MMO2724 - Post-medieval water meadow north of Kedworthy Farm (Monument)

A series of earthworks visible on aerial photographsappear to be the remains of a possible post-medieval water meadow system. This system does not appear to be connected to any local farmyards, suggesting that this was a detached system.

A series of earthworks visible on aerial photographs in fields north of Kedworthy Farm, Brayford appear to be the remains of a possible post-medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow. Centred at approximately SS 7096 3730, five curvilinear gutters are visible, which follow the contours of the north facing slope above Foxhole Combe. The gutters extend across two fields, and are positioned on either side of a small spring and stream which flows into Foxhole Combe. This spring was most likely the water supply for the system. This system does not appear to be connected to any local farmyards, suggesting that this was a detached system which only distributed water to the fields and not liquid manure or other fertilisers. 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. 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]