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91-480: In ancient records Bideford is recorded as Bedeford , Byddyfrod , Bedyford , Bydeford , Bytheford and Biddeford . The etymology of the name means "by the ford," and records show that, before there was a bridge, there was a ford at Bideford where River Torridge is estuarine ; and at low tide, it is possible (but not advisable) to cross the river by wading on foot. Hubba the Dane was said to have attacked Devon in

182-599: A harbour defence motor launch was built and launched in the town. Around 150 ships were built between 1840 and 1877 at Higher Cleave Houses in Bideford. The largest wooden ship to be built in Bideford was the Sarah Newman , a 1,004-ton full-rigged ship built in 1855. During the 19th century over 815 registered wooden sailing ships were launched on the Torridge, as too were hundreds of unregistered craft. Shipbuilding in

273-456: A "slender monument to the memory of a good man and a worthy divine". Gertrude's mother was Elizabeth Duck, sister of Nicholas Duck (1570–1628), Recorder of Exeter, whom Prince also made one of his Worthies , whose biography also contained a substantial biography of her other younger brother Arthur Duck (1580–1649), a lawyer and MP. In 2001 Todd Gray published the court depositions of Prince's church trial as The Curious Sexual Adventure of

364-452: A 1000 people as the Devon average. Bideford is largely ethnically homogenous, with the 2001 census reporting that 98.3% of the population were white in the parish. 3.3% of school children are from ethnic minorities and 0.9% of school children do not have English as their first language, the lowest in Devon. In 2001 31.6% of households were classed as "single person households". In 2004 Bideford

455-484: A 40-bed infirmary and would later become Torridge Hospital and, eventually, a residential building. In 1830 it was reported that 5000 people waved farewell to ships leaving Bideford for New York City , Montreal , and St. Andrews (New Brunswick) . Between the years 1840 and 1900 2,467 people emigrated to Canada and 248 to the United States aboard ships from Bideford. In 1847 a horse-drawn omnibus taking people to

546-463: A Bideford shipyard hit the bridge, but only caused small damage by knocking some of the stones out. In 1925 another incident took place on the bridge: during the widening of the bridge a lorry came off the side of the bridge and crashed into the River Torridge, and it is believed that both the people in the lorry survived. During World War II the 10th arch of the bridge was being repaired, and

637-574: A Spanish galleon the Santa Maria de San Vicente off Bermuda in late August 1585. The Spanish prize was brought into Bideford with riches valued at around 15,000 pounds. Grenville also brought a Native American "Wynganditoian" from Roanoke Island with him after returning from a voyage to America in 1586. Grenville named this Native American tribesman Raleigh after his cousin Sir Walter Raleigh . Raleigh converted to Christianity and

728-413: A distinguished place" in the work. It was funded by subscription, with a list of subscribers included after the list of contents. Prince married Gertrude Salter (1644–1725), youngest daughter of Anthony Salter, a physician of Exeter, by his wife Gertrude Acland, a daughter of John Acland (died 1641), of the parish of St Olave, Exeter, Mayor of Exeter in 1627. Prince included in his "Worthies" an uncle and

819-593: A fair in Torrington fell off Bideford Quay into the River Torridge, and eight people were drowned. The book "Kingsley's County" put the expansion and growth of Bideford down to the publication of Charles Kingsley 's romance Westward Ho! in 1855. There was an extension of the London and South Western Railway from Barnstaple in 1856. The Pannier Market opened in 1884. In 1902 the first car arrived in Bideford: it

910-409: A family connection to his great contemporary John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (1650–1722). Prince's father Bernard Prince had married secondly (as her second husband) to Jane Drake, a daughter of Philip Drake of Salcombe, third in descent from John Drake of Axmouth, father of John Drake (died 1558) of Ash , in the parish of Musbury. Jane was thus 3rd cousin of Sir John Drake (died 1636) of Ash,

1001-479: A great-uncle of his wife. John Acland was the 2nd son of Baldwin Acland (died 1572) of Hawkridge, Chittlehampton , a junior branch of the later prominent Acland family which originated at Acland, Landkey , North Devon, later seated at Killerton . Gertrude Acland's eldest brother was Baldwin Acland (1607–1672), Treasurer of Exeter Cathedral , whom Prince made one of his "Worthies of Devon", which biography he termed

