B

barbel

barbel river fish

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Season:

(June) August-November (December)

Culinary:

Medical:

Etymology

The name barbel derived from the Latin barba, meaning 'beard', a reference to the two pairs of barbs — a longer pair pointing forwards and slightly down positioned — on the side of the mouth.

Notes:

Literary:

Species and Find sites:

bones identified at Anglo-Scandinavian Coppergate, York (late 9th c. levels)
Barbus barbus, the barbel native to Britain is known simply as the 'barbel' and is a popular sport fish.

bass bærs sea fish

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Season:

May - June

Culinary:

Medical:

Etymology:

freshwater fish, early 15c. corruption of O.E. bærs "a fish, perch," from P.Gmc. base *bars- "sharp" (cf. M.Du. baerse, M.H.G. bars, Ger. Barsch "perch," Ger. barsch "rough"), from PIE root *bhors- "bristle." The fish was so called for its dorsal fins.

Notes:

the name is shared across the globe by many freshwater and marine fish that are 'perch-like'

Literary:

only occurs glossaries (Aelfric and Wrights) 2nd half 10th c.

Species and Find Sites:

in the United Kingdom, the fish sold and consumed as sea bass is exclusively the European bass, Dicentrarchus labrax

Bass

bream

bream sea / river fish

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Season:

April-October

Culinary:

Medical:

Etymology:

c.1386, from Old French braisme, from Frankish *brahsima, from Western Germanic *brahsm- , probably from Proto Germanic base *brehwan "to shine, glitter, sparkle"

Notes:

'Bream' is a general term for a number of species of freshwater and marine fish, which tend to be narrow, deep bodied species

Literary:

Species and Find Sites:

bones identified at:

Hamwih (Southampton - an Anglo-Saxon site dating to 700-900 AD) Sparus aurata (Gilthead Sea Bream)
Exeter, a late Saxon site (Sea Bream)
Fishergate, Norwich (11th c.) Abramis brama (Common Bream)
the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York (? Abramis brama)

burbot river fish

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Season:

April - November

Culinary:

Medical:

Etymology:

The genus and species name "lota" comes from the old French lotte fish; named also "barbot" in Old French.

Notes:

aka mariah, freshwater ling, the lawyer, coney-fish, lingcod and (misleadingly) eelpout, the burbot is closely related to the marine common ling and the cusk.
for some time of the year the burbot lives under ice. They require frigid temperatures to breed.

Literary:

Species and Find Sites:

bones found - the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York (Lota lota)

burbot

C

carp

carp river fish

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Season:

all year

Culinary:

Medical:

Etymology:

type of freshwater fish, late 14c., from Old French carpe "carp" (13c.) and directly from Vulgar Latin *carpa (source also of Italian carpa, Spanish carpa), from a Germanic source (compare Middle Dutch carpe, Dutch karper, Old High German karpfo, German Karpfen "carp"); possibly the immediate source is Gothic *karpa. A Danube fish (hence the proposed East Germanic origin of its name), introduced in English ponds 14c. Lithuanian karpis, Russian karp are Germanic loan words.

Notes:

Literary:

Species and Find Sites:

Cyprinidae bones identified at:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York

chub

chub river fish

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Season:

all year

Culinary:

Medical:

Etymology:

name of a river fish, mid-15c., chubbe, of unknown origin

Notes:

Literary:

Species and Find Sites:

bones found - the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York (Leuciscus cephalus)
aka Squalius cephalus

cod

cod sea fish

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Season:

all year

Culinary:

Medical:

Etymology:

large sea fish, mid-14c. (late 13c. in a surname, Thomas cotfich), of unknown origin; despite similarity of form it has no conclusive connection to the widespread Germanic word for "bag" (represented by Old English codd, preserved in codpiece).
1273 - cotfish, origin unknown

Notes:

if dried it made a very good reserve food in that it kept indefinitely
eaten by the poor on fast days
the Vikings called it þoskr
several different fish are all called 'cod'

Literary:

Species and Find Sites:

Gadus morhua (Atlantic Cod) bones found at:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York
Late Saxon Exeter, Devon
Late Flaxengate, Lincoln
Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Fishergate, Norwich (10th-12th c.)
Icknield Way Development, Thetford (10th/11th c.)
St. Barnabas Hospital, Thetford (9th/10th c.)

