MMO2602 - 19th Century water meadow east of East Harwood Farm (Monument)

An extensive water meadow of probable 19th Century date, of a type known as a catchwork or field gutter system, is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs to the east of East Harwood Farm, centred on circa SS 9358 4088. The water meadow is of a type known as a catchwork or field gutter system found on combe or hill slopes and designed to irrigate pasture usually 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 around 7 hectares on the east facing combe slopes above the River Avill. The source of the water used is unclear, but it was probably fed from a pond or spring immediately to the east of East Harwood Farm. A even more extensive water meadow can be seen immediately to the south, associated with West Harwood Farm. The gutters remain visible on aerial photographs of the 1970s but field investigation is required to assess their current condition. Two small quarry pits also of probable post-medieval date are visible within the area of the water meadow. [1-5] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [6] The two features described above as 'quarry pits' are shown on coloured versions of the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map coloured blue suggesting they are ponds and they may therefore be an integral part of the water meadow system [7, 8]