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Summary

Water meadow system extending on either side of the River Tale to the north of Clapperentale Farm

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Cropmarks of possible prehistoric or Roman settlement, ditches of water meadow system, section of former leat to Talaton Mill and Escot Park, an C18 historic parkland
• SHINE: Cropmarks of possible prehistoric or Roman settlement, ditches of water meadow system, section of former leat to Talaton Mill and Escot Park, an C18 historic parkland

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WATER MEADOW (Post Medieval to XXI - 1540 AD to 2009 AD (Between))

Full description

Pearce, P., 2004, Archaeological Recording on the Tale Valley Water Meadow System, Escot, East Devon (Report - Evaluation). SDV319640.

Water meadow system extending for two fields on either side of the River Tale to the north of Clapperentale Farm. In 2004 two trenches were excavated by Exeter Archaeology to investigate the nature of the watercourses & associated earthworks. The 1946 RAF Aerial Photograph shows three parallel water channels running north to south on the east side of the river. Trench 2 located at SY08479857 was excavated across an earthwork ridge on the eastern side of the river & exposed water meadow drains 0.46m wide x 0.24m deep. The ditch was flanked by a stone filled land drain to the west & a ceramic pipe drain to the east illustrating the periodic replacement & technological progression of the drains.

Ordnance Survey, 2015, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV357601.

Map object based on this source.

Brown, D. + Williamson, T., Unknown, Escot Park, Devon: Feasibility Study for the Restoration of the Water Meadows, Mill Leat and Watermill Supply, 6-7 (Report - non-specific). SDV351549.

The remains here fall into two sections, divided by the river Tale. That to the east, fed by leat 2, was the more complex. The remains comprise a number of substantial sluices, mostly very ruinous although one remains largely intact, a brick-built bridge, apparently coeval with the sluices, a number of substantial channels, some still flowing with water, others now dry, and a pattern of slight linear indentations which apparently define a number of low 'panes' or 'beds'.
The meadows on the far, western, side of the river were evidently fed from leat 1. Their remains are less complex, comprising four sluices, located along the leat; and, once again, a networks of slight, linear indentations ranged north-south, fairly regularly spaced towards the north, less so towards the south. Once again these are confined to the valley floor and apparently represent low beds or panes. See report for full details.
Map object based on this source.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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