MMO3318 - Post-medieval water meadow south of Barham (Monument)

A post-medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow, is visible on aerial photographs as a series of earthworks. This appears to be an integrated system connected to the farmyard at Barham.

A post-medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow, is visible on aerial photographs as a series of earthworks south of Barham, North Molton. Centred at approximately SS 7466 3372, two gutters are visible running east to west along the contours of the slope, covering an area of less than one hectare. It is possible that there were more gutters in the system, but that these have been destroyed. There is some evidence that this system was connected to the farmyard at Barham, 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 were used 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]