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1092-642: A mob forced their way into Bideford prison to try and break out some of the mob's ringleaders, and soldiers from the Royal North Devon Yeomanry had to be mustered, and then patrolled the town, where they arrested several members of the mob who were then escorted to Exeter . In 1835 the Bideford Poor Law Union was founded; followed by the building, in 1837, of the Bideford workhouse in Meddon Street. The workhouse had

1183-655: A river can be crossed". Although today brod in the Serbo-Croatian means 'ship', Slavonski Brod in Croatia, as well as Makedonski Brod in North Macedonia and other place names containing Brod in Slavic countries, where brod is still the word for 'ford', are named after fords. In historic times, positioning an army in large units close to a river was thought best for direct defense as well as to attack

1274-607: Is a member of the Methodist Independent Schools trust. Bideford has a number of churches: In 2011, 61.8% of people in Bideford and nearby Northam described themselves as Christian , 0.3% as Buddhist , 0.2% as Muslims and 0.7% were classed as part of the other religion category. The number of religious people in the area is higher than the average in Devon. Bideford is renowned for its New Year's Eve celebrations, when thousands of people – most in fancy dress – from surrounding towns, villages, and around

1365-619: Is based at Bideford Town Hall , has 16 seats representing four unequal wards, North, South, East and South Outer. At the May 2011 local elections, seven Conservatives, three independents, two Liberal Democrats, two Labour and one Green were elected (there was one vacant seat). There is a mayor and Town Clerk. The town council received widespread attention in February 2012 when the High Court ruled that prayers as part of meetings were not lawful by

1456-549: Is by tradition the founder and ancestor of the prominent Westcountry Grenville family of Stowe in the parish of Kilkhampton in Cornwall and of Bideford in Devon. By tradition Richard de Grenville is said by Prince (died 1723), (apparently following Fuller's Worthies ) to have founded Neath Abbey and bestowed upon it all his military acquisitions for its maintenance, and to have However, according to Round (died 1928) "no proof exists that Richard I de Grenville ever held

1547-539: Is evident that Prince was over-ambitious in his work. The alphabetical entries from A to H fill half the book, while L to Z are squeezed into the final quarter, as money problems took their toll on his inclusions. A second volume, detailing 115 entries chosen by Prince to redress the balance, was never published, though a manuscript exists in the Devon Record Office . This manuscript was discussed, and its biographies listed, by J. Brooking-Rowe in an article in

1638-414: Is low but may be treated as a ford when the river is high and water covers the crossing. The word ford is both a noun (describing the water crossing itself) and a verb (describing the act of crossing a ford). A ford is a much cheaper form of river crossing than a bridge , and it can transport much more weight than a bridge, but it may become impassable after heavy rain or during flood conditions. A ford

1729-723: Is now managed by a preservation group, the Bideford Railway Heritage Centre . The line followed the contours of the River Torridge for much of its route to Torrington and most of it is part of the Tarka Trail. In 2009, James May's Toy Stories attempted to run OO gauge trains on a temporary track on the right of way. A subsequent attempt in 2011 was successful. In 2009 the Association of Train Operating Companies costed reopening

1820-510: Is registered in Bideford and was at one time based there. There are also some fishing boats that still operate out of Bideford. In 1966, Bideford Zoo was built by Mrs K. Tottenham and opened on the 29th May 1966. The original inhabitants included sea lions, bears and raccoons. It finally closed in October 1970. The site is now a housing estate, and the old zoo house known as "Ford House" has now been converted into flats. This area of North Devon

1911-404: Is that each arch was funded by a different local guild , although there are no records to confirm this. Another theory is that the piers of the arches of the bridge were built on naturally existing, and therefore randomly situated, large stones in the river. During the first decade of the 17th century, the bridge trustees were taken to court by the people of Bideford for feasting and seeing plays at

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2002-445: Is therefore normally only suitable for very minor roads (and for paths intended for walkers and horse riders etc.). Most modern fords are usually shallow enough to be crossed by cars and other wheeled or tracked vehicles (a process known as "fording"). Fords may be accompanied by stepping stones for pedestrians. The United Kingdom has more than 2,000 fords, and most of them do not have any way of stopping vehicles from crossing when

2093-600: The Bristol Channel . The same ship, the MS Oldenburg , also provides evening cruises downstream from Bideford along the River Torridge. The South West Coast Path National Trail runs through the town, and gives access to the North Devon coast. Bus services are provided by Stagecoach South West ; key routes include: The nearest railway station is at Barnstaple 7.5 miles (12.1 km) away. Bideford

