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Summary

Curvilinear earthwork ditches flanked in places by banks, interpreted as the gutters of a possible 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.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD BOUNDARY (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1750 AD (Between))
• CATCH MEADOW (XIX - 1801 AD to 1900 AD (Between))
• DRAINAGE DITCH? (XIX to Early 20th Century - 1801 AD to 1932 AD (Between))

Full description

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

Two of the earthwork ditches correspond with field boundaries.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 2089-2090 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Curvilinear ditches and banks are visible as earthworks.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX7251 Tellus DTM 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV361514.

Curvilinear ditches and banks 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 and broad curvilinear ditches that are flanked in places by banks, between 1m and 10m wide, are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs taken from 1946 onwards and on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013. The earthworks occupy an area of circa 1.98 hectares and mostly follow the contours of the northeast facing combe slope, with exception of three ditches which are aligned across the slope. Two of these three ditches correspond with field boundaries shown on the mid-19th century Parish Tithe Map. The form of the earthworks supports the interpretation that they represent the gutters of a 19th century catch meadow irrigation system. However, the broad nature of several of the visible earthworks is uncharacteristic of other catch meadow systems recorded in this area, suggesting that some of these ditches may be unrelated to the catch meadow system, perhaps representing relict post-medieval field boundaries or 19th to 20th century drainage ditches, or have been adapted in some way. The catch meadow was possibly associated with Wigford farmstead and probably tapped a stream located circa 15m to the northwest. 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.

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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