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Summary

A catch meadow of probable post-medieval to 19th century date is visible as earthwork ditches on aerial photographs of 1988 onwards on the steep east-facing combe slopes to the south-east of Pitt Farm, Street. Catch meadows are a type of water meadow 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 (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1880 AD? (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1988, OS/88193, OS/88193 004-005 22-JUN-1988 (Aerial Photograph). SDV355445.

Linear roughly parallel earthwork ditches are visible, Map object based partly on this source.

Environment Agency, 2006-2007, LiDAR data JPEG image (1 metre resolution), LIDAR SY 1888 Environment Agency D0075805 Nov 2006 - Mar 2007 (Cartographic). SDV356180.

Linear roughly parallel earthwork ditches are visible, Map object based partly on this source.

Environment Agency, 2006-2007, LiDAR data JPEG image (1 metre resolution), LIDAR SY 1888 Environment Agency D0075806 Nov 2006 - Mar 2007 (Cartographic). SDV356180.

Linear roughly parallel earthwork ditches are visible, Map object based partly on this source.

Next Perspectives, 2010, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SY1988 04-MAY-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356215.

Linear roughly parallel earthwork ditches are visible, Map object based partly 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 catch meadow of probable post-medieval to 19th century date is visible as earthwork ditches on aerial photographs of 1988 on the steep east-facing combe slopes to the south-east of Pitt Farm, Street. Many 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 often 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. 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.
In this instance the system probably tapped the spring-fed stream which rises at circa SY 18748886 and flows south-eastwards along the combe, feeding into Old Mill Stream and meeting the sea at Branscombe Mouth. The possible gutters are not depicted on the Ordnance Survey first edition 25 inch map, which might support the interpretation that the water meadow had passed out of use prior to the 1880s. The gutters are clearly visible as earthworks on digital images derived from Lidar data acquired in 2006-2007 and from aerial photographs taken in 2010.

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
SDV355445	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1988. OS/88193. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/88193 004-005 22-JUN-1988.
SDV356180	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 2006-2007. LiDAR data JPEG image (1 metre resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SY 1888 Environment Agency D0075805 Nov 2006 - Mar 2007.
SDV356215	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2010. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SY1988 04-MAY-2010.

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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