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The Hungerford Fishery is unique in many ways, but not least because of its history. There are records that go back pretty well for six centuries but since fishing is one of the oldest occupations then it is hardly surprising that the inhabitants made records of their experiences.
The story starts in the 14th century but there is little detail until 16th century where there are massive accounts of all sorts of trouble which had to be resolved and has become in a large part the history of Hungerford itself. It was because of the threats to the fishery that the trusteeship was created nearly 400 years ago. This has had a major influence in the affairs of this small town and its determination for independence. In recent times the estate in trust under the Constable and Trustees of the Town & Manor of Hungerford Charity has been nothing other than a thorn in the side of countless generations of developers and planners who would have otherwise built houses and factories on a large scale in and around the town centre.
We return to the fishery and how did it all come about? Those who have had the privilege to attend the Hocktide Lunch can not fail to be impressed by the toasts made by the Constable of the day. First the Loyal Toast ”The Queen Duke of Lancaster” then all the assembled guests remain standing for the solemn toast “The Immortal Memory of John of Gaunt”. This toast has been unfailingly proposed and drunk for centuries and is still considered to be equally important today.
Tradition and indeed history has it that John of Gaunt, (1340-1399) the fourth son of King Edward III, came into the ownership of the Manor through his marriage to Blanche the daughter of Henry, Duke of Lancaster and he granted the inhabitants of Hungerford the right to fish in the River Kennet from Elder Stub at Leverton to Irish Style which is 2 miles downstream of Kintbury. Altogether about 6 miles of prime fishing and a significant source of food in those days. Consequently it was fought over many times by those with a mind to take commercial benefit from these miles of productive chalk streams.
In the Town Coffer there is to this day an ancient 14th century brass hunting horn which is said to have been given as a guarantee for the fishing rights granted. It is inscribed with the word Hungerford and the Town Badge is repeated three times of the Crescent Moon and Star now recognised as the Arms of Hungerford.
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In addition history claims that there was also a Charter a copy of which was stolen in the 16th century and the original was lost in the fire of 1381 that burnt down John of Gaunt’s Savoy Palace in the Strand, at the time of the riots.
In the Middle Ages great value was placed on freshwater fish as it was available all year round and an important source of protein that added to a predominantly carbohydrate and uninteresting diet particularly so during the winter months. After the Reformation the former fish day on Friday became compulsory, then Saturday was added in 1563 to the days when no flesh was to be eaten. This made it even more important for the inhabitants of Hungerford to cling on to their privilege of their rights to fish. On the other hand the Duchy of Lancaster had a real incentive to restore the fishery to the Crown and soon there was a serious conflict that developed and the townsmen could see that their rights could easily be lost to the Crown. An appeal was made to Queen Elizabeth I who was staying at Wilton House with the Earl of Pembroke. He was High Steward of the Borough of Hungerford and the result was that a letter dated 7th September 1574 was drafted by Thomas Sekford by order of the Queen confirming to the inhabitants of Hungerford “such liberties and profits and benefits as theretofore, time out of mind and remembrance of man they have used and enjoyed.” A copy of this letter is framed and can be seen in the Town Hall. The original is in the County Archives and looks as new - in pristine condition even though it is well over 400 years old.
Quite obviously the fishery was always tremendously important as a source of food and sporting activity and through the centuries it has been let commercially on an annual tenancy and it could be claimed as the oldest let fishery in the country. The let seems to have always been without hindrance to the commoners rights and for wealthy tenants to pay an annual rent for the fishing and to have to put up with commoners fishing could only mean that the river always supported an abundance of fish.
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Thomas Ward and Mr Slumber paid £3.11s.0d. rent in 1658 and two years later this had risen to £4.0s.0d. A few years later the rent had dropped to £2.10s.0d. and then by 1713 the rent had risen to £5.10s.0d.
By 1658 there were obvious efforts to put in place rules for the fishery and were administered by the Hocktide Jury when limits a daily catch were added to the rules and a limitation to Commoners fishing three days each week which were Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. The season was opened on 1st April and closed 1st September each year. The tenant was also expected to provide “a handsome dish of trout for the Hocktide Lunch”.
