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HER Number:MDV127640
Name:Catch meadow southeast of The Old Granary, Woodleigh

Summary

Narrow curvilinear earthwork ditches interpreted as the gutters of a 19th century catch meadow irrigation system are visible on aerial photographs taken in 1946. The catch meadow had mostly passed out of use by the late 19th century.

Location

Grid Reference:SX 738 485
Map Sheet:SX74NW
Admin AreaDevon
Civil ParishWoodleigh
DistrictSouth Hams
Ecclesiastical ParishWOODLEIGH

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.

One of the earthworks corresponds with a watercourse.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 3070-3071 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Narrow curvilinear ditches are visible 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.

Narrow curvilinear ditches, less than 2m wide, are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs taken in 1946. The earthwork channels follow the contours of the southeast and southwest facing combe slopes and occupy an area of circa 1.6 hectares. They are interpreted as the gutters of a 19th century catch meadow irrigation system which possibly tapped a spring-fed stream that rises circa 30m to the north. 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. One of the earthworks corresponds with a water channel depicted on the late 19th century Ordnance Survey map, suggesting that the system had mostly fallen out of use by this time.

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 3070-3071 10-DEC-1946. [Mapped feature: #124416 ]
SDV336179Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
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.

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 25 2020 1:54PM