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Summary

A probable post medieval water meadow is visible on aerial photographs taken between 1946 and 1963 as a series of roughly parallel earthwork ditches north of Bindon. Earthwork remains 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 (Between))

Full description

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

No features are depicted in this location.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/106G/UK/1412 RP 3326-3327 13-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

Two linear ditches are visible as earthworks.

Royal Air Force, 1963, RAF/58/5607, NMR RAF/58/5607 F21 345-346 22-JAN-1963 (Aerial Photograph). SDV355896.

Two linear ditches are visible as earthworks.

GetMapping, 2010, GetMapping 2010 aerial photographs, NMR OS/71006 19-20 07-MAR-1971 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351585.

Two dark linears may be cropmarks or earthwork ditches.

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

A possible post medieval water meadow, known locally as a catchwater meadow system, is visible on aerial photographs taken between 1946 and 2010 as two earthwork ditches to the north of Bindon, with which it was probably associated.
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 Bindon catch meadow covers a visible area of approximately 2 hectares of north- and west-facing slope below the farm. The source of water seems to have flowed through the farm, and it is possible that the system partly operated as an ‘integrated’ catch meadow, in which manure from cattle sheds within the farmyard is mixed with the water supply to supply liquid manure to the pasture. Earthworks are likely to survive.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV349431	Cartographic: Devon County Council. 1838-1848. Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848. Digitised Tithe Map. Digital.
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). NMR OS/71006 19-20 07-MAR-1971.
SDV352504	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/1412 RP 3326-3327 13-APR-1946.
SDV355896	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1963. RAF/58/5607. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/58/5607 F21 345-346 22-JAN-1963. [Mapped feature: #66050 ]

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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