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Summary

A catch meadow of probable 19th century date is visible as a series of earthwork ditches on aerial photographs of 1943 and 2006, to the northeast of Bickerton.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Remains of former farmstead, enclosures and pond and earthworks of former catch (water)meadow leats, west of Hallsands

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

United States Airforce, 1943, US/7PH/GP/LOC133, US/7PH/GP/LOC133 FV 7016-17 30-DEC-1943 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351450.

The catch meadow is visible as a series of earthwork ditches.

Next Perspectives, 2006, Pan Government Agreement, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX8139 01-JUN-2006 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351459.

The catch meadow is visible as a series of 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 a series of earthwork ditches on aerial photographs of 1943 and 2006, northeast of Bickerton. 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 catch meadow covers an area of approximately 0.8 hectare of southeast facing slope. The system comprises a series of parallel gutters which measure less than 2m in width and appear to tap a pond-fed stream that rises to the immediate northeast. It is unclear from the aerial photographs alone with which farm this water meadow system might have been associated with. Not being directly linked to a farmstead it probably operated as a ‘detached’ system. The catch meadow is faintly visible on later aerial photographs of 2006, although has been largely levelled.

Sources / Further Reading

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
SDV351450	Aerial Photograph: United States Airforce. 1943. US/7PH/GP/LOC133. United States Airforce. Photograph (Paper). US/7PH/GP/LOC133 FV 7016-17 30-DEC-1943. [Mapped feature: #63722 ]
SDV351459	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2006. Pan Government Agreement. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX8139 01-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)

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