MSO9472 - Post-medieval catchwork water meadow at Avill Farm (Monument)

The earthwork remains of two post-medieval water meadow systems, known locally as a catchwater meadow, are visible on aerial photographs at Avill Farm, Dunster. A small system consisting of two gutters apparently fed from the small tributary of the River Avill is visible south of the farm at SS 9773 4300, while a larger system apparently fed from the river itself can be seen west of the farm at SS 9785 4312. Neither system appears to be connected to any local farmyards, suggesting that they were detached systems, which only distributed water to the fields and not liquid manure or other fertilisers. The smaller system follows the contours of the north-facing slope, while the larger cuts across the valley bottom, and may have double as a drainage system for the nearby road. A series of approximately parallel gutters were used 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]