2184-470: The Carboniferous period on Gondwana . Bideford Black contains carbon , silica and alumina, with the black colouration created by the carbon. The seams containing Bideford Black Stretch from Hartland , underneath Bideford, and onto Umberleigh . Bideford Black was used in a number of ways; for example, it was used as camouflage paint during World War II, in mascara by Max Factor, by artists, and in

2275-483: The Conservative Party . State-funded primary schools in Bideford include East-the-Water Primary School, St. Mary's Church of England Primary School and Westcroft School. Bideford College is the main state-funded secondary school serving the area. Kingsley School is a co-educational independent school situated in Bideford. It was founded in 2009 when Grenville College and Edgehill College merged. It

2366-757: The Dutch voorde (as in Vilvoorde , Coevorden , Zandvoort , or Amersfoort ) are cognates with the same meaning, all deriving from Proto-Indo-European *pértus 'crossing'. This is the source of Brythonic and Gaulish ritus (modern Welsh rhyd ; the Welsh name of Oxford is Rhydychen "ford of oxen"), which underlies such names as Chambord (from Gaulish *Camboritum "ford at the bend") and Niort ( Novioritum "new ford"). Towns such as Maastricht , Dordrecht , and Utrecht also formed at fords. The endings tricht , drecht , and trecht are derived from

2457-587: The Latin word traiectum , meaning "crossing". Thus the name Utrecht, originally the Roman fort of Traiectum , is derived from "Uut Trecht", meaning "downstream crossing". The Afrikaans form was taken into South African English as drift and led to place names like Rorke's Drift and Velddrift . Similarly, in Slavic languages , the word brod comes from the linguistic root that means "river-crossing" or "place where

2548-565: The Local Government Act 1972 . Torridge District Council is the next level of local government and most decisions are made by Devon County Council. Torridge District Council is responsible for maintaining Bideford Higher Cemetery . The local MP is the Conservative Geoffrey Cox . The two Devon County Council councillors who represent the town are Anthony Inch and Linda Hellyer, they are both members of

2639-601: The Norman Conquest to his own era. He became the subject of a sexual scandal, the court records of which were made into a book in 2001 and a play in 2005. John Prince was born in 1643 in a farmhouse (now called Prince's Abbey) on the site of Newenham Abbey , in the parish of Axminster , Devon. He was the eldest son of Bernard Prince (died 1689) (to whom John erected a monument in Axminster Church) by his first wife Mary Crocker, daughter of John Crocker, of

2730-747: The Parliamentarians against the Royalist forces of Charles I . Following a series of Royalist successes in the South West during 1643, the Parliamentarians withdrew into Bideford and its two small fortresses, one of which was Chudleigh Fort . Here they were besieged. After further Royalist victories it became clear that Bideford would not be relieved, and in August 1643 it was stormed by Royalist forces. Following fierce fighting around

2821-654: The River Amman ); Stafford , the county town of Staffordshire ('ford by a staithe ', or 'ford by the landing place'), Staffort crossing the river Pfinz ; and Stratford (a ford on a Roman street ). Similarly, the German word Furt (as in Frankfurt , the ford of the Franks ; Ochsenfurt , synonymous to Oxford; Schweinfurt , a ford where swine crossed the river; and Klagenfurt , literally "ford of complaints") and

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2912-517: The River Torridge connecting the East and West of the town was said to have been built out of timber in the year 1286. In 1474 the original structure was replaced by the masonry arch bridge seen today. The bridge was built around the timber so people could still use it while construction was taking place, possibly resulting in the 24 arches all being of different sizes. A traditional explanation

3003-910: The United Kingdom . Examples are at Brockenhurst in Hampshire , Wookey in Somerset , and Swinbrook in Oxfordshire . Some of these are being replaced by bridges as these are a more reliable form of crossing in adverse weather conditions. Some very spectacular watersplashes can be found in diverse locations. Australia has the Gulf Savannah , and others may be found in Canada , Italy , South Africa , and Finland . They are also found on some Tennessee backroads, where they are referred to as "underwater bridges". In Israel and part of

3094-652: The feudal barony of Gloucester . The Grenville family held Bideford for many centuries under the overlordship of the feudal barons of Gloucester, which barony was soon absorbed into the Crown, when they became tenants in chief . Sir Richard I de Grenville (d. after 1142) ( alias de Grainvilla, de Greinvill, etc.) was one of the Twelve Knights of Glamorgan who served in the Norman Conquest of Glamorgan under his elder brother Robert FitzHamon (died 1107),

