He also played an important role in improving the drainage in the area of the Botley Road, west of Oxford city centre. In spite of the fact that it is situated on the flood plain of the Thames and traversed by an extensive network of side streams and ditches, this road has been a prime target for developers since the 1850s. Prestwich's work to improve drainage in the area was 'commemorated' within the past 10 years by the building of Prestwich Place, a small cul de sac of houses located on the floodplain off the north side of the Botley road.
Ironic, perhaps. But in the end, Prestwich may have had the last laugh. When parts of Oxford, including the Botley Road, were inundated during the floods that affected Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire in July 2007, Prestwich Place drained quickly, leaving that street dry. Meanwhile, an older cul de sac only a few hundred metres to the west remained well under water.