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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 of the south-facing combe slopes to the south of Auton Farm. Most of the ditches 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 1840 AD (Between))

Full description

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

A single ditch corresponds with a depicted drain or leat.

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/UK/967, RAF/106G/UK/967 RP 3138 01-NOV-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351060.

Linear and curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 2040-2042 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

Linear and curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks

Meridian Airmaps Limited, 1966, MAL/66006, MAL/66006 V 102-103, 115-116 15-MAR-1966 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351230.

Linear and curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX7142-SX7242 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

Linear and curvilinear ditches are identifiable as earthworks

Google, 2019, Google Earth Pro, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM 24-MAR-2020 ACCESSED 10-AUG-2020 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363088.

Linear and curvilinear ditches are visible 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 3m wide and from 35m to 220m long, closely following the contours of south-facing combe slopes to the south of Auton 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.
A single earthwork at circa SX7221742461 corresponds with a water channel depicted on the Ordnance Survey 25inch First Edition map. This might support the interpretation that the wider system had passed out of use by the later-19th century with individual elements remained in use as leats or drains.
The earthworks immediately adjacent to the farmstead remain identifiable as subtle earthworks on visualisations derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017 but those further to the west 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)

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