MSO8881 - Post-medieval and modern fishponds to the west of Withiel Florey (Monument)

St Joseph aerial photograph shows probable 16th or 17th Century fishponds and water system. [1] Area comprises six artificial ponds with leats. [2,3] A series of fishponds and water meadows to the west of Withiel Florey and St Mary Magdalene's Church. The fishponds centred at SS 9840 3325 are marked as extant and water filled on the Ordnance Survey 10,000 scale map but are not visible on RAF vertical photographs dating back to 1947. This suggests that they are modern in origin. One fish pond however, is likely to be earlier, probably post-medieval, and is located at SS 9855 3338. To the north of these fish ponds, at SS 9850 3347, is a water meadow system of probable post-medieval date. [6-7] The ponds were probably originally associated with the house at Withial Florey (MSO12661) and are shown on the Tithe map of 1839 [8]. The present ponds are more recent. [9] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [10]