MDE20647 - Post medieval leat and catchwork gutters west of Sunnyside Farm (Monument)

A leat and series of possibly related catchwork gutters are visible from LiDAR and aerial photograph mapping in fields to the north west of Sunnyside Farm. There has previously been confusion as there are other leats in the same parcel and adjoining parcels but these are likely part of a different, possibly earlier system linked to Parracombe Mill.

Mill leat running from gristmill shown on Ordnance Survey mapping. [1,2] A probable post-medieval leat or water channel is visible on aerial photographs as an earthwork in a field to the north of Holwell Castle, Parracombe. The leat, which is centred at approximately SS 6693 4479, runs approximately east-west for 115 metres. It closely follows the contours of the north facing slope. The form and position of this leat suggest it may represent the remains of a water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow, which used a series of approximately parallel gutters located on a slope to distribute flowing water evenly over the surface of the meadow. This prevented freezing in winter and encouraged 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. [3-5] More gutters, probably a continuation of the leat described above, were mapped as part of an air photo interpretation and mapping project looking at Parracombe. They seem to form parts of a water meadow that extended from near Combe Bridge and Sunnyside, at Prisonford, Parracombe, extending down the valley to the south south east in the meadows closer to Sunyside Farm. [6,7] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [8] The area was reassessed as part of the development of a Farming in Protected Landscapes grant application. A site visit could not establish the visible presence of the leat initially recorded above, still less the remains of any further catchwork gutters, although the upslope leat remains visible on LiDAR and aerial photography and its existence is not in doubt[9, 10] Following on from the site visit, the features in this area and their associated records were more clearly delineated. As a result, and for clarity's sake, this record refers to the likely post medieval catchwork gutter system associated with Sunnyside identified as part of the Naitional Mapping Programme, and the upper leat which extends from this, with other features within the parcel now recorded under MDE1069 for the mill leat.