| Summary: | Robert Brent was a District Medical Officer of Health for St.Thomas Union, Exeter in the mid 19th century. Upon settling in Woodbury with his wife Annie they set about improving drainage, roads and water supplies, which were still in the hands of the Vestry. This included building brick culverts over brooks which had previously caused a cholera outbreak. The couple provided the first drinkable running water system to Woodbury which was achieved via land drains within a field connected to a fountain built on the side of Globe Hill. A while after the build of the fountain, St Thomas Council advised that a filter tank should be put in place to clean up any impurities in the water, and this tank is believed to still be in situ in the field, along with the original land drains. |
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