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Summary

The remains of a catch meadow of probable post-medieval or 19th century date is visible on aerial imagery taken between 1946 and 2015 as a series of earthwork ditches.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

No features are depicted that correspond to the gutter south of the watercourse, but the gutter on the northern side is depicted.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 2102-2104 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Sinuous and curvilinear ditches are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FP 2104-2105 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

Water meadow gutters are visible as earthwork ditches.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX6450 20-APR-2015 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

Sinuous and curvilinear ditches are visible.

GetMapping, 2010, GetMapping 2010 aerial photographs, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX6350 24-SEP-2002 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351585.

The 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 1946 and 2010 as a series of earthwork ditches, then cropmarks, to the south and west of Ashridge.
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.
The catch meadow south-west of Ashridge covers a visible area of approximately 4 hectares, the source of water south-east of the valley apparently the springs that rise near Buckland Wood, and the gutter on the north-west of the valley probably taken off the stream just north of Ashridge.
The gutters are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs taken in 2010 and remains are likely to survive.

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.

This catch meadow system was initially recorded during the South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone NMP project. It has been re-transcribed during this project from Devon County Council RAF aerial photographs taken in 1946. Additional gutters of this catch meadow have been recorded to the east between circa SX64015037 and SX64825045, which has increased the extent of this system from circa 4 hectares to circa 9.3 hectares. It was probably fed from the spring-fed stream that rises at Butland Wood to the east and possibly also Ayyleston Brook to the west.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV169268	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 2102-2104 10-DEC-1946. [Mapped feature: #118724 ]
SDV325644	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1904 - 1906. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV351061	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FP 2104-2105 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
SDV351585	Aerial Photograph: GetMapping. 2010. GetMapping 2010 aerial photographs. Getmapping. Photograph (Digital). Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX6350 24-SEP-2002.
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.
SDV363087	Aerial Photograph: Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC. 1999-2017. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Aerial Photography for Great Britain Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX6450 20-APR-2015.

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)

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