HODS 23 Greenses Arabs and Fish Tales

Join local Archivist, Linda Bankier as she leads you on this walk to discover the stories of the families that lived and worked in the cottages and smokehouses of the Greenses – a unique area of Berwick outside the Tudor Walls.

The Greenses is so called because until the 19th century, although located within the town’s medieval walls, much of the land was still an open field. From the 18th century, herring fishing was the main occupation for the men of the Greenses during the summer months. In the winter, the fishermen turned to catching cod and haddock with long lines. Every day, each line with up to 720 hooks were baited with mussels and limpets collected and put on the hooks by the womenfolk. Crabs and lobsters were also caught, using pots known locally as “creeves”. The locals were called Greenses Arabs on account of the men’s beards and swarthy complexion acquired from putting to sea in all weathers.