Possibly a marker post used by salmon fishermen to line up where they set there T nets.

There is a modern marker / trig point on the crest of the dunes straight east of the stone one. A triangular plate welded on to a square section pole:


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...dry_stone4.jpg

Here's that boundary shown as a nice strait line on an early 17 century map [circa 1610?]. Naturally before the river changed course.

http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...dry_stone9.jpg


There is a mysterious island in the river over the other side of the meander loop?

Some 'Bounder' markers are shown on the old map west of Warkworth, But I see our 'bounder' is not shown. Could just have been omitted or perhaps it was not there in c1610.

I've been colouring in. :)


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...ry_stone9a.jpg

On the old map the fields on the west, north of Gloster Hill are called "Sault Hawgh" I thought this would be some reference again to salt, but when you google about and discover what these words mean, one old French, the other old English, it could be "Valley Rapids" or similar.


We could discuss the place names on that map 'til doomsday. :)


Haugh or Hawgh = a low-lying often alluvial riverside meadow, or a valley

Sault = A waterfall or rapids.

Yep, that is the metal trig I saw last week.It is rapidly disappearing, I have seen it a lot more exposed in the past - at least eight foot of it. There is another metal trig on the landward side near the road I believe. I am going to go back this afternoon with the dog and and your maps and see where things are in relation to one another. The wooden pole?

There is a mysterious island in the river over the other side of the meander loop?[/QUOTE]

Is that just downstream from the current waterfall? Without seeing the rest of the map it is difficult to pin point!

You can guess Thistly Hill :)


Thistly = filled with or having many thistles.


not a word we use a lot? success of Roundup? thistly problem?

I'm sure it will be. Any trace of that left hollydog? I'll have to have a look this week sometime.


I've missed the wooden pole - is it on that boundary line with the other two?

Looking on google maps I think now the Island was further down stream:

blue = boundary, red= modern weir, green = ye olde island.

image copyright Google 2013


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...ry_stone10.jpg

Look like the 'Thistly Hill' survives as the very tip of Helsay. Logical I suppose.

I'm looking at the field boundaries, there are some very similar - straight across on Helsay Point looks good and the outline of the eroded Helsay Point is on the photo. Is it possible to superimpose the maps and google earth?
Thistly Hill possibly went when the river was straightened and deepened for the harbour C19th ? There is evidence of this directly opposite the Braid boat clubs with the wooden shoring holding back the mud flats thus speeding the river up

Have either of you noticed, at the point of Helsay, at low tide, there are what seem to be the remains of some sort of a base of a pier. These are short stumps, set in a regular pattern as though there may have been a jetty there at some time. It could possibly tie in with the shipment of corn etc,
which was carried out there as previously covered in other posts.

Yes I've seen those posts. Must have been some structure there at one time.

Yes Alan, I have noticed them, I canoed over this summer and had a closer look at the ones around the base of Helsay Point. They seem quite small and I assumed they were there as erosion protection or tide flow diversion as there seems to be an ongoing erosion to the point itself (there is no rock to be seen, Coquet correct me - is it alluvial deposit?). I assumed the wood posts were once at the very base of the point but are now about 20 metres from it as the point has eroded.

Going with camera now to beach to have a look, will post if I don't get stuck in the mud!

Remember this 1838 map? We will have to get out with the camera and photograph these wood structures. I was convinced that the remains of the staiths on the braid on this map are still there but now sit on the other side of the river to the projected path shown.
The Braid is the remains of the 'Salt Goats' on the 1610 map?

and another island? that one is probably closer to the weir?


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...e_harbour4.jpg

Before the river changed its course it was eroding itself southwards. I wonder if the "islands" appeared at various times as the remnants of higher ground were left as the river drowned the lower lying land?

Fascinating thread, I hope Hollydog returns unscathed and before dark :)

It is Boulder Clay over there (Helsay) so not built from the river sediments. The plain in front or North of Gloster hill is all Alluvial sediments so the river was in there post ice age. if you take a walk in those fields I'm sure you can see old river banks in various places.

(map: yellow = alluvium, blue = boulder clay)



Also interesting is the pre-Glacial theory of the local river drainage. Didn't reach the coast here at all, but at Chevington. There is a hidden valley there filled with boulder clay, only appropriate for the pre glacial Coquet.