Bideford: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
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GBP 75 - 109 The Royal Hotel
 This historic hotel has first-class food, friendly service and a great location for North Devon´s sights, including Clovelly village and the pic… MoreGBP 69 - 79 The Pines At Eastleigh
 The Pines at Eastleigh is an award-winning Georgian country house, set in 7 hilltop acres with views over open countryside. It has a large garden and … MoreGBP 49 - 1,301 The Hoops Inn & Country Hotel
 If you are seeking the authentic flavour of the West Country then look no further. This picture-book Thatched Inn is nestled in some of Englands most … MoreGBP 35 - 60 Tantons Hotel
 In the centre of historic Bideford, next to the town centre, the historical, Grade II listed Tantons Hotels sits on the riverfront, opposite the ancie… MoreGBP 45 - 160 Durrant House Hotel
 This 4-star hotel is on the outskirts of the historic port of Bideford and has views over the Torridge estuary. It has free Wi-Fi, free parking, a sau… More | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bideford: Guide
Bideford is a small port town on estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, South West England|south-west England. It is the main town of the Torridge Districts of England|local government district.
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 is rumoured that Sir Walter Raleigh landed his first shipment of tobacco there. Today the narrow town centre streets lead down to a tree-lined quay, which bustles with fishing Ship|vessels, cargo and pleasure boats.
This area of North Devon was home to the author Charles Kingsley, and is where he based his novel Westward Ho! (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.
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 A39 road|A39 and A386 trunk 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 Buses. Many services are subsidised by Devon County Council.
Railways
In 1855 the Bideford Extension Rail Transport|Railway opened, linking the town with Fremington, Devon|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 SEMG.org 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 (UK)|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 StationStuckey, Douglas (1962). The Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway 1901-1917. Pub. West Country Publications..
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 (or Shamwickshire). 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 agricultural land.
Sport and Recreation
Bideford has two List of King George V Playing Fields (Devon)|King George's Fields, which are memorials to George V of the United Kingdom|King George V. One field is used primarily as the home ground of the main local rugby union club, Bideford RFC. 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 and villages gather on the quay for revelries and a fireworks display.
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
Bideford witch trial|Temperance Lloyd, Mary Trembles and Susanna Edwards of the town were the last people to be hanged for witchcraft in England.
Twinning
The town is Twin towns|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 1980's during the 400th anniversary of Walter Raleigh’s voyages to America
Gallery
Image:Bideford-Devon.jpg|A view of Bideford and the long bridge
Image:Bideford Quay (Geograph).jpg|Bideford Quay
Image:MS Oldenburg - Bideford (2006-03-04).JPG|The Lundy ferry, MS Oldenburg, at Bideford
Image:Kingsley and Wonky Conker - Bideford (2006-03-04).jpg|A statue of Charles Kingsley, next to the "Wonky Conker" tree with its "helping hand"
Image:Pannier Market - Bideford (2006-03-04).jpg|The Pannier Market
Image:Torridge Bridge - Bideford (2006-03-04).jpg|A view of Torridge Bridge from the Quay
Image:Port monument - Bideford (2006-03-04).jpg|Port of Bideford Monument
Image:Bideford-signalbox.jpg|A replica of the original signal box at Bideford's former railway station
References
See also
Bideford A.F.C. - the main local Football (soccer) club
List of King George V Playing Fields (Devon)
External links
(Football (soccer))
(Rugby Union)
This "Travel Guide" section is drawn from the Wikipedia article "Bideford". We hope you will edit and improve it. It is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.