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Summary

A small possible catch meadow of probable post-medieval to 19th century date was visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards as earthwork ditches or gutters to the west of Hele Payne Farm. The earthworks gutters have probably been levelled.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks (infilled leats) of a former Catch (water) meadow, recorded from a Ordnance Survey Aerial Photograph (1989), west of Hele Payne Farm
• SHINE: Earthworks (infilled leats) of a former Catch (water) meadow, recorded from a Ordnance Survey Aerial Photograph (1989), west of Hele Payne Farm

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CATCH MEADOW (Post Medieval to XX - 1540 AD to 1967 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS, RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS 4246-4247 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356902.

Earthwork ditches or gutters were visible.

BKS Surveys Ltd, 1967, BKS/2822, BKS/2822 V 2925-2926 14-MAR-1967 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354836.

The earthwork gutters remained visible but in eroded condition.

Next Perspectives, 2002, Pan Government Agreement, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SS9802 29-SEP-2002 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356896.

The earthwork ditches are not visible.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV356883.

A small possible catch meadow of probable post-medieval to 19th century date was visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards as earthwork ditches or gutters on south and east facing combe slopes to the west of Hele Payne Farm.
Many catch meadow systems are believed to date to the post medieval period, although it is likely that they were first developed in the medieval period and often continued in use into the twentieth century. Catch meadows provided a simple, inexpensive and effective form of irrigation. When irrigation was required water was diverted from a source such as a pond, river, spring or spring-fed stream and passed along the meadow slopes via one or more of the gutters, which was then caused to overflow. The lower, roughly parallel gutters then ‘caught’ and redistributed water passing it evenly over the surface of a meadow below. The gently flowing water prevented the ground freezing in winter and encouraged early growth in spring, thereby providing extra feed for livestock, particularly important during the hungry gap of March and April.
In this instance the possible catch meadow was probably supplied by a stream that flows along the combe from the north. The gutters remained identifiable as well defined earthwork ditches on aerial photographs of 1967 but cannot be seen on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2002 and have probably been levelled.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV354836	Aerial Photograph: BKS Surveys Ltd. 1967. BKS/2822. BKS Surveys Ltd. Photograph (Paper). BKS/2822 V 2925-2926 14-MAR-1967.
SDV356883	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV356896	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2002. Pan Government Agreement. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SS9802 29-SEP-2002.
SDV356902	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS 4246-4247 04-NOV-1946. [Mapped feature: #67786 ]

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.