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Summary

A curvilinear earthwork ditch, visible on aerial photographs taken in the 1940s, is interpreted as the remains of a post-medieval or 19th century catchmeadow gutter.

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

South West Heritage Trust, 1838-1848, Digitised Tithe Maps and Transcribed Apportionments (Cartographic). SDV359954.

No features are depicted in this exact location.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 RP 3171-3172 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352344.

A curvilinear earthwork ditch is visible.

Royal Air Force, 1949, RAF/58/220, RAF/58/220 V 5182-5183 02-MAY-1949 (Aerial Photograph). SDV361833.

A curvilinear earthwork ditch is visible.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2018-2019, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (AI&M) (Interpretation). SDV361305.

A curvilinear earthwork ditch, less than 2 metres in width, is visible on aerial photographs taken in the 1940s on the combe slopes south of Higher Goodstone Farm. It follows the contour, dropping less than 5 metres over a visible 210 metre length. It may have originated from the farmstead and functioned as part of an integrated catchmeadow system whereby manure was mingled with water to both irrigate and fertilise land.
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 the March and April.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV352344	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1824. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1824 RP 3171-3172 04-NOV-1946. [Mapped feature: #114661 ]
SDV359954	Cartographic: South West Heritage Trust. 1838-1848. Digitised Tithe Maps and Transcribed Apportionments. Tithe Map and Apportionment. Digital.
SDV361305	Interpretation: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2018-2019. The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (AI&M). Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV361833	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1949. RAF/58/220. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/58/220 V 5182-5183 02-MAY-1949.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7515 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey (Ref: ACD1748)

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