AUDIO: How water came to Plymouth – Drake and his Leat

Drake’s Leat was constructed in the late 16th century to tap the River Meavy on Dartmoor in order to supply Plymouth with water. It was one of the first municipal water supplies in the country.

In this lecture, David Ryles, who is President of the Plymouth Athenaeum, tells the story of ‘How Water Came To Plymouth – Drake and his Leat’.

David Ryles, who studied Geography at Liverpool University, worked as a water engineer for South West Water for more than 30 years.