MSO9253 - 19th Century water meadow at Dunkery Errish (Monument)

A water meadow of probable 19th Century date is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs on the slopes of Dunkery Errish, above the River Avill, centred on circa SS 910 405. 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 system covers an area of approximately 2 hectares of the southwest facing slopes above the River Avill and probably taps a small tributary to the north of Mansley Combe at circa SS 910406. It may be associated with North Hill Farm to the east. The gutters remain visible on aerial photographs of the 1970s but appear overgrown and field investigation is required to assess their current condition. [1-6] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [7]