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Summary

An extensive network of catch meadow gutters of probable post-medieval to 19th century date is visible as subtle and narrow curvilinear earthwork ditches on aerial photographs of 1946 on the combe slopes south and west of Higher Ludbrooke Farm. The earthworks remain only partly identifiable on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2019 and have probably been partially levelled.

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 FS 2191-2192 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.

Google, 2019, Google Earth Pro, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM 09-OCT-2018 ACCESSED 22-APR-2020 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363088.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks south of Lower Ludbrook Cottages.

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

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks south of Lower Ludbrook Cottages.Curvilinear ditches are identifiable as earthworks south of Lower Ludbrook Cottages.

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.

Numerous curvilinear ditches circa 1 to 3m wide and up to circa 400m long are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs of 1946 extending over approximately 15ha of combe slopes to the south and west of Higher Ludbrooke.
The channels are interpreted as the remains of extensive catch meadows 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.
In this instance the catch meadows probably abstracted water from a spring-fed tributary to the Lud Brook that rises to the south south-east of Higher Ludbrooke Farm.
Several gutters remain identifiable on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2019 as subtle earthworks to the south of Lower Ludbrook Cottages, but otherwise the gutters are no longer identifiable as earthworks and have probable been levelled.

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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