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Summary

A Post Medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow system, is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs to the north west of Rectory Wood, Combe Martin. A series of approximately parallel gutters were used to distribute flowing water evenly over the meadow in order to encourage early growth in spring and prevent freezing in winter. None of the gutters appear to be connected with local buildings or farmsteads, suggesting that this was a detached system with no access to liquid manure except what was carried out to it.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1459733
• National Monuments Record: SS 54 NE 81
• Pastscape

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WATER MEADOW (Post Medieval to XX - 1540 AD to 1901 AD)

Full description

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

At least four linear ditches are visible as earthworks.

Ordnance Survey, 1989, OS/89114, NMR NMR OS/89114 658-659 04-MAY-1989 (Aerial Photograph). SDV350315.

The gutters are not visible, perhaps due to scrub cover.

Cook, H. & Williamson, T. (eds.), 2007, Water Meadows: History, Ecology and Conservation, Chapters 1 and 3. (Monograph). SDV349525.

Catchwork, catch-meadow or field-gutter water meadows are a type of water meadow distinctive to the south-west of England. Their form and function are described in chapters 1 and 3.

Exmoor National Park, 2009, Exmoor National Park National Mapping Programme (Archive - Survey). SDV350587.

A Post Medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow system, is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs to the north west of Rectory Wood, Combe Martin. The system consists of at least four roughly parallel gutters stretching across two fields on a north east facing slope above Rectory Wood. The system extends over an area measuring approximately 89 metres wide by 142 metres long, covering an area of approximately 1 hectare, centred at SS 5820 4549. Due to the presence of scrub vegetation, the site is no longer visible by 1989.
A series of approximately parallel gutters were used to distribute flowing water evenly over the meadow in order to encourage early growth in spring and prevent freezing in winter. None of the gutters appear to be connected with local buildings or farmsteads, suggesting that this was a detached system with no access to liquid manure except what was carried out to it

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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