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Summary

A possible catch meadow of probable 19th century date is visible as a series of earthwork ditches on lidar-derived images of between 1998 to 2014 and digital images of 2002, to the east of Lower Westown. The earthworks are clearly visible on aerial photographs made available to the survey.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks associated with the former leats of a Catch (water) Meadow, east of Lower Westown Farm

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CATCH MEADOW (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1900 AD (Between))
• DRAINAGE SYSTEM (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Environment Agency, 1998-2014, LiDAR DSM data (1m resolution), LIDAR ST1213 Environment Agency DSM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014 (Cartographic). SDV359178.

The possible catch meadow is visible as a series of earthwork ditches. Map object based on this source.

Google, 2015, Google Earth Pro, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM XX-XXX-2002 ACCESSED 27-JUN-2016 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359580.

The possible catch meadow is visible as a series of earthwork ditches. Map object based on this source.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2016-2018, The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV359463.

A possible catch meadow of probable 19th century date is visible as a series of earthwork ditches on lidar-derived images of between 1998 to 2014 and digital images of 2002, to the east of Lower Westown. Most 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. 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. The possible catch meadow covers an area of approximately 1.83 hectares of gentle north facing slope, on the southern side of the River Culm. The system comprises a series of broadly parallel gutters which measure less than 2m in width and which appear to be bisected by two north to south aligned drains. It is unclear how, or if, these drains may be associated with the system, although may have served to feed the system by diverting the flow of water from a water course present approximately 100m to the southeast at Waldrons. The interpretation of these earthworks as a catch meadow should, however, be viewed with some caution and it is possible they are also the result of modern land drainage, feeding water into the river Culm to the immediate north. The earthworks are not clearly visible on aerial photographs made available to the survey.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV359178	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2014. LiDAR DSM data (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR ST1213 Environment Agency DSM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014.
SDV359463	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2016-2018. The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:2
SDV359580	Aerial Photograph: Google. 2015. Google Earth Pro. Various. Digital. EARTH.GOOGLE.COM XX-XXX-2002 ACCESSED 27-JUN-2016.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

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