MMO2006 - Post-medieval water meadow at Swincombe (Monument)

A post-medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow system, is visible on aerial photographs. This system appears to have been an integrated system with the farmyards at North and South Swincombe.

A post-medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow system, is visible on aerial photographs to the north west of Swincombe Lane, Challacombe. Centred at approximately SS 6896 4134, at least seven gutters are visible on either side of a fairly steep south facing slope above an un-named stream or combe which flows into the River Bray. The gutters vary in length from 50 to 341 metres, and are between 1 and 3 metres wide. In places the gutters are overlain by post medieval field boundaries, suggesting that this system was constructed in the early post medieval period, or possibly the medieval period. Catchwater meadows used a series of approximately parallel gutters to distribute flowing water evenly over the surface of the meadow in order to prevent freezing in winter and encourage early growth in spring, thereby providing extra feed for livestock. This system appears to have been connected to the farmyards at North and South Swincombe, suggesting that this was an integrated system which also distributed liquid manure as fertiliser to the fields. Most catchwater meadows are believed to date to 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]