MMO1636 - Post-medieval water meadow east of Guskin Combe (Monument)

A post-medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow system is visible as a series of earthworks on aerial photographs to the east of Guskin Combe. The system extends over an area measuring approximately 1.8 hectares and is centred at SS 8099 4863. Six roughly parallel channels, known as gutters measuring up to 160 metres long are visible, and were used to distribute flowing water evenly over the surface of the meadow in order to encourage early growth in spring and prevent freezing in winter. There is no suggestion from the aerial photographs that the gutters were linked to a farmyard; however, place name evidence suggests an agricultural building at the south end of the system marked Eastmead Linhay on the Ordnance Survey 1:10560 and it is possible that the gutters were supplied with liquid manure from here. [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]