MDE20647 - Medieval or post medieval leats west of Sunnyside Farm (Monument)

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. [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. However, a downslope contour leat was identified during the site visit, with a clear surviving profile and remnants of stone filler or capping present. The summary for the record was rewritten to better reflect these findings. [9, 10] The downslope leat is labelled on historic mapping as "Mill Leat" and is implied to run to the mill at Parracombe. [11]