MMO2026 - Post-medieval water meadow northwest of Tinnardy (Monument)

A post-medieval water meadow, known locally as a catchwater meadow, is visible on aerial photographs. This system appears to have been connected to the farmyard at Tinnardy, suggesting that this was an integrated system.

A post-medieval water meadow, known locally as a catchwater meadow, is visible on aerial photographs in fields to the northwest of Tinnardy, Challacombe. Centred at approximately SS 6740 4367, two gutters are visible on a steep northwest facing slope above an unnamed tributary of the River Heddon. The longer of the two gutters, at SS 6739 4367 measures approximately 150 metres long, and varies in width from 1 to 2.5 metres. The second gutter, located approximately 10 metres upslope from the first, measures approximately 105 metres, and has been partially filled in. This gutter also varies in width from 1 to 3 metres. This system appears to have been connected to the farmyard at Tinnardy, suggesting that this was an integrated system which also distributed liquid manure to the fields as fertiliser. Catchwater meadows used a series of approximately parallel gutters located on a hillside or slope 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]