3185-495: The 18th century. Two prominent shipbuilders in Bideford were George Crocker and Richard Chapman: they built a large number of ships. A number of ships have been built in Bideford, including HMS Acorn , an 18-gun sloop launched in 1807; and HMS  Mutine , HMS  Fairy , HMS  Carnation and HMS Ontario , which were all 18-gun Cruizer -class brig-sloops , HMS  Garland and HMS  Volage were both 22-gun Royal Navy Laurel -class post ships, and HMS Meda ,

3276-617: The 1900 volume of the Transactions of the Devonshire Association . A further edition was published in 1810 by Edward Upham , Exeter and Longman and Hurst, Rees and Orme, London, printed for Rees and Curtis, Plymouth. It was inscribed to "The Right Hon. Hugh, Earl Fortescue , Viscount Ebrington and Baron Fortescue of Castle Hill , Lord-Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of the County of Devon" , whose "ancestors claim

3367-428: The 191 biographies, and he struggled to get it published because most publishers able to handle such a large book were based in London or Oxbridge . Funding was also a problem, as a scandal (see below) had temporarily deprived him of his living. The printer was forced to advertise for subscribers, while the book languished for four years. It was first published in 1701 under the title, Danmonii Orientales Illustres: or,

3458-543: The Barnstaple to Bideford route at £80 million. But in 2010 Devon County Council rejected proposals by Torridge District Council to consider reopening. 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

3549-526: The Bideford area declined during the 1890s as shipyards in Britain's industrial regions constructed steel steamships. The last wooden merchant ship launched in the River Torridge was the schooner PT Harris from the Hubbastone yard of PK Harris & Sons, in 1912. During World War II a Shoreham -class sloop was named HMS  Bideford , also four sixth-rate ships of the line have been named after

3640-622: The British areas under the mandate a low water crossing or watersplash had been known as the "Irish bridge" in reference to the Anglo–Irish war . The names of many towns and villages are derived from the word 'ford'. Examples include Oxford (a ford where oxen crossed the river: see the Coat of arms of Oxford ); Hertford , the county town of Hertfordshire (the ford where harts cross or "deer crossing"); Brantford , (the ford where Joseph Brant Forded The Grand River ); Ammanford (a ford on

3731-532: The Grenvilles of Bideford and Stowe were descended from a certain "Robert de Grenville" ( alias de Grainville, de Grainavilla, etc.) who was a junior witness to Richard's foundation charter of Neath Abbey, and who in the 1166 Cartae Baronum return was listed as holding one knight's fee from the Earl of Gloucester, feudal baron of Gloucester. Robert's familial relationship, if any, to Richard is unknown. A charter

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3822-620: The Pill was taken over by US forces as well. Because of the sheer number of American soldiers in the area by 1943 the American Red Cross opened a club near Chudleigh Fort in East-the-Water. Bideford had an Auxiliary Unit Patrol at Cleave Mine, the men of this patrol were expected to be the resistance if Britain was invaded. During the war 2700 evacuees were expected in Bideford; a large number of these came and stayed throughout

3913-769: The Pollyfield estate. 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 James Chudleigh during the English Civil War . The area is surrounded by agricultural land. Buried in the now abandoned and neglected East-the-Water Cemetery in adjacent plots are Victoria Cross recipients Gerald Graham and George Channer . Bideford Town Council, which

4004-540: The Reverend John Prince , which awakened interest in Prince. It was while serving as vicar of Berry Pomeroy that a scandal occurred. In April 1699, Prince arranged a meeting with a local woman, Mary Southcote, in the back room of an inn . Their dalliance was witnessed through a broken window, they were interrupted, and a court case followed later that year. However, despite many statements against him, Prince

4095-599: The Strand Cinema. In 1943 more Americans arrived as D-day training had begun at beaches across North Devon During the war Bideford Ordnance Experimental Station Depot O-617 was set up to experiment on waterproofing equipment for the D-day landings. The Americans' GI camp was at Bowden Green in Bideford, and had plenty of facilities, including a cinema. There was also a vehicle repair shop off the Kingsley Road, and

4186-487: The United States was named after the English town, using the original old English spelling. Also, the town of Bideford in the province of Prince Edward Island , Canada, is named after the English town, as is the small town of Bideford, New Zealand . Bideford Black is a unique pigment which was mined for 200 years up until 1969 in Bideford and the surrounding area. The deposits were formed 350 million years ago during

