MSO11801 - 19th Century water meadow south of Litton Farm (Monument)

A water system is visible on aerial photographs around Litton Farm. [1-2] A series of roughly parallel water channels are visible on aerial photographs as earthworks at Litton Farm, formerly Crooked Post, centred on circa SS 8056 3364 about 400 metres to the south-east of Withypool Cross 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. The water meadow is located at the head of a shallow combe and supplied with water by two springs, one to the east of the farm and one to the south. The system is visible at least partially in use on aerial photographs taken in 1964 but by 1973 they appear unused and in need of maintenance. [3-7] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [8]