MMO2574 - Post-medieval catchwork water meadow at Aller Farm (Monument)

A post-medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow, is visible on aerial photographs as a series of earthworks at Aller Farm, Carhampton. Centred at approximately ST 0014 4225, gutters are visible in three fields around Aller Farm, following the contours of the north facing slope. Two springs are visible to the north and east of the farm which may have supplied water to the system; the western spring appears to run through the farmyard, suggesting that this was an integrated system which also distributed liquid manure as fertiliser to the fields. Catchwater meadows used a series of approximately parallel gutters 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]