D

dace

dace river fish

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Season:

June - February

Culinary:

Medical:

Etymology:

small, freshwater fish, early 15c., from O.Fr. darz, nominative or plural of dart "dart". So called for its movements. Another theory traces it to a M.L. darsus, said to be of Gaulish origin

Notes:

Literary:

Species and Find Sites:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York, Leuciscus leuciscus (Dace)

E

eel

eel æl river fish

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Season:

July - October

Culinary:

Medical:

Leechdoms says eel can be eaten if salted

Etymology:

O.E. æl, from P.Gmc. *ælaz (cf. O.Fris. -el, M.Du. ael, Du. aal, O.S., O.H.G. al, Ger. Aal, O.N. all), of unknown origin, with no certain cognates outside Germanic

Notes:

a fair proportion consumed by those living near large rivers or lakes
in the Bayeux Tapestry, cylindrical food which may be eels or sausages is offered on spits

Literary:

on a visit to Sussex, Bishop Wilfred showed the people how to fish as they knew only how to catch eels, by spearing them or catching them in weirs of brushwood
towards the end of the period the larger abbeys secured supplies of eels for Lent
they were Lenten food at Abingdon
the abbot and brethren of Ramsey were to give 4000 eels in Lent to Peterborough
mentioned by the Fisherman in Ælfric's Colloquy (late 10th Century)

Species and Find Sites:

Anguilla anguilla (European eel) bones found at:

St. Barnabas Hospital, Thetford (9th/10th c.)
Redcastle Furze, Thetford (Early & Late Saxon)
the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York
Fishergate, Norwich (10th-13th c.)

Conger conger (Conger Eel)

Bishopstone - specimen at 1 metre long - (mid 5th-early 6th c.)

eelpout

eelpout æleputa sea fish

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Season:

all year

Culinary:

Medical:

Etymology:

Notes:

not to be confused with the burbot which is also sometimes called eelpout

Literary:

mentioned by the Fisherman in Ælfric's Colloquy (late 10th Century)

Species and Find Sites:

Zoarces viviparus

F

fish

fish fisc

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Season:

Notes:

considered a luxury as the king or chief had first claim on them
some species were imported

Culinary:

could be smoked either intentionally or indirectly by being hung in the rafters
ceramic fish smokers were used to flavour fish
preserved by salting - bay salt considered inferior, but preferred for preserving processes
soaked before cooking
salt fish could be boiled in milk and butter
could be grilled
served with a fruit sauce
shown whole in illustrations of feasting
residents of coastal districts ate more fish
eaten at Lent
the Danish custom was to eat fish with milk
considered a feast day food
the lords diet included freshwater and sea fish

Medical:

fish could be eaten if salted
meats 'that make good blood' (þe god blod wyrceað) included finned fishes (finihte)
contain Vitamin A and the probability is that Anglo-Saxon populations suffered from a lack of this which would cause skin, eye and urinary tract diseases
those that ate more fish lost fewer teeth as evidenced by the monks of Monkwearmouth

Species and Find Sites:

fish bones found in human waste at Coppergate, York
see individual species

Literary:

the author of Gerefa gives instructions that the reeve was to supervise the construction of the mill in association with the fish weir
grants were made in 9th & 10th C for provision of salt in connection with fish weirs
a will leaves 4 pence for milk for the anniversary of a funeral feast, which may have been to be drunk with the fish or to cook the fish on the menu
a funeral feast calls for '3 pence for fish'
eaten by the novice monk in Aelfric's Colluquy
mentioned in the Bury St. Edmunds will fragment as part of a funeral feast

Monastic

the Rule of Chrodegang allows fish as a third course
additions to meals were called 'pittances' usually a small dish of eggs or fish, and monks were allowed a certain number each week
was to be abstained from on various fast days
originally classed as a delicacy (deliciae), to be eaten only with the abbot's permission on holidays, but later became a fasting dish

Etymology:

O.E. fisc, from P.Gmc. *fiskaz (cf. O.S., O.Fris., O.H.G. fisc, O.N. fiskr, M.Du. visc, Du. vis, Ger. Fisch, Goth. fisks), from PIE *peisk- "fish" (cf. L. piscis)

flounder

flounder fagc sea fish

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Season:

All year

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Platichthys flesus (previously Pleuronectes flesus) - European flounder bones found at:

West Stow, Bury St. Edmunds (5th/7th c.) - imported.
the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York
Fishergate, Norwich (11th c.)

