MMO2349 - Post-medieval leat northwest of Duredon Farm (Monument)

A post-medieval gutter or leat is visible on aerial photographs as a slight earthwork in a field northwest of Duredon Farm, Exmoor. Centred at approximately SS 7543 4026, the gutter runs approximately east to west for 145 metres, curving slightly to the north and following the line of the 400 metre contour. It resembles the ditches seen in the local water meadow systems, known as catchwater meadows, which used a series of approximately parallel gutters located on a slope to distribute flowing water evenly over the surface of the meadow, thus preventing freezing in winter and encouraging early growth in spring, thereby providing extra feed for livestock. The gutter most likely dates to the post medieval period, probably the mid 19th Century and is almost certainly related to the Knight family's land improvement activities in this area; however its precise function remains uncertain. [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]