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HER Number: | MDV127653 |
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Name: | Catch meadow at Higher Torr Farmhouse, Woodleigh |
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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 and on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2017. The catch meadow had presumably fallen out of use by the late-19th century.
Location
Grid Reference: | SX 747 486 |
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Map Sheet: | SX74NW |
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Admin Area | Devon |
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Civil Parish | Buckland-Tout-Saints |
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Civil Parish | Woodleigh |
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District | South Hams |
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Ecclesiastical Parish | MORELEIGH |
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Ecclesiastical Parish | CHARLETON |
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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 any curvilinear features in this location.
Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 3069-3070 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.
Narrow curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.
Google, 2019, Google Earth Pro, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM 23-SEP-2017 ACCESSED XX-XXX-XXXX (Aerial Photograph). SDV363088.
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 and on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2017. The earthwork channels follow the contours of the northeast facing combe slopes and occupy an area of circa 0.94 hectares. They are interpreted as the gutters of a 19th century catch meadow irrigation system possibly associated with Higher Torr Farmhouse. 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. No features are depicted in this exact location on the available historic mapping, and any catch meadow here presumably fell out of use by the late-19th century.
Sources / Further Reading
SDV169268 | Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 3069-3070 10-DEC-1946. [Mapped feature: #124436 ] |
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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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SDV363088 | Aerial Photograph: Google. 2019. Google Earth Pro. Various. Digital. EARTH.GOOGLE.COM 23-SEP-2017 ACCESSED XX-XXX-XXXX. |
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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 26 2020 9:23AM |
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