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HER Number: | MDV128230 |
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Name: | Catch meadow at Ashbourne Woods, Rattery |
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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 1948 onwards and on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2015.
Location
Grid Reference: | SX 734 622 |
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Map Sheet: | SX76SW |
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Admin Area | Devon |
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Civil Parish | Rattery |
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District | South Hams |
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Ecclesiastical Parish | RATTERY |
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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.
Two of the earthworks correspond with a water channel in this location.
Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2494, RAF/CPE/UK/2494 RP 3035-3036 11-MAR-1948 (Aerial Photograph). SDV361461.
Narrow 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 19-JAN-2015 to 20-MAR-2015 (Cartographic). SDV361470.
Narrow curvilinear ditches 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 curvilinear ditches, less than 2m wide, are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs taken from 1948 onwards and on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2015. The earthwork channels follow the contours of the southeast facing combe slope and occupy an area of circa 2.6 hectares. They are interpreted as the gutters of a 19th century catch meadow irrigation system which possibly tapped a spring-fed stream that rises circa 80m 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.
Two of the earthworks correspond with a water channel depicted on the late 19th century First Edition Ordnance Survey map, suggesting that the system had all but fallen out of use by this time.
Sources / Further Reading
SDV336179 | Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital). |
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SDV361461 | Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1948. RAF/CPE/UK/2494. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/2494 RP 3035-3036 11-MAR-1948. |
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SDV361470 | Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2017. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor. Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR Environment Agency DTM 19-JAN-2015 to 20-MAR-2015. [Mapped feature: #125534 ] |
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SDV362982 | Interpretation: 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). Historic England Research Report. Digital. |
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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)
Date Last Edited: | May 5 2020 3:28PM |
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