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Summary

A catch meadow of probable post-medieval to 19th century date is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 as narrow curvilinear earthwork ditches on the south-facing combe slopes, south of Weeke Farm. The ditches are not identifiable as earthworks on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2019 and have probably been 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 RS 4095-4096 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2105, RAF/CPE/UK/2105 RP 3080-3081 28-MAY-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351151.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.

Google, 2019, Google Earth Pro, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM XX-XXX-2010 ACCESSED 21-APR-2020 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363088.

The ditches are not visible as subtle earthworks.

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

The ditches are not 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.

Curvilinear ditches up to 2.5m are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs of 1946 closely following the contours of the west and south-facing combe slopes north-west of Ludbrook Gate, some for over 650m.
The channels are interpreted as the remains of a catch meadow irrigation system of probable post-medieval to 19th century date.
Catch meadows diverted water from springs or streams and 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 directly from the Shilston Brooke at circa SX67235310, east of Shilston Bridge. It is unclear from the aerial photographs alone if this catch meadow was a continuation of a system visible to the north and east, possibly associated with Croppin’s Combe, or operated independently.
West of Shilston Bridge he ditches are not identifiable as earthworks on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2019 and have probably been levelled.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

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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