MMO3010 - Post-medieval water meadow north of Weatherslade (Monument)

Evidence of a possible water meadow of post-medieval date is visible on aerial photographs to the north of Weatherslade, at circa SS 8494 3660. Although individual gutters cannot be seen as earthworks, their presence is indicated by a flush of water on the combe slopes. It is probably of a type known as a catchwork, ditch gutter or field gutter system, which are typically found on combe or hill slopes. They are designed to irrigate pasture by diverting water from a spring or stream along the slope via the roughly parallel channels or gutters. 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 the March and April. The system was probably supplied with water by a spring immediately to the west. [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]