Our Patient Participation Group (PPG) and retired GP, Dr Rob McNeilly, put together a history of Oldwood Surgery and Battle Health Centre as part of the Robertsbridge 800th Celebration on 21st June 2025:
- 1946 Dr Robert McNeilly (Uncle of our Dr Rob McNeilly) started a surgery on the Abbey Green in Battle. He was a returning Army Doctor from India.
- 1951- 1969 Dr James McNeilly (Father of our Dr Rob McNeilly) joined the Battle Surgery. He was known as “The Irish Doc”, having been in the Irish Gard in the Far East, captured in Singapore and was a Prisoner of War in Burma.
- 1969 Dr Robert Elliot-Pyle joined the surgery and left in 1985.
- 1971 A practice was opened in Robertsbridge High Street.
- 1978 Dr Liz joined.
- Dr Ken Hammond worked at the practice for a few years as did Dr Sivalingam.
- 1989 Dr Rob McNeilly (Junior, returning from New Zealand) joined Dr Liz.
- 1990 the surgery moved to Station Road and was named Oldwood Surgery because Wood was Dr Liz’s maiden name and the site had been an old pine workshop.
- 2000 Dr Rob McNeilly left and Dr Andrew Sikorski joined.
- 2004 Battle Surgery moved to Battle Health Centre.
- 2005 Dr David Rodgers joined.
- 2007 Dr Liz retired and Dr Rob McNeilly returned.
- 2009 Dr Lorna Davey joined.
- 2012 Dr Paula Rivett joined.
- 2015 Dr Andrew Sewell joined.
- 2021 Dr Rob retired and Dr Dawton joined.
- 2024 Dr Marianne Preece joined.
- 2025 Dr Paula Rivett retired and Dr Jie Hong joined.
The project to create a new medical centre in Robertsbridge was launched many years ago by Dr Rob McNeilly.
In 2000, Oldwood Surgery was flooded and consultations and nurses’ treatments took place in mobile units.
