MMO2609 - 19th Century water meadow north and southwest of Ford Farm (Monument)

A water meadow of probable 19th Century date, of a type known as a catchwork or field gutter system, is visible on aerial photographs as earthworks to the north and southwest of Ford Farm, centred on circa SS 9176 4000. The water meadow is of a type known as a catchwork or field gutter system found on combe or hill slopes and designed to irrigate pasture usually by diverting water from a spring or stream along the valley sides via one or more channels or gutters. When irrigation was required the gutters were blocked, causing water to overflow, thereby irrigating the slopes. This film of water prevented the ground freezing during the winter and raised the temperature of the grass in the spring, thereby encouraging early growth, particularly important during the hungry gap of March and April. Any excess water then returned to the feeder stream at the valley bottom or was removed by a tail drain. This system is relatively small, covering an area of approximately 1 hectare of the steep west and southeast facing combe slopes of a tributary to the River Avill. The water meadow appears to be constructed in two sections, on either side of the stream which the gutters tapped for water; on the east of the stream, directly to the north of the farm, and to west of the stream to the southwest of Ford Farm. This is one of three water meadows in close proximity identified within the relatively small area of this combe. Its extent and postulated association with Walland Farm is based upon the pattern of field boundaries alone and is not definitive. It is possible that the area of gutters to the southwest of Ford Farm is in fact associated with Walland. [1-4] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [5]