I don’t know about you, but I had never encountered a weather fish before. This one is atop the tiny ancient church of a very tiny farming settlement below Shropshire’s Long Mynd. The church is 12th century and you can find out more about it and its location in an earlier post: On the way to Myndtown to see which way the fish blow
For now, just a smidgeon of history.
As you will see, the word ‘town’ in Myndtown is misleading. It should be understood in the old Saxon sense of ‘settlement’. In the Domesday accounts of 1085 it is described as being held by Leofric who in turn holds it from a French lordling nicknamed Picot, otherwise known as Robert de Sai (from the Orne district in France).
Leofric (a good Saxon name) is a freeman, overseeing some 240 acres (one and half hides), enough for three and half ploughs, and on which tax is due. In the settlement there are four villagers, four smallholders with two ploughs and two slaves. There is one hedged enclosure. The conqueror’s accountants state whole is worth 30 shillings, half the amount is was worth in 1066.
Historians surmise that the fall in value at this particular place and time is due to incursions by raiders from nearby Wales.
Fortunately there was no raiding going on during our Myndtown visit. The only sound was a buzzard tracking the Long Mynd foothills. You can just spot it in the next photo (above the porch roof).
*
And besides the general peacefulness, there were other signs that the weather fish spoke truly: it was indeed a fine day for flying. Look up! Here comes a glider launched from the Long Mynd glider station.
Tish Farrell 
Is it pointing the way to the sea?!
Very nice bit of history there Tish, I enjoy reading little pieces like this 🙂 and beautiful photos too
Thanks, Alison. I think short pieces work best on blogs. Or I could be being a bit lazy 🙂
Not at all, I totally agree
Love the weather fish!
Good for a smile, isn’t it.
Another great post. And yes, I HAVE seen a weather fish somewhere, but I can’t think where, or even if it was in the UK. I just Googled it to see if it would jog my memory, but all I got were offers to buy one on Etsy.
Fishing for shopping opportunies, eh!
Oddly enough, yes! There’s a dolphin one on a weathervane not too far from here. Somewhere I have a photo….
Oh I like that. A dolphin is a wonderful notion.
Thanks, Jude. Happy to entertain an erstwhile Salopian 🙂
Evidently we wonder in vane weather it’s odd. 🙂
🙂 🙂 🙂
I usually enjoy your history posts but there is something decidedly fishy about this one.
Ha! Fishy indeed. Though for some reason this reminds me of an old ‘Chinese’ saying about a fish going rotten from the head. Wise words, methinks.
Love that, fish!