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Summary

A catch meadow of probable post-medieval to 19th century date is visible on aerial photographs of 1951 to 2007 as narrow curvilinear earthwork ditches on the north-facing combe slopes north-east of Higher Turtley farm. The earthworks have probably since been levelled.

Location

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

Royal Air Force, 1951, RAF/540/483, RAF/540/483 RS 4375-7346 24-APR-1951 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352103.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR Environment Agency DTM 14-MAR-2013 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

The ditches are not identifiable as earthworks.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX6958 22-MAY-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as subtle earthworks.

Google, 2019, Google Earth Pro, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM XX-XXX-2010 ACCESSED 16-MAR-2020 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363088.

The ditches are not 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.

Four curvilinear ditches are visible on aerial photographs of 1951 as earthworks up to circa 2m wide and between 35 and 93m long, closely following the contours of a north facing combe north-east of Higher Turtley farm.
The channels are interpreted as the remains of a catch meadow potentially of post-medieval to 19th century date.
Catch meadows abstracted from springs or streams and redistributed it along channels or gutters to irrigate combe slopes. Probably originating in the medieval period they were in widespread use in Devon from the 19th to early 20th century.
No features are depicted in this location on the available historic maps and any watermeadow in this location is likely to have fallen out of regular use by the late-19th century.
The gutters are not identifiable as earthworks on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2010 or visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013 and have 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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