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Summary

Earthwork ditches of possible post-medieval to 19th century date are visible on aerial photographs of 1947, to the southeast of Abbey Wood. The earthwork ditches are not visible on aerial photographs after 1947 or digital images and their survival is uncertain.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CATCH MEADOW? (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 3296-97 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

The earthwork ditches are visible.

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

Earthwork ditches of possible post-medieval to 19th century date are visible on aerial photographs of 1947, to the southeast of Abbey Wood. The two fragmented parallel ditches are northeast to southwest aligned and closely respect the gentle to moderate north facing slope. Whilst the ditches do not appear to work as drainage, their proximity to a stream to the immediate west may suggest they represent the partial remains of a former catch meadow system. 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 earthwork ditches are not visible on aerial photographs after 1947 or digital images and their survival is uncertain.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 3296-97 11-APR-1947. [Mapped feature: #74873 ]
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

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)

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