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 simple water-meadow of probable post-medieval to 19th century date is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as an earthwork ditch on steep combe slopes to the south of Hempster Farm. Known locally as catchwork, catch-meadow or field-gutter systems, such water meadows are usually found on combe or hill slopes and are designed to irrigate pasture by diverting water from a spring or stream along one ore more roughly parallel channels or gutters, which were caused to overflow when irrigation was required. Their use was particularly important during the hungry gap between March and April.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

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

The narrow earthwork channel or ditch corresponds with a water channel depicted, but not annotated on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25 inch map.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1501, NMR RAF/106G/UK/1501 3291-3292 13-MAY-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349927.

A narrow earthwork channel or ditch is visible.

Next Perspectives, 2007, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS5543 03-MAY-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV350196.

The course of the earthwork ditch is obscured by trees and scrub vegetation.

Next Perspectives, 2007, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS5544 03-MAY-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV350196.

The course of the earthwork ditch is obscured by trees and scrub vegetation.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S., 2011 - 2012, North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV349018.

A simple water-meadow of probable post-medieval to 19th century date is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as an earthwork ditch on steep combe slopes to the south of Hempster Farm, at circa SS55364404.
Such water-meadows, known as catchwork, catch-meadow or field-gutter systems, are usually found on combe or hill slopes and are designed to irrigate pasture by diverting water from a spring or stream. The water is carried along the valley sides via one or more channels or gutters and when irrigation was required the gutters were blocked, causing water to overflow from gutter to gutter, thereby irrigating the slopes. This film of water prevented the ground freezing during the winter and raised the temperature of the grass in the spring, thereby encouraging early growth, particularly important during the hungry gap of March and April.
This simple example comprising a single gutter probably tapped a spring fed stream near its south-eastern end and irrigated a small area of no more than 0.5 hectares of west facing combe slope. As the gutter is depicted on the Ordnance Survey first edition 25 inch map the water meadow clearly predates the late 19th century. If it is associated with Hempster Farm it might post-date the late 18th century. The combe slopes are now wooded and the gutter is not visible.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV349018	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S.. 2011 - 2012. North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. ACD383/2/1. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV349927	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1501. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/UK/1501 3291-3292 13-MAY-1946. [Mapped feature: #62687 ]
SDV350196	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2007. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS5544 03-MAY-2007.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project

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