MMO1780 - Post-medieval water meadow west of Wilsham Farm (Monument)

A post-medieval water meadow of a type known locally as a catchwork or catch meadow system is visible on aerial photographs as at least 6 water channels, also known locally as gutters, centred on circa SS 755 484. The gutters radiate westwards from Wilsham Farm onto a west facing valley slope above the East Lyn River, Countisbury parish. Catchwork systems are usually found on steep combe sides and are designed to irrigate pasture by diverting water from a spring or stream along the valley sides via a series of channels or gutters. From the available evidence the location of the water source for this water meadow is unclear. 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 the March and April. Any excess water then returned to the feeder stream at the valley bottom or was removed by a tail drain. The use of a series of roughly parallel gutters to improve the coverage, as seen here, is a common feature of Exmoor systems. The gutters are somewhat fragmentary in appearance but this system is possibly an example of an `integrated system', where the water is passed though the farmstead to pick up manure and subsequently distribute this liquid fertaliser on the slopes. Although similar systems were operating elsewhere by the 17th Century, this water meadow is probably 19th Century or later in origin. As can be seen on the 1947 photographs, this water meadow continued in use well into the 20th Century. However, a number of the gutters appear to have been levelled by 1995. [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]