4277-607: The Worthies of Devon. A work, wherein the lives and fortunes of the most famous divines, statesmen, swordsmen, physicians, writers, and other eminent persons, natives of that most noble province from before the Norman Conquest, down to the present age, are memorised, in an alphabetical order out of the most approved authors, both in print and manuscript. In which an account is given, not only of divers very deserving persons, (many of which were never hitherto made publick) but of several antient and noble families; their seats and habitations;

4368-704: The ancient hundred of Merton in Devon. According to the account by the Continuator of Wace and others, in his youth Brictric declined the romantic advances of Matilda and his great fiefdom was thereupon seized by her. Whatever the truth of the matter, years later, when she was acting as regent in England for William the Conqueror, she used her authority to confiscate Brictric's lands and threw him into prison, where he died. The Exon Domesday notes that Bideford and nearby Littleham were held at fee farm from

4459-479: The ancient Crocker family seated at Lyneham House in the parish of Yealmpton , Devon. Lyneham was, after Hele the second earliest known home of the Crocker family, one of the most ancient in Devon according to the traditional rhyme quoted by Prince himself which he called "that old saw often used among us in discourse": Crocker, Cruwys, and Coplestone, When the Conqueror came were at home John Prince had

4550-647: The area around Bideford near Northam or near Kenwith Castle, and was repelled either by Alfred the Great (849–899) or by the Saxon Earl of Devon . The manor of Bideford was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as held at some time in chief from William the Conqueror by the great Saxon nobleman Brictric , but later held by the king's wife Matilda of Flanders (c. 1031–1083). There were then 30 villagers, 8 smallholders and 14 slaves in Bideford, within

4641-492: The area located east of the river is known as East-the-Water and also spelled East the Water without hyphens. Much of the land that has been built on in recent years is drained marshland . East-the-Water has its own primary school, local shops, a few factories, approximately 3 bars and pubs, a small health centre and a small industrial area consisting largely of locally owned businesses. It is mainly public housing , especially on

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4732-479: The boat-building industry. Bideford Black was processed as a paint and a dye up until the mining stopped. A number of artists (mainly local artists) used these Bideford Black paints and oils in their works. The Bideford Black Mining Company produced Biddiblack powder at a processing plant in Chapel Park, East-the-Water. Some of the miners' houses were situated at Springfield Terrace, East-the-Water. The mining of

4823-468: The bridge. By the 16th century Bideford had become Britain's third largest port. Sir Walter Raleigh landed his first shipment of tobacco here, although, contrary to popular belief, he was not the first to import tobacco to England. Several local roads and a hill have been named after Raleigh. Bideford was heavily involved in the transport of indentured servants to the New World colonies. Bideford also

4914-427: The captain of the Revenge , was born in the manor house in Bideford, formerly situated on the site of numbers 1–3 Bridge Street. He built himself a new mansion on the quayside in 1585. The family had another seat at Stow House , Kilkhampton , near Bude in Cornwall. Grenville played a major role in the transformation of the small fishing port of Bideford in North Devon into what became a significant trading port with

5005-413: The distance they bear to the next great towns; their coats of arms fairly cut; with other things, no less profitable, than pleasant and delightful. The Dumnonii , Danmonii or Dumnones were a British Celtic tribe which inhabited Dumnonia , the peninsula now containing in its west the county of Cornwall and in its east Devon . Prince's Latin title signifies "Illustrious Eastern Dumnonii". It

5096-405: The enemy at any crossing point. Therefore, a ford was often a strategic military point with many famous battles fought at or near fords: John Prince (biographer) Rev. John Prince (1643–1723), vicar of Totnes and Berry Pomeroy in Devon, England, was a biographer. He is best known for his Worthies of Devon , a series of biographies of Devon-born notables covering the period before

5187-423: The expense of the trust funds. The people won the court case, although it is unclear whether the trustees were forced to resign after the scandal, or whatever else happened to them. In 1790 the bridge was the longest in Devon. In the 1820s there was talk of converting the bridge so that it could be raised and lowered to allow larger boats and ships to pass under it. In 1886 a Ship called 'Edward Birkbeck' launched from

5278-444: The expulsion of French Protestants from France a considerable number of them immigrated to Bideford, and they brought a lot of new trades to the town, including silk weaving. In the 16th century the merchant and ship owner John Strange was born in the town. When he was in his youth, he fell from a cliff yet did not suffer any injury, then later on in his life someone fired an arrow at his forehead, but it did not penetrate his skull, and

