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 catch meadow of probable 19th century date is visible as two earthwork ditches on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards, to the south of Thacketwood.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CATCH MEADOW (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FS 2044 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

The catch-meadow is visible as two parallel earthwork ditches.

Meridian Airmaps Limited, 1966, MAL/66006, MAL/66006 V 67-68 15-MAR-1966 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351230.

The catch meadow is visible as two parallel earthwork ditches. Map based on this source.

GetMapping, 1999, 133/99, GM 133/99 466 15-NOV-1999 SDV351202 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351202.

The catch meadow is visible as two parallel earthwork ditches.

Next Perspectives, 2006, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photograph, NEXT Perspectives PGA Imagery SX7343 03-JUN-2006 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351300.

The catch-meadow is visible as two parallel earthwork ditches.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2013-2014, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV351146.

A catch meadow of probable 19th century date is visible as two earthwork ditches on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards, to the south of Thacketwood. 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 the March and April. The two parallel gutters are located along the hill slope on the 10-15m contour line and appear to tap a pond at their northwest extent. The gutters measure approximately 1m wide and cover an area of approximately 0.25 hectares. This system does not appear to be connected to any local farmyards, suggesting that this was a detached system which only distributed water to the fields and not liquid manure or other fertilisers. The earthworks remain visible on aerial photographs of 1999 and on digital aerial photographs of 2006.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV351061	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FS 2044 10-DEC-1946.
SDV351146	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2013-2014. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV351202	Aerial Photograph: GetMapping. 1999. 133/99. GetMapping Aerial Photograph. GM 133/99 466 15-NOV-1999 SDV351202.
SDV351230	Aerial Photograph: Meridian Airmaps Limited. 1966. MAL/66006. Meridian Airmaps Limited Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). MAL/66006 V 67-68 15-MAR-1966.
SDV351300	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2006. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photograph. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. NEXT Perspectives PGA Imagery SX7343 03-JUN-2006.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)

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