MMO2670 - 19th Century water meadow northwest of Spangate (Monument)

A probably 19th Century water meadow is visible on aerial photographs as earthworks, on the north facing slopes above a tributary to the River Avill, immediately to the north of the deserted farm at Spangate. The system is centred approximately on SS 92061415, but extends westwards along the combe for about 300 metres and covers an area of roughly 2 hectares. It is very probable that the water meadow was associated with the farm at Spangate (MSO11771). 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]