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Summary

The earthwork remains of a possible catch meadow of probable 19th to early twentieth century date were visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards as narrow earthwork ditches on the slopes to the south of Raddon Court. The possible catch meadow gutters survive as earthworks.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CATCH MEADOW (XIX to XX - 1880 AD to 1947 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV257601.

Water channels continue to be depicted. Map object based partly on this source.

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

Water channels are depicted. Map object based partly on this source.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1995, RAF/CPE/UK/1995 FP 1156-1157 13-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354842.

Earthwork ditches are visible. Possible further former gutters are visible as very slight earthworks north of the main gutters, but were too subtle to transcribe. 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 earthwork remains of a possible catch meadow of probable 19th to early twentieth century date were visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards as narrow earthwork ditches on the slopes to the south of Raddon Court.
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 March and April.
The ditches interpreted as possible catch meadow gutters are somewhat irregular in plan but do roughly follow the contours of the gently undulating combe bottom. The possible main gutter, which is ‘W’ shaped in plan and centred on circa SS90190240, is depicted on the Ordnance Survey first edition and therefore dates at least to the late 19th century. The gutter was fed by two channels which flow from the north, before flowing out of the possible gutter to the south-east to a pond at Lower Court.
Much of the earthwork evidence west of the field boundary between Raddon Court and East Raddon Cottage remains depicted on the Ordnance Survey Mastermap and therefore has not been transcribed. However, additional channels now appear to feed into the gutter, which might support the interpretation that it is possibly being utilised as a field drain.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV257601	Migrated Record:
SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV354842	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1995. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1995 FP 1156-1157 13-APR-1947.
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

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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