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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-west facing combe slopes to the north-west of Whympston Farm. The earthworks have largely been levelled but some remain identifiable on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2019.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-west facing combe slopes to the north-west of Whympston Farm. The earthworks have largely been levelled but some remain identifiable on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2019.

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 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.

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

Two curvilinear ditches are identifiable as 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.

Curvilinear ditches are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 as earthworks on average up to circa 3m wide and up to 160m long, extending over approximately 1.5ha of the south-west facing combe slopes to the north-west of Whympston Farm.
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. The ditches appear discontinuous or eroded in 1946 and by this point the catch meadow had probably been out of use for some time.
Two of the gutters to the south of the system remain identifiable on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2019 as broad, somewhat spread earthworks but most have probably been levelled by cultivation.

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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