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Summary

Catch meadow gutters of probable post-medieval to 19th century date are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards as narrow, roughly parallel curvilinear earthwork ditches on the combe slopes to the west, north-east and south-east of Yarnacombe Farm. Although the ditches west of the farm have been partly levelled, the remaining ditches are largely identifiable as earthworks 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 1880 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FS 2195-2196 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Curvilinear gutters are visible as earthworks.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX6854 20-APR-2015 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

Curvilinear gutters are visible as subtle earthworks. Landscaping has cut a gutter at SX684537.

Google, 2019, Google Earth Pro, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM 23-SEP-2017 ACCESSED 17-JUN-2020 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363088.

Curvilinear gutters are visible as subtle earthworks. Landscaping has cut a gutter at SX687538.

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.

Curvilinear ditches circa 2m to 4m wide and up to circa 330m long are visible as roughly parallel earthworks on aerial photographs of 1946 closely following the contours of the combe slopes to the west, north-east and south-east of Yarnacombe Farm.
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 the channels, or gutters, to redistribute it to irrigate combe slopes. Originating probably in the medieval period catch meadows were in widespread use in Devon in the 19th century with many continuing in use into the mid-20th century.
The visible gutter earthworks correspond in part with water channels depicted on the Ordnance Survey 1880s 25inch First Edition map. This partial depiction might support the interpretation that the catch meadow had passed out of use by this time with some gutters retained as drains into the 1880s.
The ditches remain identifiable as subtle earthworks on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2019, but the lower gutters to the west and north east of the farm have been cut by landscaping for agricultural structures, as is visible on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2015, 2017.

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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