a smaller 'V' shape to the immediate west of the ?A? shape, with its eastern arm converging with the western arm of the 'A' shape. This smaller 'V' measures approximately 50m at its widest point (between the southern ends of the two arms), with its apex pointing seaward, but orientated north. The smaller 'V' is not shown on either historic map.

Event and Historical Information:
This fish trap is also known as the 'Rhos Fynach Weir', and the earliest documentary reference is a 1230 charter, identifying fisheries at Rhos Fynnach as part of property later transferred to the cistercian Abbey of Aberconwy. After its dissolution, Aberconwy's property reverted to the Crown. In 1550 the fish trap had fallen into disrepair and its wooden posts had been removed to render it unuseable. A document of 1767 refers to two weirs. It was referred to in Thomas Pennant's 1783 'Tour of Wales', in which he described the church as being entitled to the fish of every tenth tide and mentioned that forty pounds worth of mackeral had been caught in two successive tides. In 1850 a record catch of 35,000 herrings was recorded. The fish trap fell out of use in the 20th century. Excavation of sections of the bank comprising the landward end of the main arm provided a sample of wattling which gave a radiocarbon date of approximately AD 1660 (310 =/- 60BP).

Sources include:
Ordnance Survey, 2012, Mastermap
Ordnance Survey, 1897-9, 2nd edition 25" Landmark
Ordnance Survey, 1911-18, 3rd edition 25" Landmark
Turner, R, The Coastal Archaeology of Wales, 2002 'Fish Weirs and fish traps' 95-109

Maritime Officer, RCAHMW, January 2011.