MMO1800 - Post-medieval water meadow system northwest of Six Acre Farm (Monument)

A post-medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow, is visible on aerial photographs. The system does not appear to be connected to the farmyard at Six Acre Farm, suggesting that this was a detached system.

A post-medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow, is visible on aerial photographs as a series of earthworks to the northwest of Six Acre Farm. Centred at SS 6976 4846, at least three gutters are visible stretching across two fields on a steep southwest facing slope above an unnamed valley or Combe. The gutters vary in length from 30 to 170 metres, and in width from less than 1 metre to 3 metres. Catchwater systems used a series of approximately parallel gutters to distribute flowing water evenly over the surface of the meadow in order to encourage early growth in spring and prevent the ground freezing in winter. This system does not appear to be connected to the farmyard at Six Acre Farm, suggesting that this was a detached system, which distributed only water and not liquid manure as fertiliser. Most catchwater systems 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]