BIDEFORD

'Bideford' is a small port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. It is the main town of the Torridge local government district.

Contents

History

Transport

Railways

Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway

East-the-Water

Sport and Recreation

Local media

Famous People

Youth Council

Twinning

Gallery

References

See also

External links

History

The River Torridge is spanned at Bideford by the 13th century Long Bridge, which has 24 arches all of different sizes.
In the 16th century Bideford was Britain's third largest port. It was rumoured that Sir Walter Raleigh landed the first shipment of tobacco there, although this is a myth, as Raleigh was not, contrary to popular belief, the first to bring tobacco to England. In honour of Raleigh, several roads and a hill have been named after him in Bideford. Today the narrow town centre streets lead down to a tree-lined quay, which bustles with fishing vessels, cargo and pleasure boats. Clay is the principal export loaded onto boats at Bideford. The quay was refurbished, with completion in 2006, to provide flood defence and also to incorporate large fountains and modern public toilets.
This area of North Devon was home to the author Charles Kingsley, and is where he based his novel ''Westward Ho!''. A small seaside town, named after the book, was built after the book's publication. Westward Ho!, which is the only town in the United Kingdom that officially contains an exclamation mark in its name, is approximately 5 kilometres (3 miles) from Bideford. A statue has been erected in honour of Charles Kingsley by the town park's car park.
The city of Biddeford, Maine, USA, was named after the English town, adding the letter "d" in the process. Also, the town of Bideford in the province of Prince Edward Island, Canada, is named after the English town.

Transport

Bideford is served by the Atlantic Highway and A386 roads. The nearest railway station is at Barnstaple 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) away.
A ferry operates between Bideford quay and Lundy, which lies about 35 kilometres (22 miles) away in the Bristol Channel. The same ship also provides evening cruises from Bideford along the River Torridge.
Bus services linking Bideford with other local towns and villages are provided by a number of firms: the main bus companies operating in the area are First Devon and Cornwall, Stagecoach Devon and Beacon Bus. Many services are subsidised by Devon County Council.

Railways

In 1855 the Bideford Extension Railway opened, linking the town with Fremington, Barnstaple and beyond. In 1872 the railway was extended to Great Torrington and Bideford's railway station was replaced with a new one nearer the town centre. Bideford's passenger train services ceased in 1965 and freight trains ceased in 1982^[2] Much of the course of the former railway has been has been re-used as part of the popular Tarka Trail footpath and cycleway. Parts of the route are also shared by the long-distance South West Coast Path footpath.
The Bideford and Instow Railway Group plans to reopen the railway between Bideford and Barnstaple. It currently operates the heritage railway Torridge Train along a short length of track at Bideford. The new Barnstaple Western Bypass is designed to allow the Barnstaple to Bideford section to be restored.

Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway

The Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway was an unusual and short-lived railway built entirely on this peninsula with no direct connection to the rest of the British railway network. The locomotives were fitted with skirts to protect pedestrians as at one point the line ran along the quay at Bideford. The line had eleven halts which largely served visitors wishing to enjoy the bracing air along the coast or the fine beaches around Westward Ho!. The railway, although authorised in 1896 was opened only as far as Northam by 1901 and finally opened to Appledore in 1908.
The railway fell into financial difficulties until in the First World War the War Department requisitioned all of its equipment for use in France. Bideford's 13th century Long Bridge was temporarily converted into a railway bridge to carry the locomotives and rolling stock onto the main line railway near Bideford Station.^[3]

East-the-Water

The town of Bideford has grown to cover land on both sides of the River Torridge; the area located east of the river is known as ''East-the-Water'' . Much of the land that has been built on is drained marshland.
East-the-Water has its own primary school, local shops, a few factories, approximately 6 bars and pubs, a small health centre and a small industrial area consisting largely of locally owned businesses. The community also has its own community centre and association, both of which are self funding and run by a committee of local residents. A key historical feature is Chudleigh Fort, built by the Parliamentarian Major-General Chudleigh during the English Civil War.^[4] The area is surrounded by agricultural land.
There are two pubs East-the-Water the Blacksmiths, and The Swan which is well known for its award winning food.

