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Summary

Water meadow shown on aerial photograph to the northeast of Knightacott

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1488858
• National Monuments Record: SS 63 NE 4

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WATER MEADOW (Post Medieval to XX - 1540 AD to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

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

A pond and 'Sluice' are shown on 19th century map against the northeast corner of this field which probably supplied the water for the meadow.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Pond, 'Sluice' and 'Spring' shown on early 20th century map.

National Monuments Record, 2007 - 2009, National Monuments Record Index incorporating Exmoor National Park National Mapping Programme for SS63NE (National Monuments Record Database). SDV343039.

A Post Medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow, is visible on aerial photographs as a series of earthworks in a field west of Knightacott Cross, Bratton Fleming. A series of approximately parallel gutters were used to distribute flowing water evenly over the surface of the meadow in order to prevent freezing in winter and encourage early growth in spring, thereby providing extra feed for livestock. This system does not appear to be connected to any local farmyards, suggesting that this was a detached system which only distributed water to the fields and not liquid manure or other fertilisers. Other details: Monument Number 1488858.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4547 - Exmoor National Park National Mapping Programme

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