BIDEFORD

Bideford is a very attractive town, situated on the slopes dropping down to the west bank of the Torridge. It maintains a maritime feel, the quay usually being a bustle often with boats alongside, including the passenger ferry to Lundy. Lots to see and do – an attractive coastal town.

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 rumored 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. Ball clay is the principal export loaded onto boats at Bideford. The quay was refurbished, with completion in 2006, to provide flood defense and also to incorporate a large fountain and modern public toilets.

The Bideford witch trial in 1682 involved three women,Temperance Lloyd, Mary Trembles and Susannah Edwards, accused of witchcraft and resulted in the last ever hangings for witchcraft in England.

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 three miles (5 km) from Bideford. A statue has been erected in honour of Kingsley by the town park's car park.

The city of Biddeford, Maine, USA, 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.

GOOGLE STREET VIEW

ENTERING BIDEFORD FROM THE ANCIENT BRIDGE

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