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Summary

A possible catch meadow of probable nineteenth or twentieth century date is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as the remains of roughly parallel earthwork ditches following the contours of the south-west facing slopes of a combe west of Hope Barton Farm. Catch meadows 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 from gutter to gutter, thereby irrigating the slopes below.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CATCH MEADOW (XIX to Late 20th Century - 1801 AD to 2000 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/UK/967, RAF/106G/UK/967 RP 4091-4092 1-NOV-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351060.

The remains of three gutters are visible as fragmentary linear earthworks.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2007, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX6839 22-MAY-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349355.

The gutters remain visible as fragmentary earthworks, albeit eroded and levelled in part.

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

A possible catch meadow of probable nineteenth or twentieth century date is visible on aerial photographs of 1945 as the remains of parallel earthwork ditches roughly following the contours along the north-west facing slopes of a combe west of Hope Barton Farm. 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 and continued in use into the twentieth century. 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. In this instance the system probably tapped Hey Brook. 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 gutters are possibly visible as slight and fragmentary earthworks on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2007. Field investigation is required to ascertain the current condition of the earthworks.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV349355	Aerial Photograph: Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC. 2007. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Aerial Photography for Great Britain Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX6839 22-MAY-2007.
SDV351060	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/UK/967. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/967 RP 4091-4092 1-NOV-1945. [Mapped feature: #63790 ]
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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