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Summary

An extensive catch meadow system of probable 19th century date is visible as a series of earthwork ditches on aerial photographs of 1947 onwards, on the southwest slopes from Hayne Cross to Foxhill Farm. The catch meadow remains clearly visible here on digital images derived from lidar data captured in 2016.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks of former Catch (water) meadow, north-east of Rull Farm

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST11SW/222
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

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

Water channels likely associated with the catch meadow are depicted on this map. Map object partly based on this source.

Ordnance Survey, 1880s, Ordnance Survey (Cartographic). SDV848.

Two parallel water courses are shown on OS 25" (1880s) map running northwest to southeast through the field to the north of the river & creating water meadows.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 3292-93 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

The catch meadow is visible as a series of earthwork ditches.

Bluesky International, 2016, LiDAR DTM data (0.5m resolution) Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs: 3 transects, LIDAR ST1010; ST1011; ST1110 Bluesky International DTM 27-JUN-2016 (Cartographic). SDV359714.

The catch meadow is visible as a series of earthwork ditches. Map object partly 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.

An extensive catch meadow system of probable 19th century date is visible as a series of earthwork ditches on aerial photographs of 1947 onwards, from Hayne Cross to Foxhill Farm. 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 catch meadow covers an area of approximately 38 hectares of moderate to steep southwest facing slope. It comprises a dense concentration of gutters which measure less than 2m in width and aligned with the slope. These gutters are bissected by a series of linear northeast to southwest aligned drains which appear to be integral to the system, although it is largely unclear how they may be associated-perhaps they were a means to more directly and efficiently feed the system by diverting the flow of water from one of the many water courses present here. Given its dispersed nature, it is largely unclear how this system may have operated and with which water source it may have tapped, although it is likely multiple sources were utilised. Water channels likely associated with the catch meadow are depicted here on the First Edition Ordnance Survey map of between the 1880’s-90’s and as such have not been transcribed as part of this survey, although have been included within the monument polygon. The possible catch meadow remains visible as a series of earthwork ditches on digital images derived from lidar data captured in 2016.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 3292-93 11-APR-1947.
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
SDV359714	Cartographic: Bluesky International. 2016. LiDAR DTM data (0.5m resolution) Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs: 3 transects. Not applicable. Digital. LIDAR ST1010; ST1011; ST1110 Bluesky International DTM 27-JUN-2016.
SDV848	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880s. Ordnance Survey. 25".

Associated Monuments

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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