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Summary

An extensive catch meadow system of probable 19th century date is visible as a series of earthwork ditches on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards and on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2006, at Lower Longcombe.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FP 1165-66 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

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

Royal Air Force, 1950, RAF/541/520, RAF/541/520 RP 3070-71 13-MAY-1950 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352112.

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

Next Perspectives, 2006, Pan Government Agreement, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX8258 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.

An extensive catch meadow system of probable 19th century date is visible as a series of earthwork ditches on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards and on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2006, at Lower Longcombe. 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 33 hectares along two converging valleys of northeast and southwest and northwest to southeast facing slope. The two valleys converge at Fleet Mill from Lower Longcombe to the northeast and Southfield Wood to the northwest, an approximate length of 2.5km each. The system comprises a series of parallel gutters which measure less than 2m in width and appear to tap a system of streams. It is unclear from the aerial photographs alone with which farm this complex water meadow system might have been associated with. The system remains visible as a series of earthwork ditches on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2006.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV351061	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FP 1165-66 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
SDV351459	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2006. Pan Government Agreement. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX8258 01-JUN-2006.
SDV352112	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1950. RAF/541/520. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/541/520 RP 3070-71 13-MAY-1950. [Mapped feature: #64306 ]

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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