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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 from 1946 onwards and on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013. The catch meadow had possibly fallen out of use by the late-19th century.

Location

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 2200-2201 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Narrow curvilinear earthwork ditches are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1951, RAF/540/497, RAF/540/497 RP 3025-3026 12-MAY-1951 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351212.

Narrow curvilinear earthwork ditches are visible.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX7354 Tellus DTM 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV361514.

Narrow curvilinear earthwork ditches are visible.

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 from 1946 onwards and on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013. The earthwork channels follow the contours of the southeast and northeast facing combe slopes and occupy an area of circa 1.2 hectares. They are interpreted as the gutters of a 19th century catch meadow irrigation system possibly associated with Penson farmstead and which tapped a spring-fed stream that rises at the farm. 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

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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