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 possible catch meadow of probable post-medieval to twentieth century date is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as roughly parallel earthwork ditches following the contours of an east facing combe below Lincombe Farm, with which it was probably associated. 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 (Post Medieval to World War II - 1540 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, RAF/CPE/UK1890 1010-1011 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

Two narrow ditches are visible as earthworks on the south facing slopes of a combe, east of Linscombe Farm.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX6645-SX6745 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

Curvilinear ditches are identifiable as earthworks.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2007, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX6645-SX6745 22-MAY-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349355.

The gutters remain visible as slight earthwork ditches, although in poor and eroded condition.

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 post-medieval to twentieth century date is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as roughly parallel earthwork ditches following the contours of an east facing combe below Lincombe Farm, with which it was probably 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 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. 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 March and April.
The gutters are visible as slight and somewhat eroded earthworks on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2007. Field investigation is required to ascertain the survival and current condition of the earthworks.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2020, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

The catch meadow gutters remain identifiable on visualisations derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017 as earthwork ditches circa 1.6m wide and 60 and 90m long respectively.

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 SX6645-SX6745 22-MAY-2007.
SDV351061	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK1890 1010-1011 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
SDV361470	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2017. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor. Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SX6645-SX6745 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017. [Mapped feature: #63836 ]
SDV362982	Interpretation: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2019-2020. The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP). Historic England Research Report. Digital.

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)
• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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