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Summary

The indistinct remains of a catch meadow of probable post-medieval to early twentieth century date were visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as several roughly parallel narrow earthwork ditches on the generally east-facing combe slopes south of Terley. 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. The catch meadow gutters have probably mostly been levelled.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CATCH MEADOW (Post Medieval to Mid 20th Century - 1540 AD to 1946 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1823, RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RP 3258-3259 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354994.

Subtle narrow earthwork ditches are visible. Map object based partly on this source.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1995 RP, RAF/CPE/UK/1995 RP 1116-1117 13-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356899.

Subtle narrow earthwork ditches are visible. Map object based partly on this source.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1995 RS, RAF/CPE/UK/1995 RS 4056-4057 13-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356938.

Subtle narrow earthwork ditches are visible. Map object based partly on this source.

Environment Agency, 1998-2012, LiDAR DSM data JPEG image (1m resolution), LIDAR SS9104 Environment Agency JPEG DSM 14-20-Feb-2012 (Cartographic). SDV357034.

Subtle narrow earthwork ditches are visible. Map object based partly on this source.

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

The indistinct remains of a catch meadow of probable post-medieval to early twentieth century date were visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as several roughly parallel narrow earthwork ditches on the generally east-facing combe slopes south of Terley.
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 tapped the stream that rises to the north and east of Terley and flows southwards along the combe. It is probable that the stream was tapped in more than one location; it is unlikely that the lower section of the system, at circa SS918042, redistributed water from the head-main nearest the farmhouse. It is possible that this lower section was operated as a separate system altogether.
Only a few sections of the lower portion of this catch meadow survive to be visible as earthworks on digital images derived from lidar and much of the system has probably been levelled.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV354994	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1823. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RP 3258-3259 04-NOV-1946.
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
SDV356899	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1995 RP. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1995 RP 1116-1117 13-APR-1947.
SDV356938	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1995 RS. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1995 RS 4056-4057 13-APR-1947.
SDV357034	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2012. LiDAR DSM data JPEG image (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SS9104 Environment Agency JPEG DSM 14-20-Feb-2012.

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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