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Summary

A probable post medieval water meadow is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards and on images derived from Lidar data captured in 2006 as a series of earthwork ditches north of Cockington Lane. The gutters are clearly defined on the 2012 aerial photographs, and the earthworks are likely to survive.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

A possible field gutter is depicted through three fields to the south of the earthworks.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FS 2244-2245 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

Several linear ditches are visible as earthworks.

Channel Coast Observatory, 2001-2012, Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography, Channel Coastal Observatory SX9063_20120918ortho.ecw 18-SEP-2012 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351226.

Several linear ditches are visible as earthworks. Map object partly based on this source.

Environment Agency, 2006, LiDAR data JPEG image (1 metre resolution), LIDAR SS9063 Environment Agency D0062321 22-APR-2006 (Cartographic). SDV352558.

Several linear ditches are visible as earthworks. Map object partly based on this source.

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

A probable post medieval water meadow, known locally as a catchwater meadow system, is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards and on images derived from Lidar data captured in 2006 as a series of roughly parallel earthwork ditches on a south facing slope north of Cockington Lane.
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 source of water is not clear from the aerial photographs, but it is likely that it was taken off the watercourse that runs along the north side of Cockington Lane. A probable field gutter to the south of the earthworks is depicted on late nineteenth century mapping running through three fields, and this appears to have been taken off the watercourse at circa SX8995663246.
The gutters are clearly defined on the 1940s and 2012 aerial photographs, and the earthworks are likely to survive.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First 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 FS 2244-2245 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
SDV351226	Aerial Photograph: Channel Coast Observatory. 2001-2012. Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography. Channel Coast Observatory. Digital. Channel Coastal Observatory SX9063_20120918ortho.ecw 18-SEP-2012.
SDV352558	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 2006. LiDAR data JPEG image (1 metre resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SS9063 Environment Agency D0062321 22-APR-2006.

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)
• EDV7926 - Cockington: Historic Landscape Survey

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