5369-484: The father of Sir John Drake, 1st Baronet (died 1669), whose sister was Elizabeth Drake, mother of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (1650–1722). Sir John Drake, 1st Baronet (died 1669) was John Prince's godfather, and one of Prince's Worthies was Sir Bernard Drake (died 1586) of Ash, son of John Drake (died 1558). He was educated at Brasenose College , Oxford , and became curate of Bideford . He then became minister of St. Martin's Church in Exeter . He

5460-457: The first Norman feudal baron of Gloucester and Lord of Glamorgan from 1075. He obtained from FitzHamon the lordship of Neath , Glamorgan, where he built Neath Castle and in 1129 founded Neath Abbey . Richard de Grenville was one of three (or four) known sons of Hamo Dapifer (died around 1100) Sheriff of Kent , an Anglo-Norman royal official under both King William the Conqueror (1066–1087) and his son King William Rufus (1087–1100). He

5551-426: The income is distributed to 10 deserving people, for each trustee. Ford (crossing) A ford is a shallow place with good footing where a river or stream may be crossed by wading, or inside a vehicle getting its wheels wet. A ford may occur naturally or be constructed. Fords may be impassable during high water. A low-water crossing is a low bridge that allows crossing over a river or stream when water

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5642-637: The king by Gotshelm, a Devonshire tenant-in-chief of 28 manors and brother of Walter de Claville . Gotshelm's 28 manors descended to the Honour of Gloucester , as did most of Brictric's. After the death of Matilda in 1083, Brictric's lands were granted by her eldest son King William Rufus (1087–1100) to Robert FitzHamon (died 1107), the conqueror of Glamorgan , whose daughter and sole heiress Maud (or Mabel) FitzHamon brought them to her husband Robert de Caen, 1st Earl of Gloucester (pre-1100 – 1147), an illegitimate son of Matilda's younger son King Henry I (reigned 1100–1135). Thus Brictric's fiefdom became

5733-489: The line ran along the quay at Bideford. The line had eleven halts which largely served visitors wishing to enjoy the scenery along the coast or the beaches around Westward Ho!. The railway, although authorised in 1896, was opened only as far as Northam by 1901, and finally reached Appledore in 1908. The railway fell into financial difficulties and in the First World War , the War Department requisitioned all of its equipment for use in France. Bideford's 13th-century Long Bridge

5824-498: The manor of Bideford, which was later one of the principal seats of the West Country Grenville family. It was however certainly one of the constituent manors of the Honour of Gloucester granted by King William Rufus to Robert FitzHamon." Richard de Grenville is known to have held seven knight's fees from the Honour of Gloucester, granted to him either by his brother FitzHamon or by the latter's son-in-law and heir Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester (1100–1147). Round supposes instead that

5915-442: The new American colonies, later specialising in tobacco importation. In 1575 he created the Port of Bideford. Grenville was never elected as Mayor of Bideford, preferring instead to support John Salterne in that role, but he was Lord of the Manor, a title held by the Grenvilles since 1126 and finally ceded by his descendants in 1711 to the Town Council he established. On his return from Roanoke Colony Grenville's ship Tiger captured

6006-409: The only lasting damage was a scar. Once a malicious person tried to throw him over the Long Bridge, the walls of the bridge being very low, but was unexpectedly and luckily interrupted. The Bideford witch trial in 1682 involved three women, Temperance Lloyd, Mary Trembles and Susannah Edwards, accused of witchcraft and which resulted in one of the last hangings for witchcraft in England. In 1816

6097-434: The pigment became unviable when other blacks went into large, cheap commercial production. Bideford Black has also been known as "The Mother of Coal"; there are still a number of places where evidence of the mine can be seen, like old mine entrances just off the Barnstaple road. A number of roads are named after the mining in the town, including Mines Road, Pitt Lane, Biddiblack Way and other roads. Recently some Bideford Black

6188-399: The police asked for ladders and scaffolding to be removed from the bridge to prevent potential invaders climbing up and capturing the bridge. During the war the Home Guard patrolled the bridge. The Bideford Bridge Trust held responsibility for the long bridge right up until the year 1968 when one of the arches of the bridge collapsed. The Department of Transport then took over the bridge. During