Literary:

mentioned by the Fisherman in Ælfric's Colloquy (late 10th Century)
fagc mentioned in Wright's Vocabularies as 'plaice, flounder'

Etymology:

flatfish, c.1300, from Anglo-Fr. floundre, from O.N.Fr. flondre, from O.N. flydhra; related to M.L.G. vlundere, Dan. flynder; ultimately cognate with Gk. platys "flat, wide, broad"

fluke

fluke floc sea fish

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Season:

All year

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

sole or plaice, or Summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) aka fluke

Literary:

mentioned by the Fisherman in Ælfric's Colloquy (late 10th Century)

Etymology:

"flatfish," O.E. floc "flatfish," related to O.N. floke "flatfish," flak "disk, floe"

G

grayling

grayling river fish

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Season:

All year

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Thymallus European Grayling (member of the salmon family)

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York (late 9th c levels) - Thymallus

Literary:

Etymology:

trout-like freshwater fish, early 14c., from gray + dim. suffix -ling

gudgeon river fish

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Season:

All year

Notes:

common name for a number for small fresh-water fish

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York - Gobio gobio bones

Literary:

Etymology:

European small freshwater fish, early 15c., gojoun, from Old French gojon (14c.), from Latin gobionem (nominative gobio), alteration of gobius, from Greek kobios, a kind of fish, a word of unknown origin.

gudgeon

H

haddock

haddock sea fish

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Season:

All year

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Melanogrammus aeglefinus bones found at:

St. Barnabas Hospital, Thetford (9th/10th c.)
the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York
Fishergate, Norwich (11th c.)

Literary:

Etymology:

late 13c., of unknown origin. Old French hadot and Gaelic adag, sometimes cited as sources, were apparently borrowed from English.

herring h(a)ering, healic sea fish

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Season:

February to June and September to December

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Clupea harengus bones found at:

St. Barnabas Hospital, Thetford (9th/10th c.)
Redcastle Furze, Thetford (Early & Late Saxon)
the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York
Fishergate, Norwich (10th-13th c.)

Literary:

mentioned by the Fisherman in Ælfric's Colloquy (late 10th Century)
Healic óðer s%fisc 'herring or seafish' in a charter from Dyddanhamme

Etymology:

O.E. hering (Anglian), hæring (W. Saxon), from W.Gmc. *heringgaz, of unknown origin, perhaps related to or influenced in form by O.E. har "gray, hoar," from the colour, or to O.H.G. heri "host, multitude" from its large schools.

herring

horsemackerel

horse mackerel sea fish

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Season:

all year

Notes:

The common name, horse mackerel, comes from the old Dutch word Horsmakreel. This means a mackerel that spawns on a 'hors', which is a shallow area in the sea or a bank. The English took the name and called the fish horse mackerel. Even in Norway they are called heste makrel (heste is horse in Norwegian).
aka Scad

Culinary:

Medical:

Etymology:

see mackerel.

Literary:

Species and Find Sites:

Trachurus trachurus (Atlantic horse mackerel) bones identified at:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York

K

kipper

kipper cypera

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Season:

see Salmon

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Literary:

Ðonne eów fón lysteþ leax oððe cyperan 'when you desire to catch a salmon or a kipper', from King Alfred's Boethius.

Etymology:

Old English cypera "male salmon," perhaps related to coper "reddish-brown metal", on resemblance of colour. Another theory connects it to kip, name for the sharp, hooked lower jaw of the male salmon in breeding season, from Middle English kippen "to snatch, tug, pull." The modern word usually refers to kippered herring, from a verb meaning "to cure a fish by cleaning, salting, and spicing it" (early 14c.). The theory is that this originally was done to salmon, hence the name.

Species and Find Sites:

L

lamprey

lamprey lamprede sea / river fish

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Season:

July - March

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Petromyzon marinus (Sea Lamprey), Lamprey fluviatilis (River Lamprey) and Lampetra planeri (Brook Lamprey)

Literary:

mentioned by the Fisherman in Ælfric's Colloquy (late 10th Century)

Etymology:

c.1300 (c.1200 as a surname?), from O.Fr. lamproie, from M.L. lampreda, from L.L. lampetra "lamprey," of uncertain origin, usually explained as lit. "lick-rock," from L. lambere "to lick" + petra "rock." The animals attach themselves to things with their sucker-like mouths.

ling river fish

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Season:

All year

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Molva molva bones found at:

St. Barnabas Hospital, Thetford (9th/10th c.)
the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York

Literary:

Etymology:

long, slender fish, c.1300, common Germanic, cf. Du. leng, Ger. Leng, O.N. langa, probably ultimately related to long (adj.)

ling

M

mackerel

mackerel sea fish

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Season:

March - August

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Scomber scombrus (Atlantic Mackerel) bones found at:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York
Fishergate, Norwich (10th/11th c.)

