See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

Three curvilinear earthwork ditches, visible on aerial photographs taken from the 1940s and on images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017, is tentatively 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

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

No features are depicted in this exact location.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 RP 3103-3104 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352344.

Three curvilinear earthwork ditches are visible.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX7979 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

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.

Three curvilinear earthwork ditches, circa 1.5 metres wide, are visible on aerial photographs taken in the 1940s on the combe slopes north of Shute Farm. The two northernmost broadly follow the contour, dropping only a few metres over their visible length. These 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. The earthwork closest to the farmstead is on a slightly different alignment, falling slightly to the east rather than the west, and it is not certain that these features are in fact part of a catchmeadow. Some elements remain visible on images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017.
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 March and April.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV352344	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1824. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1824 RP 3103-3104 04-NOV-1946. [Mapped feature: #114956 ]
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
SDV361470	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2017. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor. Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SX7979 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017.

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)

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