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Summary

A possible catch meadow of probable twentieth century date is visible on aerial photographs of the 1990s as two parallel earthwork ditches roughly following the contours on the north-west facing slopes of a combe, west of Devon Valley Holiday Village. 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 (XX - 1901 AD to 2000 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1991, OS/91200, OS/91200 19-20 29-AUG-1991 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352371.

Two linear earthwork channels are visible. Map objects based on this source.

Channel Coast Observatory, 2001-2012, Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography, Channel Coastal Observatory SX9172_20120917orthow.ecw 17-SEP-2012 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351226.

Slight cropmarks of ditches are visible.

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 twentieth century date is visible on aerial photographs of the 1990s as the remains of roughly parallel earthwork ditches following the contours of the north-west facing slopes of a combe, west of Devon Valley Holiday Village.
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 many 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 the stream which rises to the south and flows northwards along the foot of the combe. 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 not clearly visible on earlier images available to the survey although slight cropmarks on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2012 might support the interpretation that slight earthworks survive. Field investigation is recommended to ascertain the condition of the earthworks.

Sources / Further Reading

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 Coastal Observatory SX9172_20120917orthow.ecw 17-SEP-2012.
SDV352371	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1991. OS/91200. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/91200 19-20 29-AUG-1991.

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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