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| HER Number: | MDV127586 |
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| Name: | Catch meadow northeast of Wild Willow Farm, Loddiswell |
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Summary
Narrow curvilinear earthwork ditches interpreted as the gutters of a 19th century catch meadow irrigation system are visible on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2002.
Location
| Grid Reference: | SX 711 478 |
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| Map Sheet: | SX74NW |
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| Admin Area | Devon |
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| Civil Parish | Loddiswell |
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| District | South Hams |
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| Ecclesiastical Parish | LODDISWELL |
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Protected Status: none recorded
Other References/Statuses: none recorded
Monument Type(s) and Dates
- CATCH MEADOW (XIX - 1801 AD to 1900 AD (Between))
Full description
Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.
The earthworks do not correspond with water courses in this location.
Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX7147 13-SEP-2002 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.
Narrow curvilinear ditches are visible.
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.
Narrow curvilinear ditches, less than 2m wide, are visible as earthworks on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2002. The earthwork channels follow the contours of the southwest facing combe slope and occupy an area of circa 0.57 hectares. They are interpreted as the gutters of a 19th century catch meadow irrigation system which tapped a spring-fed stream that rises to the immediate northwest. Catch meadow systems are designed to irrigate pasture by diverting water from a spring or stream. The water is carried along the valley sides via one or more channels or gutters and when irrigation was required the gutters were blocked, causing water to overflow from gutter to gutter, thereby irrigating the slopes. This film of water prevented the ground freezing during the winter and raised the temperature of the grass in the spring, thereby encouraging early growth, particularly important during the hungry gap of March and April. The earthworks do not correspond with any water channels depicted on the late 19th century Ordnance Survey map, suggesting that the system had possibly fallen out of use by this time.
Sources / Further Reading
| SDV336179 | Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital). |
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| SDV362982 | Interpretation: 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. |
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| SDV363087 | Aerial 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 SX7147 13-SEP-2002. [Mapped feature: #124304 ] |
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Associated Monuments
| MDV127693 | Related to: Cropmark ditches at Greenland Head Cross, Loddiswell (Monument) |
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 27 2020 3:21PM |
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