Literary:

Etymology:

edible fish, c.1300, from O.Fr. maquerel "mackerel" (Mod.Fr. maquereau), of unknown origin but apparently identical with O.Fr. maquerel "pimp, procurer, broker, agent, intermediary," a word from a Germanic source. The connection is obscure, but medieval people had imaginative notions about the erotic habits of beasts. The fish approach the shore in shoals in summertime to spawn.

minnows

minnows mynas river fish

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Season:

July - March

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

possibly the Common minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus)

Literary:

mentioned by the Fisherman in Ælfric's Colloquy (late 10th Century)

Etymology:

small freshwater fish, early 15c., probably related to Old English myne, earlier *mynwe, a name for some kind of fish, from Proto-Germanic *muniwon, of unknown origin, perhaps from PIE *men- "small." Perhaps influenced in Middle English by French menu "small."

mullet heard(ha)ra sea / river fish

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Season:

November - January (February)

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Literary:

known from glossaries as heardhara or heardra glossed from mugil and cefalus 'hard hare'

Etymology:

edible type of spiny-finned fish, late 14c., molet, from Anglo-French molett (late 14c.), Old French mulet "red mullet" and directly from Medieval Latin muletus, from Latin muletus, moletus, from mullus "red mullet," from Greek myllos, name of a Pontic fish, which perhaps is related to melos "black".

Species and Find Sites:

mullet

P

perch

perch river fish

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Season:

August - January

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Perca fluviatilis bones identified at:

Icknield Way Development, Thetford (10th/11th c.)
Redcastle Furze, Thetford (Early & Late Saxon)
West Stow, Bury St. Edmunds (5th/7th c.)
the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York

Literary:

Etymology:

"spiny-finned freshwater fish," c.1300, from O.Fr. perche, from L. perca "perch," from Gk. perke, from PIE root *perk-/*prek- "speckled, spotted" (cf. Skt. prsnih "speckled, variegated;" Gk. perknos "dark-colored," perkazein "to become dark").

pike hacod river fish

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Season:

September - March

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Esox lucius bones identified at:

Icknield Way Development, Thetford (10th/11th c.)
Redcastle Furze, Thetford (Early & Late Saxon)
West Stow, Bury St. Edmunds (5th/7th c.)
the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York

Literary:

mentioned by the Fisherman in Ælfric's Colloquy (late 10th Century)

Etymology:

"voracious freshwater fish," early 14c., probably short for pike-fish, a special use of pike (a weapon) in reference to the fish's long, pointed jaw (cf. Fr. brochet "pike" (fish), from broche "a roasting spit").

pike

plaice

plaice fagc sea fish

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Season:

March - September

Notes:

a right eyed flounder

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Pleuronectes platessa bones identified at:

Icknield Way Development, Thetford (10th/11th c.)
West Stow, Bury St. Edmunds (5th/7th c.) - imported
Fishergate, Norwich (10th/11th c.)

Literary:

mentioned by the Fisherman in Ælfric's Colloquy (late 10th Century)

Etymology:

late 13c., from O.Fr. plaise, from L.L. platessa, perhaps related to Gk. platys “broad,” or from the root of plat- “flat.”

pollock sea fish

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Season:

June - August

Notes:

aka saithe

Culinary:

Medical:

Literary:

Species and Find Sites:

Pollachius virens (Atlantic pollock) bones identified at:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of 16-22 Coppergate, York

Etymology:

cod-like sea fish, early 15c., poullok, apparently a transferred use of a Celtic name of a similar-looking freshwater fish (compare Gaelic pollag, Irish pollóg).

pollock

R

ray

ray sea fish

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Season:

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Rajidae bones identified at:

Fishergate, Norwich (10th/early 11th c.)

Literary:

Etymology:

"type of fish related to sharks," early 14c., from Fr. raie (13c.), from L. raia, of unknown origin.

