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HER Number:MDV127571
Name:Catch meadow north of Bigbury village

Summary

A small catch meadow of probable 19th to early 20th century date is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 as narrow curvilinear earthwork ditches on the south-east facing slopes of a combe north of Bigbury village. The earthworks have probably been levelled.

Location

Grid Reference:SX 663 468
Map Sheet:SX64NE
Admin AreaDevon
Civil ParishBigbury
DistrictSouth Hams
Ecclesiastical ParishBIGBURY

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

  • CATCH MEADOW (XVIII to Mid 20th Century - 1800 AD to 1946 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FP 1064-1065 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX6646 13-SEP-2002 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

The ditches are not identifiable as earthworks.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2020, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

Three roughly parallel curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks circa 1m wide on aerial photographs of 1946 closely following the contours of the south-facing combe slopes south of Houghton Farmhouse.
The channels are probably the gutters of a small catch meadow of 19th to early 20th century date.
Such systems irrigated combe slopes rather than valley floors using water abstracted from springs or streams. Originating in the medieval period they were in widespread use in Devon in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The ditches are not identifiable on more recent images and were probably levelled as the surrounding former field boundaries were removed.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV169268Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FP 1064-1065 10-DEC-1946. [Mapped feature: #124287 ]
SDV362982Interpretation: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2019-2020. The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP). Historic England Research Report. Digital.
SDV363087Aerial Photograph: Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC. 1999-2017. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Aerial Photography for Great Britain Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX6646 13-SEP-2002.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

  • EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

Date Last Edited:Feb 20 2020 3:12PM