6279-446: The population at 17,107, its highest ever. Between 2011 and 2026 Bideford's population is expected to rise by 9,689 people. The birth rate in Bideford is 60.2 out of 1000 women, compared with the 52.8 per 1000 women which is the average for Devon. Life expectancy in Bideford is 80.7 years, that is 0.9 years less than the average for Devon. Bideford has the highest rate of youth offending in Devon at 21.5 in 1000 people, compared with 13.2 in

6370-442: The rebuilding of that damaged part of the bridge a crane toppled over, and a man was killed. An inspection by Devon County Council in July 2007 revealed problems with the bridge's concrete and structure, so in September 2008 work began on putting in the cathodic protection system which restored the bridge for another 60 years. A sight which many holiday-makers and locals enjoy is seeing the starlings at dusk, as they roost underneath

6461-429: The river. It is thought that after being rescued in the Bristol Channel, some German airman were brought ashore at Bideford, where they were taken to Bideford Hospital. There was also a POW camp at Handy Cross. It has been discovered that the Nazis had a map of Bideford in readiness for a possible invasion, also that the Nazis had an aerial picture of the area for intelligence purposes. The original Long Bridge spanning

6552-465: The summer Bideford can experience wet and unsettled weather off the Atlantic but also can be one of the warmest places in Devon when warm continental air masses move up off the continent and in 2022 a short heatwave around 17–18 July produced record warmth with temperatures pushing 35c and overnight lows in the high teens. The town of Bideford has grown to cover land on both sides of the River Torridge;

6643-483: The town. Nowadays the only shipbuilding in the area is at Appledore Shipbuilders , which has built civilian ships and ships for the Royal Navy and Irish Naval Service . Currently ball clay is exported from Bideford to Castellón , Spain and also Naantali , Finland ; also wood has been exported to Wismar , Germany. The Kathleen and May , the last remaining British-built wooden-hull three-masted topsail schooner,

6734-466: The two forts, the town fell. In 1646, 229 people in the town were killed by the plague. It was suggested that a Spanish vessel laden with wool which docked at the quay may have brought this plague to Bideford, and that it was children playing with the wool who first got infected with the plague. Victims were buried from 8 June 1646 to 18 January the next year. After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes and

6825-519: The war. During World War II a bomb was dropped on a house in Bowden Green and caused substantial damage. Also during the war an RCAF bomber crashed in East the Water; three men were killed and one badly injured. A memorial has been put on the Tarka Trail to commemorate this. It is also thought that during the war there was an experimental Royal Navy unit testing a secret petrol pipeline in

6916-432: The water is shallow enough, but the material on the riverbed will not support heavy vehicles, fords are sometimes improved by building a submerged concrete floor. In such cases, a curb (kerb) is often placed on the downstream side to prevent vehicles from slipping off, as the growth of algae will often make the slab very slippery. Fords may be also equipped with a post indicating the water depth, so that users may know if

7007-615: The water is too deep to attempt to cross. Some have an adjacent footbridge so that pedestrians may cross dryshod. Fords were sometimes the only way to cross, such as at the Milkhouse at Rock Creek in Washington, DC, but the regular use of this ford has been superseded by bridges. The crossing remained for "adventurous" drivers until 1996 when the National Park Service closed the ford to cars. A road running below

7098-459: The water level of a stream or river is often known as a "watersplash". It is a common name for a ford or stretch of wet road in some areas, and is sometimes also used to describe tidal crossings. They have become a common feature in rallying courses. Some enthusiasts seek out and drive through these water features, recording details (such as wave created, position, and access) on dedicated websites. There are many old fords known as watersplashes in

7189-531: The water makes them impassable. According to The AA , many flood-related vehicle breakdowns are at fords. In New Zealand , fords are a normal part of roads, including, until 2010, along State Highway 1 on the South Island 's east coast. In dry weather, drivers become aware of a ford by crunching across outwash detritus on the roadway. A Bailey bridge may be built off the mainline of the road to carry emergency traffic during high water. At places where

7280-562: The world gather on the quay for revelries and a fireworks display . The event normally includes a number of local musical acts performing on the X Radio One Roadshow stage. Andrew's Dole is a custom dating from 1605. In that year, the Mayor of Bideford, Andrew Dole, established a trust to provide for loaves of bread to be distributed to poor, elderly, persons who applied at the Mayor's Parlour. The custom continues to this day and takes place on New Year's Day . He also left some land to trustees and

