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Summary

A catch meadow of probable post-medieval to 19th century date is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as narrow curvilinear earthwork ditches following the contours on the lower slopes of a combe to the south of Bagton. The ditches are identifiable in part as subtle earthworks on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CATCH MEADOW (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1880 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

A ditch corresponds with a water channel depicted on the Ordnance Survey 25inch First Editio.n map

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/UK/967, RAF/106G/UK/967 RS 4128-4129 01-NOV-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351060.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 4021-4022 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX7041 Tellus DTM 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV361514.

Curvilinear ditches are identifiable as earthworks.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2020, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

Curvilinear narrow ditches are visible on aerial photographs of 1945 and 1946 as subtle earthworks under pasture, measuring up to circa 1.5m wide and from 40 to 400m long, following the contours on the lower slopes of a combe to the south of Bagton.
The channels are probably the remains of catch meadow gutters of post-medieval to 19th century date.
Catch meadows diverted water from springs or streams along channels, or gutters, to redistribute it to irrigate combe slopes. Originating probably in the medieval period they were in widespread use in Devon in the 19th century with many in use into the mid-20th century.
Earthworks visible at circa SX7016541152 correspond with a water channel depicted on the Ordnance Survey 25inch First Edition map. This might support the interpretation that the wider system had passed out of use by the later-19th century, but individual elements remained in use as leats or drains.
Ditches remain identifiable as very subtle earthworks at SX70254125 and SX70354118 on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013 but the ditches to the west have probably been levelled.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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