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WoSASPIN 52237 NS37NE 197 3586 7621 to 3578 7600

A fish trap situated on the inter-tidal mud flats of the River Clyde is shown on the current 1:10,000 map as well as on the OS 1st edition map (Dumbartonshire sheet XXI). On the current map it is annotated "Fish Yair", on the 1st edition "Old Fish Yair". The trap is shown as a stone-built barrier, extending for at least 300 metres, with a greater length shown on the 1st edition. The trap is likely to be medieval in origin.
Entered WoSAS (CF) 10/02/99

These stone built fish traps, the largest of which is depicted on both the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Dumbartonshire 1864, Sheet xxi) annotated `Old Fish Yair' and the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1991), have been recorded on oblique aerial photography (RCAHMSAP 2005) lying off the shore about 500m SW of Ardoch.
Information from RCAHMS (KMM) 19 August 2005

David Murray, in his book "Old Cardross" (1880), listed six yairs on the north shore of the Clyde between Ardoch and Craigendoran; he provides additional information on some of them. At the end of the book, in his "Table of Cardross Place Names", he enumerates all six of them, as:

(1) Ardoch - WoSAS Pin 52237
(2) The Murraghs, called Geilston Yair - WoSAS Pin 22281
(3) Ballimenach Yair, opposite the lands of Laigh Ballimenach, at the present Butts - WoSAS Pin 22280
(4) Hill of Ardmore in the Shinnan Bay - WoSAS Pin 22279
(5) and (6) in Camiseskan Bay - WoSAS Pins 22276 and 66174

The Old Statistical Account (1796) for Cardross Parish gives a physical description of the yairs, the height to which they were build, and so on, and says that they are productive. The corresponding New Statistical Account (1845) says that only the yairs at Ardmore (#4) and Colgrain (#5) are still in use, and that they produce little.

David Murray's "Old Cardross" (1880) also mentions "Castle Folly or Clyde Castle – An old house at one time stood at the head of Ardoch Bay, which was built or used for the purpose of receiving and curing the proprietors' share of the herrings taken at Ardoch Yair, and was called the Yair House. It was afterwards altered and used by Mr W.C.C.Graham, of Gartmore, as a summer house, and called Clyde Castle. Mr Robert Mackenzie occupied it for one or two seasons prior to 1789. Latterly a house of the same name stood a little to the east of the railway station and was removed when the railway was formed". The railway line through Cardross was officially opened in 1858. William Cunninghame Cunninghame-Graham, the eldest son of the poet and politician Robert Graham (1735-97) of Gartmore; the latter had been Receiver-General of Taxes in Jamaica.

Picture and details: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1055008

Old Statistical Account (1796) - Cardross Parish: (the author is inconsistent in spelling, using "yair" only at first, and "yare" after that; however the references to the charters, and the unusual definitions there of the extent to which these rights could be exercised, such as throwing a spear from the point to which a horse could ride, etc., suggest that there are old charters in existence which specifically mention these yairs; I will try to find these sources):

"The Zair or Yair fishings, so productive in this parish, seem to be almost peculiar to it. A yare is built of stones gathered from the tide water-mark, about 4 feet in height, and of considerable length, and stretches out into the river in the form of a crescent, or of three sides of a square; but to give it a probability of succeeding, it must proceed from a point of land, so as to include a bay. The distance which it is extended from the shore is such as to make it appear, or to crown, as the fishers term it, about two hours below low water. Were it placed farther into the sea, or built higher, the surf would be continually beating it down. In spring tides, the water retiring quickly, great quantities of fish, particularly herrings, are occasionally taken within these inclosures; and salmon, in small quantities, during the spring and summer months. Along the Cardross shore there are many such inclosures, but the most happily situated are the properties of Mr Dennistoun of Colgrain, and Mr Noble of Noble-Farm. The rights to these yare fishings prove them to be of very high antiquity, being granted by crown charters above 500 years ago, and confirmed by all subsequent charters. By these, the proprietors of the soil have the right of exercising yare fishings upon the shore to low water-mark. Some of these rights extend as far as a man can ride beyond low water, and from that throw a twelve-feet spear. This extent of shore, during the herring season, is attentively guarded, that the fish which may entrap themselves in these yares may neither be alarmed by, nor taken in the nets of the boat-fishers. It is remarked, from the earliest accounts of this kind of fishing, that the herrings visit the river Clyde at nearly 3 equal periods in 100 years, each period consisting of several years fishing. The mode of securing what fish may be in the yares is with a hand-net. By ancient custom, two thirds belong to the yare proprietor, and one third to the fisher, if a tenant upon the adjoining lands. But when strangers are permitted to fish, they have only one fourth part of their success allowed them."

New Statistical Account (1845) - Cardross Parish (the yairs are mentioned at the end):

"The salmon-fishings of the Leven were formerly of considerable value, but are now much fallen off. They belong to the corporation of Dumbarton, and to Sir James Colquhoun of Luss, but they scarcely fall within this parish. The practice of fishing by stake-nets on the shores of the river was some years ago suppressed by a judgement of the Supreme Court; but bag-nets have very lately been introduced in the open Frith below Ardmore, and promise to render very valuable salmon-fishings which have hitherto not been available to the proprietors. Of the yairs mentioned in the former Statistical Account of this parish, those of Ardmore and Colgrain are kept up, but they are no longer of any value beyond the casual supply of a few salmon or trouts."
Information from Cameron, D.A., 01/08/11