The Quay Reaching From The Drawbridge Almost To The
South Gate, Is So Spacious And Wide, That In Some Places It Is Near
One Hundred Yards From The Houses To The Wharf.
In this pleasant
and agreeable range of houses are some very magnificent buildings,
and among the rest, the Custom House and Town Hall, and some
merchant's houses, which look like little palaces rather than the
dwelling-houses of private men.
The greatest defect of this beautiful town seems to be that, though
it is very rich and increasing in wealth and trade, and
consequently in people, there is not room to enlarge the town by
building, which would be certainly done much more than it is, but
that the river on the land side prescribes them, except at the
north end without the gate; and even there the land is not very
agreeable. But had they had a larger space within the gates there
would before now have been many spacious streets of noble fine
buildings erected, as we see is done in some other thriving towns
in England, as at Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, Frome, etc.
The quay and the harbour of this town during the fishing fair, as
they call it, which is every Michaelmas, one sees the land covered
with people, and the river with barques and boats, busy day and
night landing and carrying of the herrings, which they catch here
in such prodigious quantities, that it is incredible. I happened
to be there during their fishing fair, when I told in one tide 110
barques and fishing vessels coming up the river all laden with
herrings, and all taken the night before; and this was besides what
was brought on shore on the Dean (that is the seaside of the town)
by open boats, which they call cobles, and which often bring in two
or three last of fish at a time. The barques often bring in ten
last a piece.
This fishing fair begins on Michaelmas Day, and lasts all the month
of October, by which time the herrings draw off to sea, shoot their
spawn, and are no more fit for the merchant's business--at least,
not those that are taken thereabouts.
The quantity of herrings that are caught in this season are
diversely accounted for. Some have said that the towns of Yarmouth
and Lowestoft only have taken 40,000 last in a season. I will not
venture to confirm that report; but this I have heard the merchants
themselves say, viz., that they have cured--that is to say, hanged
and dried in the smoke--40,000 barrels of merchantable red herrings
in one season, which is in itself (though far short of the other)
yet a very considerable article; and it is to be added that this is
besides all the herrings consumed in the country towns of both
those populous counties for thirty miles from the sea, whither very
great quantities are carried every tide during the whole season.
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