MMO2563 - Post-medieval water meadow north of Bryant's Cottages (Monument)

Summary

A post-medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow, is visible on aerial photographs as a series of earthworks.

Please read the Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record .

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

  • None recorded

Full Description

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 north of Bryant's Cottages, Carhampton. Centred at approximately SS 9784 4158 four gutters are visible located on a fairly gentle north facing slope between two unnamed streams. The gutters vary in length from 45 to 140 metres. This system appears to be connected to the yard at Bryant's Cottages, suggesting that this was an integrated system which also distributed liquid manure as fertiliser to the fields. Catchwater meadows used a series of approximately parallel gutters 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. Most catchwater meadows are believed to date to the post-medieval period, although it is possible that they were first developed in the medieval period. [1-3] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [4]

Sources/Archives (4)

  • <1> Aerial photograph: Various. Various. Vertical Aerial Photograph. NMR OS/70381 52-53 (23 September 1970).
  • <2> Monograph: Cook, H. + Williamson, T.. 2007. Water Meadows: History, Ecology and Conservation. Windgather Press. 1st Edition. 1-7, 28-9.
  • <3>XY Archive: Toms, K.. 2007-2009. Exmoor National Park NMP: SS 94 SE. MD002187. [Mapped feature: #32535 ]
  • <4> Digital archive: Historic England. Various. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) entry. 1479120, Extant 23 May 2022.

External Links (1)

Other Statuses/References

  • Local List Status (Unassessed)
  • National Monuments Record reference: SS 94 SE143
  • NRHE HOB UID (Pastscape): 1479120

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred SS 9785 4154 (158m by 163m) Aerial Survey
Map sheet SS94SE
Civil Parish CARHAMPTON, WEST SOMERSET, SOMERSET

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Record last edited

May 23 2022 9:27AM

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