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This map of Bridgnorth shows two man made bylets in the River Severn.
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The river has been used through the ages as a source of food, including fish and eels. Fish were often caught in fish weirs. These stretched across the river and
trapped fish. To allow river traffic to pass bylets, artificial passing
channels, were often constructed, although natural braided channels were also used. These are formed when a tributary enters the river depositing large amounts of gravel, creating islands and multiple channels.
Natural resources of the river
The river has not just been used as a supply of food, but also as a store cupboard for
raw materials, such as withies (willow), for basket making, or wattles,
for wattle and
daub panels or fences. The river also supplied a source of water for use in crafts
and industries. Tanning (processing animal hides) used vast amounts of water.
Tanneries were located by the river in medieval (1066-1547) Bridgnorth and Shrewsbury. Today,
the power station at Ironbridge uses water from the river in its four massive
cooling towers.
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