MMO2662 - 19th Century water meadow south and west of Elseworthy or Elsworthy Farm (Monument)

A water meadow of probable 19th Century date is visible on aerial photographs as earthworks on combe slopes to the south and west of Elseworthy Farm, centred on circa SS 9304 4150. The gutters can be seen extending westwards along both the north and south facing slopes of a narrow combe, from which the majority of the gutters are probably fed with water, for approximately one kilometre. To the west of this area, at circa SS 9353 4177, a small section of the system may be supplied by a spring to the south of Fairgarden Farm, and may in fact belong to that holding. In this same area, the presence of gutters at circa SS 9366 4189 is inferred from a visible flush of water, although the gutters are not visible on the aerial photographs. This is a type of water meadow known as catchwork or field gutter system, commonly found on combe or hill slopes and designed to irrigate pasture by diverting water from a spring or stream. The water is carried along the valley sides via one or more channels or gutters and 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 March and April. [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] The farm is recorded as Elsworthy on the Tithe Map of 1844, the Ordnance Survey 1st Edition map and modern Mastermap [5, 6, 7]