7371-500: Was baptised at Saint Mary's Church on 27 March 1588, but died from influenza during his residence in Grenville's house on 2 April 1589. His interment was at the same church five days later. Sir Richard Grenville's great-grandson, Sir John Granville, helped restore Charles II to the throne, and in 1661 Charles made Sir John Granville Baron Granville of Bideford and Earl of Bath . During the English Civil War , Bideford stood with

7462-526: Was allowed to keep his post (from which he had been suspended), as the main witnesses were deemed to be unreliable. He returned to Berry Pomeroy and lived out his years as vicar. A plaque in St Mary's Church in Totnes states that he was well connected, and it is possible that the trial was set up by his enemies. The records of the trial were hitherto unpublished, partly due to the coarse language used by some of

7553-624: Was classed as one of the most deprived areas in the Torridge area. In November 2008 1.95% of the population claimed job-seekers allowance. Domestic violence rates are 2.6% higher than the Devon average, alcohol-related crime is 0.4% higher than the Devon average, and drugs-related crime is the same as the Devon average. Bideford is served by the A39 Atlantic Highway and A386 roads. A ferry operates between Bideford quay and Lundy Island , approximately 22 miles (35 km) away in

7644-653: Was exchanged, by locals, for some pigments provided by Australian Aboriginal Elder Noel Butler. Noel Butler's nephew has used the Bideford Black to paint his body for Aboriginal ceremonial events in Australia. The Heritage lottery fund has given a grant of £8700 to the Burton Art Gallery to fund research into Bideford Black. In October 2013 a display about Bideford Black was presented at Bideford's Burton Art Gallery. In 2011 government statistics recorded

7735-622: Was granted in 1272 to Richard V de Grenville by King Henry III , which created the town's first council. In ancient records Bideford was recorded as a borough ; but it only returned members to Parliament during the reigns of Edward I (1272–1307) and Edward II (1307–1327). The Grenville family were for many centuries lords of the manor of Bideford and played a major role in the town's development. The monument with an effigy of Sir Thomas Grenville (died 1513) exists in St Mary's Church . His great-great-grandson Sir Richard Grenville (1542–1591),

7826-537: Was heavily involved in the Newfoundland cod trade from the 16th century to the mid-18th century. 28 Bideford vessels with a tonnage of 3860 were involved in this practice in the year 1700. In the years 1706, 1707, 1726 and 1758 fishermen of Bideford sent petitions demanding the building of a fort in Newfoundland to protect them from Native Americans and the French. Bideford also imported large amounts of Irish wool in

7917-529: 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! , the only town in the United Kingdom which officially contains an exclamation mark in its name, is approximately three miles (5 km) from Bideford. A statue was erected in honour of Kingsley near the car park of Victoria Park . The city of Biddeford, Maine , in

8008-425: Was owned by Dr E.J. Toye, the car being a 4-1/2 hp Benz. In 1942 American GIs arrived in Bideford. At first they were there to work in radar stations across North Devon and work on experimental things. More American troops began to arrive as the war progressed. Experiments nearby, including The Great Panjandrum , were said to be viewed in the area in secret by Dwight D. Eisenhower and Sir Winston Churchill at

8099-480: Was previously connected to the national rail network, but the connection was lost in 1982 (by then a freight branch, which was still operating due to the mining of ball clay traffic from Meeth Quarry) with the closure of the line from Barnstaple to Torrington and Meeth Quarry. Passenger services were closed in 1965 following the publication of the Beeching Report . The station still exists at East-the-Water and

8190-593: Was temporarily converted into a railway bridge to carry the locomotives and rolling stock onto the main line railway near Bideford Station. Bideford has a wet but mild climate; during the winter Bideford experiences a lot of changeable weather conditions, mild cloudy/ drizzly weather off the Atlantic with daytime temperatures typically 11/12c and mild nights in high single figures, alternating with clear periods which can allow for frosty nights and early mornings with temperatures-2/-4c and maybe only 4-5c by day: Bideford also gets some snow but it rarely settles for long. During

8281-576: Was vicar of St Mary's Church, Totnes from 1675 until 1681, when, at the invitation of the Duke of Somerset, he was made vicar of St Mary's Church, Berry Pomeroy , a post he held for over forty years. Here he seems to have authorised much building work, as the church and vicarage have several period features. While at Berry Pomeroy, Prince worked on his magnum opus : a biography of his home county's many notable figures, which he probably finished in 1697. The book ran to 600 pages, with woodcuts to illustrate

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