MEM24820 - Post-medieval water meadow east of Parracombe School (Monument)

Numerous post-medieval ditches extend across the fields to the north of Church Lane near the school and Churchtown Issues. These could simply be field drains but may be the remains of a post-medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow. It is visible on aerial photographs as earthworks. The drains, or gutters, are in the fields centred at SS 6731 4492 and SS 6715 4486. In the catch water system, approximately parallel gutters were carefully overflowed to distribute flowing water evenly down the slope over the surface of the meadow. This helped to prevent freezing in winter and encouraged early growth in spring, thereby providing extra feed for livestock. It is possible that the leat described in Monument record MMO2119 is part of the system. The drains cut across a field system (MDE10890). [1-4] 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]