See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

A water meadow of probable post-medieval to 19th century date is visible on aerial photographs of the 1930s and 1940sas curvilinear earthwork ditches on the north-west facing slopes overlooking the A38, west of Chudleigh. The earthworks have been partly levelled by modern development.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CATCH MEADOW (Post Medieval to XX - 1540 AD to 1930 AD (Between))

Full description

Aerofilms, 1930, Aerofilms LTD Oblique Aerial Photography 60713, AFL60713 /0006 EPW033324 XX-JUL-1930 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354848.

Curvilinear earhtwork ditches are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 RS 4060-4061 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

Curvilinear earhtwork ditches are visible.

Fairy Surveys Ltd, 1964, FSL/6412 V, FSL/6412 V 2040-2041 07-FEB-1964 (Aerial Photograph). SDV357115.

Curvilinear earhtwork ditches are visible.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX8679 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

Curvilinear earhtwork ditches are visible.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2018-2019, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (Interpretation). SDV361305.

Curvilinear ditches are visible on aerial photographs of 1930 and 1946 as earthworks on the north and south side of a narrow combe on the north-west facing slopes overlooking the A38, west of Chudleigh. The earthworks are roughly parallel and closely follow the contours of the slope. The uppermost ditch was up to circa 5m wide and nearly 400m long. The lower ditches are narrower and shorter, approaching 250m long.
The earthworks are interpreted as the remains of catch meadows of probable post-medieval to 19th century date, a form of water meadow irrigation popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries but which originated in the medieval period. The channels are typically known as gutters. The longest gutter has been partly levelled by a modern housing development but the remainder continue to be visible as earthworks on images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV352504	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1824 RS 4060-4061 04-NOV-1946. [Mapped feature: #114074 ]
SDV354848	Aerial Photograph: Aerofilms. 1930. Aerofilms LTD Oblique Aerial Photography 60713. NMR Aerial Photograph. Digital. AFL60713 /0006 EPW033324 XX-JUL-1930.
SDV357115	Aerial Photograph: Fairy Surveys Ltd. 1964. FSL/6412 V. Fairy Surveys Ltd aerial photograph. Photograph (Paper). FSL/6412 V 2040-2041 07-FEB-1964.
SDV361305	Interpretation: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2018-2019. The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley. Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV361470	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2017. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor. Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SX8679 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7515 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey (Ref: ACD1748)

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