MMO1798 - Post-medieval water meadow west of Killington (Monument)

A post-medieval water meadow system known locally as a catchwater meadow system, is visible on aerial photographs as a series of earthworks to the northwest of Killington. At least five gutters are visible situated on either side of a steep northwest facing slope above an unnamed valley or combe following the contours of the slope. The gutters range from between 40 to 150 metres in length and measure between 2 and 3 metres wide. Catchwater meadows used a series of approximately parallel gutters to distributed flowing water evenly over the surface of the meadow in order to encourage early growth in spring and prevent the ground freezing in winter. This system may have been connected to the farmyard at Killington, suggesting that this was an integrated system which also distributed liquid manure as fertiliser across the fields. Most catchwater meadows are believed to have been constructed in the post-medieval period, although it is possible that they were first developed in the medieval period. [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]