Report to the General Board of Health on a preliminary inquiry into the sewerage, drainage, and supply of water, and the sanitary condition of the inhabitants of the town of Exmouth / by Thomas Webster Rammell, Superintending Inspector.

  • Rammell, Thomas Webster.
Date:
1850
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report to the General Board of Health on a preliminary inquiry into the sewerage, drainage, and supply of water, and the sanitary condition of the inhabitants of the town of Exmouth / by Thomas Webster Rammell, Superintending Inspector. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    called the Withycombe Brook, falling into the estuary on the north, and the other, called the Littleham Brook, falUng directly into the sea on the east. These streams, however, bring- down the surface drainage of an extensive district; and the large boulders with which their beds are strewn attest the force of the currents when swollen by the accumulations of heavy rains. The views from the town—whether across the estuary and embracing the well-wooded hills on its opposite shore; or along the indented and picturesque coast, open as far as Berry-head on the further side of Torbay—are extremely pleasing. The town lies completely open to the prevailing winds, which, blowing from the south-west, are—although occasionaDy extremely violent—invariably mild in temperature; and it is in a great measure screened, by the high land in its rear, from the colder winds of the opposite quarter. The climate is thus described by Dr. Shapter, in his work On the Climate of the South of Devon, and its Influence upon Health:— Notwithstanding the south-w.esterly aspect of Exmouth, it offers ai more bracing climate than any of the watering-places here described.. It may almost be said to be unsheltered by any intermediate neighbour-- ing ground, though to a certain extent the Woodbury Hills protect it: from the north. Exmouth at times suffers severely from the south- westerly gales, which blow immediately into it; but as the winds from: this quarter rarely bring a low temperature, no inconvenience is suffered from them, but the violence with which they blow. The north-west; is the blighting and obnoxious wind of this place, and not the easterly,. as is more usual on the coast. The climate partakes of the same cha- racter as that of the district, modified by the sea only. An inhabitant, to whose opinion I would defer, thinks it more equable than any on the^ coast; aiad that this may in some measure be owing to its exemption! from the damp vapours so often experienced in £he valley towns. Exmouth is said to be less liable to rain than other towns in. the neighbourhood, and more particularly, aijd in a very, marked degree, than the district commencing only a short: distance to the north. Dr. Shapter states, with reference to this— Certain it is that clouds from the Atlantic are seen coming, as it: were, straight towards it (Exmouth), and then, seemingly attracted by the higli lands from Berry-head to Haldon, sweep^by before they dis- charge themselves into the interior of the country. I have not been able to procure any returns of the quantities^ of rain failing at Exmouth ; but through the kmdness of Mr. Coleridge, of Ottery St. Mary, have been furmshed with tlie following table, showing the depths of the rainfall m the neigh- bouring town of Sidmouth, from observations by Dr. Cuilen during the four years 1844-47 :—