See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Possible evidence of catch meadow irrigation of probable post-medieval to 20th century date was visible on aerial photographs of 1947 as a narrow curvilinear earthwork ditch on the south-east-facing combe slopes below Little Shelvin Farm, Luppitt Parish.
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.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CATCH MEADOW (XVIII to XX - 1800 AD to 1947 AD (Between))

Full description

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

An Old Marl Pit was depicted and annotated to the south-west of the gutter.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 F20 4443-4444 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

A possible catch meadow gutter was visibel as slight earthworks.

Next Perspectives, 2014, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1604 08-SEP-2014 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359479.

The gutter could be identified as a very slight and subtle earthwork.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2016-2018, The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV359463.

Possible evidence of catch meadow was visible on aerial photographs of 1947 as a narrow curvilinear earthwork ditch on the south-east-facing combe slopes below Little Shelvin Farm, Luppitt Parish.
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 water channels, often called 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.
The simple system below higher Shelvin Farm might post-date the ‘Old Marl Pit’ depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25 inch map immediately to the west, and was probably in use from 19th to 20th century in date.It appeared to consist of a single gutter approximately 90 metres long, that was either in use or had recently been used in April 1947, with the effect of running water visible on the combe slopes below it.
The most probable source of water for the system was a spring fed stream that risis south of the farm and ‘sinks’ immediately to the south of the gutter.
The gutter can be seen surviving as a very slight earthwork on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2014, but is probably difficult to identify on the ground.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 F20 4443-4444 11-APR-1947. [Mapped feature: #74524 ]
SDV359463	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2016-2018. The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:2
SDV359479	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2014. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1604 08-SEP-2014.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.