(thornback) ray sea fish

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Season:

all year

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Raja clavata bones identified at:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York

Literary:

Etymology:

"type of fish related to sharks," early 14c., from Fr. raie (13c.), from L. raia, of unknown origin.

thornback

roach river fish

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Season:

April - August

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Rutilus rutilus bones identified at:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York

Literary:

Etymology:

"small freshwater fish," early 14c., from O.Fr. roche (13c.), perhaps from a Germanic source.

roach

rudd river fish

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Season:

April - August

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

? Scardinius erythropthalmus bones identified at:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York

Literary:

Etymology:

c. 1526; a freshwater Eurasian cyprinid fish (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) resembling the golden shiner, probably from rud 'redness, red ocher', from Middle English rude, from Old English rudu.

rudd

S

saithe

saithe sea fish

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Season:

June - August

Notes:

aka pollock

Culinary:

Medical:

Literary:

Species and Find Sites:

Pollachius virens (Atlantic pollock) bones identified at:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of 16-22 Coppergate, York

Etymology:

1632; a commercially important food fish, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse seiðr 'coalfish'

salmon

salmon leax sea / river fish

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Season:

All year

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

salmon's bile for an eye salve leaxes geallan

Species and Find Sites:

Salmo salar bones identified at:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of 16-22 Coppergate, York

Literary:

mentioned by the Fisherman in Ælfric's Colloquy (late 10th Century)
Ðonne eów fón lysteþ leax oððe cyperan 'when you desire to catch a salmon or a kipper' (Boethius)
Ðis is seó gerdnes ... gesyllan aelce geare xv. leaxas 'this is the agreement ... that they give xv salmon every year', (Ancient Laws, Thorpe)
Leax sceal on w%le mid sceóte scríðan 'salmon shall in deep pools with shooting wander' (Menologium)

Etymology:

c.1200, from O.Fr. salmun, from L. salmonem (nom. salmo) "a salmon," possibly originally "leaper," from salire "to leap," though some dismiss this as folk etymology. Another theory traces it to Celtic. Replaced O.E. læx, from PIE *lax, the more usual word for the fish.

sandeel

sandeel sea fish

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Season:

April - September

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Ammodytes tobianus (Lesser sand eel) bones identified at:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of 16-22 Coppergate, York

Literary:

Etymology:

sandsmelt sea fish

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Season:

April - September

Notes:

possibly caught incidentally or representing the stomach contents of other larger fish

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Atherina presbyter bones identified at:

Fishergate, Norwich (11th c.)

Literary:

Etymology:

sandsmelt

scad

scad sea fish

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Season:

All year

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Trachurus trachurus (Atlantic horse mackerel aka Common scad) bones found at:

Fishergate, Norwich (10th/11th c.)

Literary:

Etymology:

c.1600, Cornish name for a type of fish (also known as horse mackerel) abundant on the British coast; of uncertain origin, perhaps a variant of shad. OED compares Welsh ysgaden "herrings," Norwegian dialectal skad, Swedish skädde "flounder."

shad sea fish

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Season:

All year

Notes:

any of several saltwater food fishes of the herring family (Clupeidae) that swim up rivers to spawn

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Alosa sp. (p.) bones identified at:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York

Literary:

on ðæt gerád ðonne sceaddgenge sý ðæt heora %gðer sylle .iii. þúsend sceadda intó ðære stówe æt Byrtúne 'on the condition that, when shad are in season, each of them give .iii. thousand shad to the convent at Burton'

Etymology:

Old English sceadd "shad," important food fish in the Atlantic, possibly from Scandinavian (Norwegian dialectal skadd "small whitefish"); but compare Welsh ysgadan (plural), Irish and Gaelic sgadan "herring." OED says Low German schade may be from English.

shad

shote sceota

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Season:

Notes:

a small kind of trout, named such in Devon and Cornwall

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Literary:

mentioned by the Fisherman in Ælfric's Colloquy (late 10th Century)

Etymology:

shote

smelt smelt river / sea fish

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Season:

all year

Notes:

bizarrely, the smelt has a strange cucumber-like smell when freshly caught.

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Osmerus eperlanus bones identified at:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York
Fishergate, Norwich (11th c.)

