MMO3118 - 19th Century water meadow north of Huntercombe (Monument)

A single catchwater water meadow gutter of probable 19th Century date is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs. It may be an outlying element of water meadows associated with various farmsteads in the area.

A single catch water water meadow gutter of probable 19th Century date is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs to the north of Huntercombe, Withypool and Hawkridge parish at circa SS 8507 3172. 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. It may be an outlying element of water meadows associated with Parsonage Farm to the northeast or the deserted Hill Farm to the north. [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]