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Summary

An extensive 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 and north-east facing combe slopes south of Knowle Farm. Most have probably been levelled but some remain identifiable as subtle earthworks on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013.

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 3081-3082 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX6748 20-APR-2015 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

The ditches are not clearly visible as earthworks.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX6748 Tellus DTM 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV361514.

A small number of the curvilinear ditches remain 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.

At least 15 curvilinear ditches are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 as earthworks circa 1 to 1.5m wide and up to 220m long, closely following the contours of the south and north-east facing combe slopes over an area of approximately 8ha south of Knowle Farm.
The channels are interpreted as the relict gutters of a formerly very extensive 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.
Most of the earthworks are not identifiable on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013 or digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2015, but a small proportion, to the east of the area closest to Boarshill, remain identifiable as subtle earthworks on the lidar derived images.

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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