MMO1736 - Post-medieval water meadow west of Walner Farm (Monument)

A post-medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow, is visible on aerial photographs as a series of earthworks in fields to the west of Walner and Walner Farm. Centred at approximately SS 6368 4664, at least 9 ditches are visible stretching across two fields on a fairly gentle west facing slope. The ditches, known as gutters, vary in length from 60 to 140 metres and appear to be fed from an unnamed stream at SS 6389 4650 before draining back into it. This series of roughly parallel ditches or gutters were used to distribute flowing water over the surface of the meadow in order to encourage early growth in spring and prevent freezing in winter. This system does not appear to be connected to any nearby farmyards, and was probably a detached system, in that it only distributed water and not liquid manure or fertiliser across the field. [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]