See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

A catch meadow of probable post-medieval to 19th century date is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards as narrow curvilinear earthwork ditches following the contours of a south-facing combe to the north of Heddeswell Farm, West Alvington. The earthworks 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 1880 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/UK/967, RAF/106G/UK/967 RP 3135-3137 01-NOV-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351060.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 3027-3028 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX7143 Tellus DTM 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV361514.

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 narrow ditches are visible on aerial photographs of 1945 and 1946 as subtle earthworks under pasture, measuring up to circa 4m wide and up to 500m long, closely following the contours of the south-facing combe to the north of Heddeswell Farm.
The channels are probably the remains of catch meadow gutters of post-medieval to 19th century date.
Catch meadows diverted water from springs or streams along 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 with many in use into the mid-20th century.
The visible earthworks correspond in part with water channels depicted on the Ordnance Survey 25inch First Edition map, which might support the interpretation that the system had passed out of use by the later-19th century with elements remaining in use as leats or drains.
The ditches are not identifiable as earthworks on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013 and have probably 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)

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.