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Summary

The earthwork remains of a catch meadow of probable post-medieval to early twentieth century date were faintly visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as narrow ditches on the slopes to the south of East Raddon Cottage. The catch meadow gutters have probably been levelled.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

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 4182-4183 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356902.

Numerous shallow and narrow earthwork ditches were visible.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1995, RAF/CPE/UK/1995 FP 1155-1156 13-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354842.

Numerous shallow and narrow earthwork ditches were visible, some visibly overrunning with water.

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 catch meadow of probable post-medieval to early twentieth century date were faintly visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as narrow ditches on the slopes to the south of East Raddon Cottage.
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.
It is probable that the catch meadow was supplied with water by tapping a stream that flows southwards to the western edge of the catch meadow, although it is possible a pond at Raddon quarry also supplied water from the east. The gutters are not clearly visible on images post-dating the 1940s and the earthworks have probable been levelled.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV354842	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1995. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1995 FP 1155-1156 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
SDV356902	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS 4182-4183 04-NOV-1946. [Mapped feature: #70088 ]

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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