MMO1838 - Post-medieval water meadow east of Bromham Farm (Monument)

A post-medieval catchwater meadow is visible on aerial photographs as a series of earthworks. It appears to have been connected to the farmyard, suggesting an integrated system that distributed liquid manure as fertiliser across the fields.

A post-medieval water meadow, known locally as a catchwater meadow, is visible on aerial photographs as a series of earthworks to the east of Bromham Farm, Porlock. Centred at SS 8619 4542 four gutters are visible on a steep north-east facing slope above Berry Castle Combe running approximately north-south. The gutters are fairly uniform in size, measuring between 75 and 95 metres long and 2 to 3 metres wide. Catchwater meadows 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 freezing in winter. This system appears to have been connected to the farmyard at Bromham Farm, suggesting that this was an integrated system which also distributed liquid manure as fertiliser across the fields. Most catchwater systems are believed to date to the post-medieval period, although it is possible they were first developed during 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]