Sport and Recreation

Bideford has two King George's Fields, which are memorials to King George V. One field is used primarily as the home ground of the main local rugby union club, Bideford RFC (Chiefs) who currently play in Cornwall/Devon League and have one of the most successful junior sections in the county. www.bidefordrfc.co.uk. The other field, commonly referred to as ''The Sports Ground'', is the home to Bideford AFC, the town's main local football (soccer) club. East-the-Water also has its own football club, Shamwickshire Rovers FC, which plays at Pollyfield.
Bideford is renowned for its New Year's Eve celebrations, when thousands of people from surrounding towns, villages and around the world gather on the quay for revelries and a fireworks display.^[5][6]
The South West Coast Path National Trail runs through the town, and gives access to walks along the rugged North Devon coast.

Local media

Local radio is provided by Lantern FM, a station broadcasting across north Devon, originally based in Bideford in a building named "the Lighthouse", but now situated on an industrial estate in nearby Barnstaple.
Bideford has two main local newspapers, both published weekly: the North Devon Gazette and the North Devon Journal. The ''Gazette'' was founded in Bideford, and was originally known as the ''Bideford Gazette''. It is now a free newspaper, delivered to most local homes, and is now based in Barnstaple. The regional daily paper, the Western Morning News, is also available. A local newsletter, the Bideford Buzz, is published monthly by a team of volunteers.

Famous People

Temperance Lloyd, Mary Trembles and Susanna Edwards of the town were the last people to be hanged for witchcraft in England.
Stuart Anstis, one time lead guitarist with black metal band Cradle of Filth went to School in Bideford, and now runs a guitar shop there. Derry Brownson, formerly of the band EMF is frequently seen around town. Celebrated actor Joss Ackland, star of one of the Miss Marple mysteries (They Do It With Mirrors), also lives hereabouts. T. V. Smith and Gaye Advert, from the punk band The Adverts, hail from this town. Crime fiction author Hilary Bonner was also born and raised in the town. Every Sunday the Portobello Inn near the historic pannier market hosts a quiz featuring Mike Holland.
Rudyard Kipling, in Stalky & Co., makes several references to Bideford as being near the boys' academy.

Youth Council

Bideford has an official youth council. The council is run like the town council with voters and candidates of less than 18 years of age, who live in Bideford.

Twinning

The town is twinned with Landivisiau in France.
On 20 October, 2006 British ex-pat David Riley came to mark the “20-year link” between Manteo, North Carolina on Roanoke Island and Bideford. Bideford town clerk George McLauchlan, told him locals had never heard of Manteo and the only town Bideford was twinned with was in France. Mr Riley handed over a clock to "celebrate" the twenty year link, while Manteo Town manager Kermit Skinner said the link started in the 1980s during the 400th anniversary of Walter Raleigh’s voyages to America^[7][8]

Gallery

References

1. http://www.devon.gov.uk/dris/demog/tr_aa01.html
2. SEMG.org [1]
3. Stuckey, Douglas (1962). The Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway 1901-1917. Pub. West Country Publications.
4. ''A Handbook for Travellers in Devonshire (9th edition)'' J. Murray. (1879) [2]
5. TravelEtc: Ring in the New Ian McCurrach
6. Top 10 New Year Crackers Dominic Prince
7.
8. Gifts from an undiscovered US twin town

See also

★ Bideford A.F.C. - the main local Football (soccer) club

★ List of King George V Playing Fields (Devon)

External links

★ North Devon Gazette - local newspaper for the Bideford area

★ Bideford (DMOZ.org)

★ Bideford Town Council

★ Torridge District Council

★ Anglican Parish of Bideford

★ Bideford AFC (Football (soccer))

★ Bideford RFC (Rugby Union)

★ Bideford & Instow Railway Group

★ Bideford Buzz, local newsletter