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Summary

A post medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow, is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs in fields to the east of Coulscott Farm. A series of approximately parallel ditches, known as gutters were used to distribute flowing water evenly over the meadow in order to encourage early growth in spring and prevent freezing in winter. This system appears to connect with a spring and possible a farmyard at Hillside Farm to the west, suggesting that this was an integrated system which also distributed liquid manure to the fields as fertiliser.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1461347
• National Monuments Record: SS 64 NW 49
• Pastscape

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1655, NMR RAF 106G/UK/1655 4142 11-JUL-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349996.

Three linear ditches are visible as earthworks.

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, is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs in fields to the east of Coulscott Farm. Three ditches, known as gutters are visible, running approximately north-south down a steep south-west facing slope, crossing two fields. The gutters vary in length from between 120 to 176 metres long. This 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. This system appears to connect with a spring and possibly a farmyard at Hillside Farm to the west, suggesting that this was an integrated system which also distributed liquid manure to the fields as fertiliser.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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