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Summary

The remains of a water-meadow of probable post-medieval date is visible on aerial photographs between 1945 and 2012 as several earthwork ditches. Most appear to survive as earthworks.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork leats of a former water (catch) meadow, north-west of Efford House

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WATER MEADOW (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/UK/967, RAF/106G/UK/967 RS 4144-4145 01-NOV-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351060.

Water meadow gutters are visible as earthwork ditches.

Channel Coast Observatory, 2001-2012, Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography, Channel Coast Observatory SX6249_20120919ortho.ecw 17-SEP-2012 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351226.

Several gutters are visible as earthworks.

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

A post medieval water meadow, known locally as a catchwater meadow system, is visible on aerial photographs between 1945 and 2002 as a series of earthwork ditches to the north-west of Efford House.
Catch meadows provided a simple, inexpensive but effective form of irrigation, designed to irrigate pasture by diverting water from a spring or stream along the slope via a series of roughly parallel channels or gutters. A larger gutter, often called a headmain, tapped water from a source such as a river, spring or spring-fed stream. When irrigation was required the headmain was dammed, causing water to overflow downslope, where the roughly parallel gutters distributed the flowing water 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. Most catchwater meadow systems are believed to date to the post medieval period, although it is possible that they were first developed in the medieval period.
This catch meadow covers a visible area of approximately one hectare of south-west facing slope, although it may have extended onto the north-facing slope in the field immediatey to the south. The source of water is not clear from the aerial photograph sources available, but the mottled appearance on other aerial photographs of the land in the fields above suggests several spring lines. Some of the gutters are visible on aerial photographs taken in 2012, and earthworks are likely to survive.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV351060	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/UK/967. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/967 RS 4144-4145 01-NOV-1945. [Mapped feature: #63924 ]
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
SDV351226	Aerial Photograph: Channel Coast Observatory. 2001-2012. Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography. Channel Coast Observatory. Digital. Channel Coast Observatory SX6249_20120919ortho.ecw 17-SEP-2012.

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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