MMO1801 - Post-medieval catchwater meadow east of Caffyns Heanton Farm (Monument)

A post medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow, is visible on aerial photographs. This system does not appear to be connected to Caffyns Heanton Farmyard, which suggests that this was a detached system.

A post-medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow, is visible on aerial photographs as a series of earthworks to the east of Caffyns Heanton Farm. Centred at SS 6942 4817, at least three gutters are visible stretching across two fields situated on a gentle east facing slope. The gutters vary in length from 110 to 125 metres long, and all are less than 1 metre wide. Catchwater meadows used a series of approximately parallel gutters to distribute flowing water evenly over the surface of the meadow in order to encourage early growth in spring and prevent freezing in winter. This system does not appear to be connected to the farmyard at Caffyns Heanton Farm, which suggests that this was a detached system which only distributed water and not liquid manure as fertiliser. Most catchwater systems are believed to date to the post-medieval period, although it is possible that they were first used in the medieval period. [1-3] Some of the field gutters suffered damage in 2015 and were replaced as a landscape feature in the same year. [4] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [5]