MMO2658 - 19th Century water meadow north of Smallcombe (Monument)

A water meadow of probable 19th Century date is visible on aerial photographs as earthworks to the north of deserted farm at Smallcombe, with which they are probably associated, centred on circa SS 9434 4108. The gutters tap a spring fed stream that flows northwards along a narrow combe to feed into the River Avill. A small quarry pit is also visible at circa SS 9431 4115, but it is unclear from the available aerial photographs whether this predates the gutters. It is a type of water meadow known as catchwork or field gutter system, commonly found on combe or hill slopes and designed to irrigate pasture by diverting water from a spring or stream. The water is carried along the valley sides via one or more channels or gutters and when irrigation was required the gutters were blocked, causing water to overflow, from gutter to gutter, 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. [1-3]