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Summary

A catch meadow of probable post-medieval to possibly 20th century date was visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards as earthwork ditches or gutters on combe slopes to the north-east of Lower Comberoy Farm. The gutters probably survive as subtle earthwork ditches.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork remains of catch (water) meadow leats and building platform in valley west of Frogmore Farm
• SHINE: Earthwork remains of catch (water) meadow leats and building platform in valley west of Frogmore Farm

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CATCH MEADOW (Post Medieval to XX - 1540 AD to 1946 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS, RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS 4168-9 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356902.

Earthwork ditches are visible. Map object based partly on this source.

Ordnance Survey, 1966, OS/66185 V, OS/66185 V 227-228 22-JUL-1966 (Aerial Photograph). SDV357577.

Earthwork ditches are visible. Map object based partly on this source.

Next Perspectives, 2002, Pan Government Agreement, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SS9600 29-SEP-2002 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356896.

Earthwork ditches remain visible.

Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SS9900 22-May-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356259.

Earthwork ditches remain visible.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV356883.

A catch meadow of probable post-medieval to possibly 20th century date was visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards as earthwork ditches or gutters on combe slopes to the north-east of Lower Comberoy Farm.
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 catch meadow probably abstracted water from the two spring-fed streams that flow westwards along the combe. The gutters remained visible on the slopes as subtle and fragmentary earthworks on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2002 and 2010.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV356259	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2010. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Aerial Photography for Great Britain Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SS9900 22-May-2010.
SDV356883	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV356896	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2002. Pan Government Agreement. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SS9600 29-SEP-2002.
SDV356902	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS 4168-9 04-NOV-1946.
SDV357577	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1966. OS/66185 V. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/66185 V 227-228 22-JUL-1966.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)

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