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Summary

An extensive catch meadow of probable 19th century date is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards as a series of approximately parallel earthwork ditches roughly following the contours along the narrow combe of a tributary to Cofflete Creek. 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 and passing it along the slope via a series of roughly parallel channels or gutters. When irrigation was required the gutters were blocked, causing water to overflow, thereby irrigating the slopes below.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CATCH MEADOW (Post Medieval to Mid 20th Century - 1540 AD to 1946 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FS 2121-2122 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

Earthwork catch meadow gutters are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1955, RAF/540/1625, RAF/540/1625 F21 0013-0014 24-MAY-1955 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351141.

Earthwork catch meadow gutters are visible.

Next Perspectives, 2007, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX5351 03-MAY-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV350196.

The earthwork gutters are partly visible.

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

An extensive catch meadow of probable 19th century date is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards as a series of approximately parallel earthwork ditches roughly following the contours along the narrow combe of a tributary to Cofflete Creek, to the south of Spriddlestone Barton, with which it might be associated.
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 visible catch meadow covers an area of approximately four hectares but was probably previously more extensive. It appears to have tapped two water spring-fed streams, one rising to the north near Spriddlestone Barton and another to the west adjacent to Spriddlestone House. This might support the interpretation that this apparently extensive catch meadow is in fact two separate systems, one associated with each holding. Further work would be required to ascertain if this were the case.
Not being directly linked to either farmstead, the catch meadow probably operated as a ‘detached’ system. The earthwork gutters can be partly seen on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2007 but are not clearly visible on more recent images. Ground investigation is required to assess the survival of the earthworks.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV350196	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2007. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX5351 03-MAY-2007.
SDV351061	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FS 2121-2122 10-DEC-1946. [Mapped feature: #63385 ]
SDV351141	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1955. RAF/540/1625. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/540/1625 F21 0013-0014 24-MAY-1955.
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

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)

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