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Summary

A simple water-meadow of probable post-medieval to 19th century date is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s onward as an earthwork ditch on the south of Brinscott Wood. 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 water 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 1889 AD)
• WATER MEADOW (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1889 AD)

Full description

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

The probable gutter is depicted. Map object partly based on this source.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF CPE/UK/1980, NMR RAF/CPE/UK/1980 4105-4106 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV350276.

A probable catch meadow gutter is visible as a narrow earthwork ditch. Map object partly based on this source.

Next Perspectives, 2007, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:SS5844 03-MAY-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV350196.

The catch meadow gutter remains visible as a narrow earthwork ditch.

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 onward as a narrow earthwork ditch on the south of Brinscott Wood. 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 from March to April.
The gutter was supplied primarily by a spring that rises at circa SS58944416, although other springs might have been supplementary supplies, and both gutter and spring are depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25 inch map. As such the earthwork has not been transcribed as part of the survey. The gutter remains visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs taken in May 2007, albeit grassed over.

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
SDV350196	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2007. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:SS5844 03-MAY-2007.
SDV350276	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF CPE/UK/1980. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/CPE/UK/1980 4105-4106 11-APR-1947.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

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

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