HeritageGateway - Home
Site Map
Text size: A A A
You are here: Home > > > > Devon & Dartmoor HER Result
Devon & Dartmoor HERPrintable version | About Devon & Dartmoor HER | Visit Devon & Dartmoor HER online...

See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.


HER Number:MDV128303
Name:Catch meadow south-east of Little Modbury

Summary

A catch meadow of probable post-medieval to 19th century date is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 as subtle and narrow curvilinear earthwork ditches on the south-east facing combe slopes south-east of Little Modbury. The earthworks remain identifiable on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2019.

Location

Grid Reference:SX 659 505
Map Sheet:SX65SE
Admin AreaDevon
Civil ParishModbury
DistrictSouth Hams
Ecclesiastical ParishMODBURY

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 FS 2100-2101 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.

Environment Agency, 2019, National Lidar Programme, LIDAR Environment Agency DTM 25-FEB-2019 (Cartographic). SDV363691.

Curvilinear ditches are 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.

At least 7 curvilinear ditches are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 as earthworks up to circa 3m wide and 260m long, extending over approximately 4ha of the south-east facing combe slopes south-east of Little Modbury.
The channels are interpreted as the remains of catch meadow gutters, probably of post-medieval to 19th century date.
Catch meadows abstracted from springs or streams used channels, or gutters, to redistribute it to irrigate combe slopes. Originating probably in the medieval period they were in widespread use in Devon in the 19th century and continued in use into the mid-20th century.
Several of the gutters remain identifiable on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2019.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV169268Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FS 2100-2101 10-DEC-1946.
SDV362982Interpretation: 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.
SDV363691Cartographic: Environment Agency. 2019. National Lidar Programme. Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR Environment Agency DTM 25-FEB-2019. [Mapped feature: #125689 ]

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 21 2020 10:05AM