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Summary

A possible catch meadow of post-medieval to early 20th century date is visible as narrow and somewhat fragmentary earthwork ditches on aerial photographs of the 1940s and 1960s on the south and west-facing slopes south of Lower Langage Farm, Sparkwell. The earthworks remain identifiable as much eroded 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 Mid 20th Century - 1540 AD to 1946 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1190, RAF/106G/UK/1190 RS 4247 27-FEB-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363067.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.

Royal Air Force, 1955, RAF/540/1625, RAF/540/1625 F21 180-181 24-MAY-1955 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351141.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.

Meridian Airmaps Limited, 1966, MAL/66084, MAL/66084 V 037-038 07-DEC-1966 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363137.

Curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks.

Merz & McLellan Ltd, 1998, Langage Energy Centre and Langage Energy Park Environmental Statement: Cultural Heritage (Report - Assessment). SDV320784.

Remains of apparent water meadow channels visible to the south of Lower Langage farm on 1946 RAF air photographs. The simple 'catch meadow' system may predate more complex systems introduced in the 16C & 17C.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX5756 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

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.

Three curvilinear ditches are visible as earthworks 2 to 3m wide and up to 114m long on aerial photographs of 1946 and 1966, closely following the contours of the south and west-facing combe slopes south of Lower Langage Farm.
The channels are probably the gutters of a former catch meadow of post-medieval to early 20th century date. Such systems used springs or streams to irrigate the combe slopes rather than the valley floor and were very widespread in Devon in the 19th century. The gutters appear to be under pasture and somewhat eroded in 1966, indicating the system had been out of use for some time by this date.
The two northernmost gutters remain identifiable as subtle and somewhat eroded earthworks on visualisations derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV876 - Langage Energy Centre: desktop assessment
• 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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