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Summary

A water meadow of probable 19th century date is visible as a series of earthwork ditches and banks on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards, from Cowleymoor to Craze Lowman. It remains largely visible as a series of earthwork ditches on digital images derived from Lidar data captured between 2005 and 2012

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WATER MEADOW (Post Medieval to Modern - 1540 AD to 2013 AD)

Full description

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

The water meadow is partly defined as a series of drains and sluices on the First Edition Ordnance Survey map of between the 1880’s-90’s.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/221 V, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/221 V 5398-99 11-JUL-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV357046.

The water meadow is visible as a series of earthwork ditches. Map object based on this source.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1823, RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RP 3336-38 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354994.

The water meadow is visible as a series of earthwork ditches. Map object based on this source.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 FP 1279-81 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

The water meadow is visible as a series of earthwork ditches. Map object based on this source.

Environment Agency, 1998-2012, LiDAR DSM data JPEG image (1m resolution), LIDAR SS9613; SS9713; SS9813 SS9814 Environment Agency JPEG DSM 19-DEC-2005 - 20-FEB-2012 (Cartographic). SDV357034.

The water meadow is visible as a series of earthwork ditches. Map object based on this source.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV356883.

A water meadow of probable 19th century date is visible as a series of earthwork ditches and banks on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards, from Cowleymoor to Craze Lowman. This extensive and complex bed work system of earthwork channels encompasses approximately 42.77 hectares of grassland floodplain on the northern and southern side of the River Lowman. This water meadow was likely fed by a carrier channel, or head main, located further to the east of the system and which allowed the flow of water to be diverted from the main river channel, and the flow of water into it controlled via a hatch. Water was then diverted from the headmain across the floodplain via an intricate network of drains and narrower channels which constitute the main part of the system present and which are aligned with the gentle sloping gradient of the floodplain. Water could then be admitted to selected areas through a series of subsidiary hatches where the water could be held up. The water eventually entered tapering channels, or floats, situated along parallel ridges, or beds, where the water was made to overflow onto each part of the meadow. Evidence of these beds is visible as a series of northeast to southwest aligned earthwork banks located at SS979139 and north to south aligned banks at SS969131. The bed works is also partly depicted on the first Edition Ordnance Survey map of between the 1880’s-90’s and remains largely visible as a series of earthwork ditches on digital images derived from Lidar data captured between 2005 and 2012, although the western extent of this former system has been levelled and developed as part of Cowleymoor Business Park.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV354994	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1823. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RP 3336-38 04-NOV-1946.
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 FP 1279-81 11-APR-1947.
SDV356883	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV357034	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2012. LiDAR DSM data JPEG image (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SS9613; SS9713; SS9813 SS9814 Environment Agency JPEG DSM 19-DEC-2005 - 20-FEB-2012.
SDV357046	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/3G/TUD/UK/221 V. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/3G/TUD/UK/221 V 5398-99 11-JUL-1946.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)
• EDV4893 - Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Assessment, Tiverton
• EDV4957 - Targetted Magnetometry Survey and Evaluation, Tiverton

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