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Summary

A possible simple catch meadow of probable 19th to 20th century date was visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as a narrow curvlinear earthwork ditch on the south-east-facing slopes south of South Wood Farm, Cotleigh 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.

The possible relict gutter did not correspond with a depicted water course. A second ditch circa 35 metres upslope, possibly a gutter or drain, was depicted and has therefore not been transcribed by the survey.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 FS 2438-2439 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

A curvilinear earthwork ditch was visible.

Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST2003 04-MAY-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359490.

The possible gutter, and a second circa 35 metres upslope, were visible as slight earthworks.

Bluesky International, 2016, LiDAR DTM data (0.5m resolution) Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs: 3 transects, LIDAR ST2003 Bluesky International DTM 24-30-APR-2016 (Cartographic). SDV359714.

The possible gutter, and a second circa 35 metres upslope, were visible as slight earthworks.

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

A possible simple catch meadow of probable 19th to 20th century date was visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as a narrow curvilinear earthwork ditch on the south-east-facing slopes south of South Wood Farm, Cotleigh 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 of the gutters, which was then caused to overflow. Any lower, roughly parallel gutters then ‘caught’ and redistributed water passing it evenly over the surface of a meadow below, although simple systems comprising only a single gutter are common. 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 possible gutter probably tapped the springs that fed numerous streams and ponds in this area and water can be seen flowing downslope on the aerial photographs of April 1947. The gutter was not depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25 inch map although other linear watercourses in this area were, many of which probably acted as drains. One depicted ditch, visible as a relict dry earthwork circa 35 metres upslope might have previously acted as a top or main gutter with the relict ditch. As it is depicted on the historic map it has not been transcribed but is included in the record.
The orientation of the possible gutters is slightly atypical for a catch meadow; catch meadow gutters usually closely following the contours but in this instance the gutters straddle a change in topography where the western, higher end cross the contours obliquely. This may be a local variation.
The possible gutters were visible as slight earthwork ditches on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2010 and lidar data captured in 2016.

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 FS 2438-2439 11-APR-1947. [Mapped feature: #75043 ]
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
SDV359490	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2010. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Aerial Photography for Great Britain Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST2003 04-MAY-2010.
SDV359714	Cartographic: Bluesky International. 2016. LiDAR DTM data (0.5m resolution) Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs: 3 transects. Not applicable. Digital. LIDAR ST2003 Bluesky International DTM 24-30-APR-2016.

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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