MMO3642 - Post-medieval water meadow northwest of Wilhay Farm (Monument)

A post medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow, is visible on aerial photographs as a series of earthworks north west of Wilhay Farm, Old Cleeve. Centred at approximately ST 0423 3639, at least five gutters are visible following the contours of the slope above a small un-named stream. The system covers an area of aprroximately 7.8 hectares, and appears to have been fed from a small spring at Wilhay farm, 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]