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Summary

Extensive catch meadows of probable post-medieval to 19th century date are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 as curvilinear earthwork ditches following the contours of the north-west facing combe slope between Well Farm and Higher Well Farm. The ditches have since been almost levelled but very subtle earthworks remain identifiable 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 (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 RP 3172-3173 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.

GetMapping, 1999, 122/99, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX6855 18-JUN-1999 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351205.

The ditches are not identifiable as earthworks.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX6855 Tellus DTM 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV361514.

Curvilinear ditches are identifiable as very subtle 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.

Roughly parallel curvilinear ditches are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 as earthworks circa 1m to 2m wide and up to circa 140m long, spaced circa 10m to 40m apart, closely following the contours across circa 4ha of north-west facing combe slope between Well Farm and Higher Well Farm.
The channels are interpreted as the remains of a catch meadow potentially of post-medieval to 19th century date.
Catch meadows diverted water 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.
The visible earthworks do not correspond with any ditches depicted on the 19th or early 20th century maps available to the survey. This might support the interpretation that the water meadow had fallen out of regular use by the late-19th century.
It is probable that the gutters comprise two systems, associated with Well Farm and Higher Well Farm. It is not possible to define the extent of the two systems from the earthworks alone, but due to the requirements of managing a shared water supply, it is probable that the gutters had a functional relationship.
The ditches have since been almost levelled but very subtle earthworks remain identifiable on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013.

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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