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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 along the combe slopes to the south of Belle Cross Road. The earthworks remain identifiable as subtle earthworks on visualisations derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017.

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 3031-3032 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX7444 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

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 narrow ditches are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 as subtle earthworks under pasture, measuring up to circa 3m wide and up to 450m long, closely following the contours of the combe slopes to the to the south of Belle Cross Road.
The channels are probably the remains of catch meadow gutters of post-medieval to 19th century date, possibly associated with Belle Cross Road Farm.
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 do not correspond with any features depicted on the Ordnance Survey 25inch First Edition map and the system might have passed out of use by the late-19th-century.
The earthworks remain identifiable as subtle earthworks on visualisations derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 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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