Literary:

Etymology:

O.E. smelt "small salmon-like sea fish," cognate with Du. smelt "sand eel," Dan. smelt (c.1600). OED notes that it has a peculiar odour (but doesn't suggest a connection with smell); Klein suggests a connection with the way the fish melts in one's mouth.

smelt

sprat sprote sea fish

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Season:

mid August - mid February

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

?Sprattus sprattus bones identified at:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York

Literary:

mentioned by the Fisherman in Ælfric's Colloquy (late 10th century)

Etymology:

"small European herring," 1590s, variant of sprot, from O.E. sprot "a small herring," related to Du. sprot, and probably connected to sprout.

sprat

spurdog sea fish

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Season:

February - May

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Squalus acanthias (Spurdog) bones identified at:

Fishergate, Norwich (11th/12th c.)

Literary:

Etymology:

spurdog

stickleback river fish

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Season:

Notes:

possibly caught incidentally or representing the stomach contents of other larger fish

Culinary:

Medical:

Species and Find Sites:

Gasterosteus aculeatus (3-spined stickleback) bones identified at:

Fishergate, Norwich (11th c.) EAA68
the Anglo-Scandinavian site at Coppergate, York

Literary:

Etymology:

stickleback

sturgeon styria sea fish

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Season:

April - October

Notes:

Culinary:

Literary:

mentioned by the Fisherman in Ælfric's Colloquy (late 10th Century)
Ǽlc seldsýnde fisc ðe weorðlíc byþ, styria and mereswýn, 'every uncommon fish that worthy be, sturgeon and dolphin/seal' in a charter of Dyddanhamme
Andlang str%te út on styrian pól 'along the street out towards the sturgeons pool' Dyddanhamme charter

Medical:

Etymology:

Species and Find Sites:

Acipenser sturio (European sea sturgeon) bones identified at:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York

sturgeon

T

tench

tench river fish

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Season:

June - July

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Literary:

Species and Find Sites:

? Tinca tinca bones identified at:

St. Barnabas Hospital, Thetford (9th/10th c.)
the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York

Etymology:

trout forn, sceota, truht river / sea fish

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Season:

all year

Notes:

a shote or shot is a small kind of trout named in Devon and Cornwall

Culinary:

Medical:

Literary:

mentioned in Aelfric's Glossary and Wrights Vocab

Species and Find Sites:

Salmo trutta (Trout) bones identified at:

the Anglo-Scandinavian site of Coppergate, York

Etymology:

O.E. truht "trout," in part from O.Fr. truite, both from L.L. tructa, perhaps from Gk. troktes "a kind of sea fish," lit. "nibbler," from trogein "to gnaw," from PIE root *tere-

trout

W

whiting

whiting sea fish

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Season:

all year

Notes:

the Old English word hwiting referred to chalk and had nothing to do with fish

Culinary:

Medical:

Literary:

Species and Find Sites:

Merlangius merlangus (Whiting) bones identified at:

Bishopstone (mid 5th-early 6th c.)
Fishergate, Norwich (10th/11th c.)
the Anglo Scandinavian site at Coppergate, York

Etymology:

From Middle English whityng, whytyng, perhaps an alteration of Old English hwītling (“whiting”), remodelled after white +‎ -ing (diminutive suffix). Related to the colour white. Cognate with Dutch wijting (“whiting”), Old Norse hvítingr (“a kind of whale”).

wrasse sea fish

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Season:

March - November

Notes:

Culinary:

Medical:

Literary:

Species and Find Sites:

cf Labridae (Wrasse) bones identified at:

Fishergate, Norwich (11th c.)

Etymology:

type of salt-water fish, 1670s, from Cornish wrach, related to Welsh gurach.

wrasse

Resources:

Wikipedia
Bosworth & Toller Old English Dictionary
Online Etymology Dictionary
Anglo-Saxon Food Production and Distribution, Ann Hagen
Fishergate, Norwich EAA 68
St. Barnabas Hospital, Thetford EAA22
Redcastle Furze, Thetford, EAA72
Aelfric's Colloquy
Leechdoms, Oswald Cockayne
The Oxford Handbook of Anglo-Saxon Archaeology
https://badangling.com/
Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research - https://www.nioz.nl/en/expertise/wadden-delta-research-centre/news-media/wadden-sea-species/fish-series/horse-mackerel

Fish

Index:

B

barbel river fish

C

D

E

F

G

H

K

L

M

P

R

S

T

W