Rent charged for the fishery increased and by 1813 it had risen to £15.0s.0d per year and it was recorded that costs were rising as well and the fishing was in decline for whatever reason.
The Kennet and Avon Canal in 1822 was included for the first time in the letting and inhabitants, children and friends were able to fish free of charge. It was then that the old Feoffees made their claim as riparian owners of the canal and has been ever since but not without problems through the years.
It was not until the First World War that the Trustees resolved to establish a formal Canal Angling Club the timing coincided with the election as a Trustee of the great pike fisherman The Reverend T.S.Gray, Vicar of Hungerford and author of the book “Pike Fishing” and he is always remembered by the local fishermen for the pike he killed on 16th January 1906 weighing 30lbs. He had the pike stuffed and it was left to the Hungerford Canal Angling Association where for many years was to be seen at the Railway Tavern home of the HCAA. Regrettably the specimen fish disappeared in the seventies and was thought to have been be sold. Since, the Trustees have been searching for this fish which was an important part of the history of fishing in Hungerford and they have always wanted to add it to the unique collection of specimen fish displayed in the Town Hall.
The Hungerford Canal Angling Association was finally formed in 1917 with and founding committee of five, one of which was Rev T.S.Gray who represented the Trustees. Tickets were sold at 10s.6d. per year or 1s.0d. per day and no Sunday fishing was allowed.
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We return to the Hungerford Fishery which throughout had been let through the centuries by the old Feoffees to various tenants who by and large struck up good relationships with the Town & Manor and respected the Commoners Rights. There was little doubt that there were times when the Fishing Committee of the Water Bailiffs from the Hocktide Court and in particular the Hon Secretaries found their work too demanding and replacements were not easily found. There were resignations in 1957 and because there was no obvious taker for the job the tenancy was offered to Mr Lancelot Peart the owner of the Berkshire Trout Farm at Dunmill. It seemed that the let was to be attractive as the family were well known in the game fishing world and would have little difficulty in finding paying rods to fill the spaces available each year.
Although Mr Peart paid only a nominal annual rent of £25:00 he was expected to maintain the rivers and the banks. He always complained of too many Commoners fishing and the rod fees did not cover his expenditure and after 15 years he handed back the tenancy at short notice. This turned out to be a stroke of luck as Jim Davis the Constable at the time had been overtly critical of the tenant’s management of the fishery and considered that under his own management could be made into a first class chalk stream trout fishery and there were plenty of fishermen willing to pay a proper price to take all the available rods.
Jim Davis stood down after his second year as Constable in favour of the job as Hon Fishing Manager. He signed up Paul Hill a young Water Keeper and obtained planning permission to build a house for the Keeper in the John of Gaunt Inn garden. The funds required over and above the amount the Trustees could raise came from a personal approach to the Fee Paying Rods and Commoners. The fishery again in hand went from strength to strength and within 2 years the borrowed money was all paid back.
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Since those days the Fishery has gone from very modest sporting and environmental habitats to a fishery of excellence and very protected areas of natural habitats.
The big change over the years has been due to the standards set by Jim Davis in those early days and by subsequent Constables who have persevered and fought off the threats of government and of the demands of modern life. Like most things in this world success comes with effort and good management and the appointment in 1992 of another young, skilled and enthusiastic Water Keeper, Robert Starr, who came from a family of Water Keepers of the Chalk Streams of Wiltshire, has created the Hungerford Fishery as it is known today with the equal support of the Fishery Committee of Water Bailiffs and the Trustees of the Town & Manor of Hungerford.
Today there are 40 Fee Paying Rods, 20 or so Commoners and Invited Guests who fish each year and are well spread out over the 5 miles of double bank fishing in the River Kennet and River Dun. The unique environment of the Chalk Streams provides the abundance of super quality natural food for the Brown and Rainbow Trout and Grayling which thrive and grow into magnificent specimens and there for the determined fly fisherman to stalk and hook. If by good luck that fish is landed then the story can for ever be re-told to any willing listener in the years to come.
Robert W.James
Trustee of the Town & Manor of Hungerford
June 2009
For more information see:
E.L. Davis, The Story of an Ancient Fishery, 1978.
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