In the early part of the century, when Yarmouth was in her most flourishing condition, she had both men and money, and she had undertaken the first of her numerous efforts to remedy this chronic trouble by cutting out a new mouth for her harbour. This mouth, which was on the north side of Corton, was kept open for some 26 years.
Although during this time the herring trade carried on by Yarmouth, with its harbour and Free Fair, was out of all proportion to that of the seaside villages in its neighbourhood, it is evident that Lowestoft and Winterton, and perhaps some of the other villages, had taken part in the international trade of the autumn season, besides catching herrings in their own boats.
The rules as to fasting during Lent, as well as on Fridays and Saturdays in every week during the year, which were strictly enforced at this time by a powerful Church, had rendered the east coast herring trade a matter of national importance. The ability to purchase red herrings for lenten fare was a necessity for the salvation, not only of the lives, but of the souls of the people. Even our soldiers when engaged in war had to observe the rules as to fasting. In 1358 we hear of 50 lasts of herring being shipped at Portsmouth for the use of the army in France. In 1429 Sir John Fastolf was serving in the Duke of Bedford’s army at the siege of Orleans. Sir John was himself of an old Yarmouth family. Several members of his family were on the lists of bailiffs for the previous century, and he is said to have had a house in Yarmouth as well as his Castle at Caister near by. His connection with Yarmouth probably enabled him to procure a supply of herrings for the army not altogether without profit to himself. At all events on Ash-Wednesday, 1429, he had charge of a train of 500 wagons of herrings on its way from Paris to Orleans. He was attacked by a large force of French at a village near Orleans. He had recourse to the tactics we have so often heard of lately in our wars in South Africa. He formed his wagons into laager, and from behind these defences the English Archers shot their arrows with such deadly effect, that they drove the enemy off with great slaughter, and Sir John got his herrings safely into camp. This was the Battle of Herrings, one of the most celebrated victories in the French wars.