Wadebridge
| Wadebridge | |
| Cornwall | |
|---|---|
 The Platt, Wadebridge | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SW990725 |
| Location: | 50°31’5"N, 4°53’6"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 6,351 (2001) |
| Post town: | Wadebridge |
| Postcode: | PL27 |
| Dialling code: | 01208 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Cornwall |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
North Cornwall |
Wadebridge is a little town in northern Cornwall which straddles the River Camel, 5 miles upstream of Padstow. It has long been a busy town on the main road through north Cornwall, borne over the river at this point since 1486. The A39 as the route is now known, has bypassed Wadebridge since 1991, to the relief of residents.
The main shopping street in Wadebridge is Molesworth Street, a pedestrianized road.
History
The initial settlement of Wade (the name of Wadebridge before the bridge was built)[1] came about due to a ford in the River Camel. The early crossing had two chapels either side of the river "Kings" chapel on the north side and "St Michael's" on the south side; travellers would pray for a safe crossing at one of the chapels before wading across at low tide, once they had made it the other side they would give thanks to God in the other chapel.
In 1312 a licence was granted for Wade to commence with a market. The Reverend Thomas Lovibond (the vicar of Egloshayle) started to become distressed at the number of men and beasts that had died during the crossing of the River Camel so he planned the building of a bridge which was completed in 1468. Wade was now known as Wadebridge.
The bridge was to become a strategic position in the Civil War as in 1646 Oliver Cromwell himself came with 500 Dragoons and 1000 horsemen to take the bridge.[2]
A serious outbreak of typhoid in 1897 caused by contamination of drinking water led to Wadebridge having its own town council as decisive action had to be taken for proper water supplies and disposal of sewage effluent.
The Old Bridge
When the bridge was first completed tolls used to be paid for the maintenance of the bridge. In 1853, the bridge was widened from 10 feet to 16 feet. In 1963 a second widening took place which took the bridge to 40 feet wide. More recently in 1994 the bridge underwent a refurbishment to change the stone in the pavement and to create a cycle track along the length of the bridge.
Challenge Bridge
A footbridge called Challenge Bridge links the Egloshayle playing fields to the Jubilee fields on the other side of the river. The bridge was constructed by Anneka Rice and her team for the TV series "Challenge Anneka". Locally, the bridge is known as Anneka's Bridge.
Eddystone Road
In 1882 cracks started to appear in the rock on which the Eddystone Lighthouse was positioned. Therefore, a new lighthouse had to be built. Granite was quarried from De Lank quarry and brought down to Wadebridge. The stonemasons in Wadebridge dovetailed each segment of stone not only to each other but also to the course above and below. As each layer had been completed and checked to fit with the layer above it was sent out to the Eddystone Rocks from Wadebridge by sea. The Lighthouse was completed in 1882. The road where the masons worked was given the name "Eddystone Road".
History of the railway
The Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway from Wadebridge to Wenfordbridge with a branch line to Bodmin was intended to carry sand from the Camel estuary to inland farms for use as fertiliser. The line was opened on 30 September 1834 and the locomotive "Camel" pulled a train load of 400 passengers (one of the first railways in Britain to carry passengers). When the company ordered its second locomotive it came with a name plate already affixed. It had been named the Elephant as the makers had failed to realise that the first engine had been named after the river and not an animal.
The station was closed in 1967 as part of the Beeching Axe and the route of the railway has been transformed into the Camel Trail in part, while the Bodmin and Wenford Railway heritage railway runs on part of the route.
The Royal Cornwall Agricultural Show
The Royal Cornwall Agricultural Show began in 1793 at Bodmin and then every year in East and West Cornwall alternately. In 1960 the show came to its present site, the Royal Cornwall Showground which is run by the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association a mile and a half west of Wadebridge. The showground itself is used for many different functions from Scout Jamborees to point to point horse racing.
Sport
The Camel estuary offers a wide range of water sports, including sailing, water skiing, windsurfing, surfing and kite surfing. Golf courses close by include Trevose and Saint Enodoc and St Kew.
Wadebridge has a which has a varied programme of sports and leisure pursuits including Cornish wrestling.
- Archery: Bowmen of Wadebridge
- Bowls: Wadebridge Bowls Club
- Cricket: Wadebridge Cricket Club
- Football:
- Wadebridge Town FC
- Wadebridge Camels
- Swimming: Wadebridge Swimming Club, at Wadebridge leisure centre
- Tennis: Wadebridge Tennis Club
Annual events
- Royal Cornwall Agricultural Show — June
- Cornwall Folk Festival — August Bank Holiday
- Eglos Craft Fayre at Egloshayle Church - August
- Wadebridge Carnival - July
- Prime Stock Show — November
- Garden Produce Association and Chrysanthemum Show — November
Outside links
References
- ↑ Mills, A. D. (1996). The Popular Dictionary of English Place-Names. Parragon Book Service Ltd and Magpie Books. p. 342. ISBN 0-7525-1851-8.
- ↑ Wadebridge
Bibliography
- Tuthill, Peter (2004) A Brief History of Wadebridge
- History of Wadebridge Town and Police; by Peter Tuthill