MSO6926 - Post-medieval field gutter system at Emmett's Grange (Monument)

A substantial water meadow system, known locally as a catchwater meadow, was built at Emmett's Grange during the 1840s or 1850s. Centred at approximately SS 7520 3680, the system consists of a number of leats and gutters which roughly follow the slopes of the valley above Kinsford water. The gutters stretch across numerous fields, covering a total area of some 53 hectares, and range from 37 to 920 metres in length. 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. This system appears to be connected to the farmyard at Emmett's Grange, suggesting that this was an integrated system which also distributed liquid manure as fertiliser to the fields. A number of different water sources were utilised, mostly springs, boggy patches and water from Kinsford Water, a leat being taken when the road crosses the stream. The remains of the dams and culverts can still be seen although eroded. This particular system was most likely constructed by Robert Smith, land agent for the Knights from 1848, who was considered an expert on water meadows. Emmett's Grange was a show piece to impress the other tenants of the Knight farms, and most have some form of catchwater meadow. This vast system at Emmett's was likely the first constructed by Smith. [1-7] 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] In a letter dated 8 November 1858, Robert Smith writes the following to Frederic Winn Knight: "As I am now making considerable improvets [improvements] on my farm, (below the House) I hope you will be able to go over the farm, at the end of the week, and make your selection as to the permanent Water Meadows – in doing this, it will be necefsary to have the agreement, that they may be inserted, & that I may have a full Copy of it." [9]