Bideford long bridge at low tide in North Devon
The River Torridge is spanned at Bideford by the 13th century Long Bridge, which has 24 arches all of different sizes. The traditional explanation is that each arch was funded by a different guild, although there are no records to confirm this. Another theory is that the arches of the bridge were built over large stones in the river with each stone being one support of the arch. A New Year's Eve tradition was to try to run across the Long Bridge in the time it takes for the bells at nearby St. Mary's church to chime midnight. 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 3 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 James Chudleigh during the English Civil War. The area is surrounded by agricultural land.
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Photo credit: © Trevor Boston / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: beaches, bideford, british, devon, holiday, north, river, seaside, torridge, uk
