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Summary

A catch meadow of probable 19th century date is visible as a series of earthwork ditches on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards at Ford Farm, with which it was probably associated. The catch meadow remains partly visible on aerial photographs of 1996, although its survival after this date is unclear.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork leats associated with a former Catch (water)meadow, west of Ford Farm

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CATCH MEADOW (Post Medieval to Modern - 1540 AD to 2013 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/106G/UK/1412 RP 3064-65 13-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

The catch meadow is visible as a series of earthwork ditches. Map object based on this source.

Royal Air Force, 1963, RAF/543/2332, RAF/543/2332 2F21 021 26-JUL-1963 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354847.

The catch meadow is visible as a series of earthwork ditches. Map object based on this source.

Ordnance Survey, 1996, OS/96565, OS/96565 V 057-58 08-MAY-1996 (Aerial Photograph). SDV358869.

The former catch meadow is visible as two partial earthwork ditches.

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 19th century date is visible as a series of earthwork ditches on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards at Ford Farm, with which it was probably associated. Most 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. 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 catch meadow covers an area of approximately 2.12 hectares of gentle northwest facing slope to the east of Ford Farm. The system comprises a series of parallel gutters which measure less than 2m in width and appear to tap a stream which flows to the south. This water meadow might have also operated as what has been called an ‘integrated’ catch meadow, in which manure from the cow sheds within the farmyard was mixed with the water supply to supply liquid manure to the pasture. The catch meadow remains partly visible on aerial photographs of 1996, although its survival after this date is unclear.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV352504	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/1412 RP 3064-65 13-APR-1946.
SDV354847	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1963. RAF/543/2332. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/543/2332 2F21 021 26-JUL-1963.
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
SDV358869	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1996. OS/96565. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/96565 V 057-58 08-MAY-1996.

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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