MMO3648 - Post-medieval water meadow south of Druid's Combe (Monument)

A post-medieval water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow, is visible on aerial photographs as a series of earthworks north of Blackwell deserted settlement (see MSO8354). Centred at approximately ST 0071 3761, four gutters are visible following the contours of a north facing slope, north of Blackwell Farm. The system may have been connected to the farm at Blackwell, providing liquid manure as fertiliser to the fields in addition to water. The settlement was abandoned prior to the publication of the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map of 1888, and it is reasonable to assume that the water meadow was abandoned at the same time. Catchwater meadows used a series of approximately parallel gutters to distribute flowing water evenly over the surface of the meadow in order to prevent freezing in winter and encourage early growth in spring, thereby providing extra feed for livestock. Most catchwater meadows are believed to date to the post-medieval period, although it is possible that they were first developed in the medieval period. [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]