Newtown, Exeter

A workhouse was built in 1671 on a site currently used as a car park, but Newtown remained largely rural up until the 19th century.

Brick and tile making were carried on in Exeter by the Romans from clay workings within the city wall.

By the 16th century, the rich red clay of Newtown was exploited for brick making, the main brickworks being sited in the location of what is currently the dry ski-slope and golf driving range.

Due to the Cholera epidemics of the 1830s the open sewer that ran along the bottom of the hill was covered over, to create Clifton Road.

Post war development saw the creation of the Inner By-pass (Western Way) which cut through the northern part of Newtown, while regeneration work in the late 1960s saw new developments of blocks of flats, some of which were placed to 'disrupt' the uniform Victorian street pattern.