MMO539 - Post-medieval water meadow southeast of West Harwood Farm (Monument)

A water meadow of probable 19th Century date is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs to the southeast of West Harwood Farm with which it is probably associated, centred on circa SS 9341 4020. The water meadow is of a type known as a catchwork or field gutter system usually found on combe or hill slopes and designed to irrigate pasture 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 extensive system covers an area of approximately 16 hectares of southeast facing combe slope above the River Avill, which it probably taps for water at its southwestern end, around circa SS 929 399, and possibly again around SS 935 402. The use of parallel gutters to improve the coverage is a common feature of Exmoor systems and more than 20 gutters have been recorded in this system. However, it is probable a number of phases are visible and not all gutters may have been in use at once. The gutters remain visible on aerial photographs of the 1970s but field investigation is required to assess their current condition. [1-7] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [8]