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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-west facing slopes of a combe to the south-west of Tetwell Farm. The earthworks have probably been levelled.

Location

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 RP 3080-3081 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

A curvilinear ditch is visible as an earthwork.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX6849 22-MAY-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

The ditch is not identifiable as an earthwork.

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.

A curvilinear ditch is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 as an earthwork circa 1m wide and up to circa 50m long crossing the south-west facing combe slope downslope of Tetwell Farm.
The channel is possibly the remains of a small and simple catch meadow of 19th to early 20th century date.
Catch meadows abstracted from springs or streams and redistributed it along channels or gutters to irrigate combe slopes rather than valley floors. Originating in the medieval period they were in widespread use in Devon in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The ditch closely follows the contour of the combe, as is typical of catch meadows and was probably supplied from a pond immediately downslope of the farm.
Similar ditches in the plot to the south cross the contours of the slope and probably operated simply as drains into Stover Lake stream.
The gutter is not identifiable as an earthwork on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2007 and has probably been levelled.

Sources / Further Reading

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)

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