At the royal manor there, Swainmote court, there were strict laws in the 1600s that covered royal swans. Every swan found in the area had to be brought to the manor where he or she received twelve-pence for their trouble.[5]
Bede tells a story of how Bishop Wilfred of Lindisfarne taught the local inhabitants how to take fish from these waters. Before this they were unskilled and could only catch eels. He taught them to catch other kinds of fish including salmon. Apparently the older custom was to tie a bit of bait to a string. This method did not work with fish since there was no hook.[5]
