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92.40.255.72 (talk) Undid revision 553619803 by Smalljim (talk) Verifiably illustrates the current state of Wadebridge, its inhabitants and politics. |
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* [[Michael White (journalist)|Michael White]] - journalist, Associate Editor and former Political Editor of ''The Guardian''<ref>{{cite news| url=http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/02/michael_whites_political_blog_55.html | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=Michael White's political blog: February 7 | date=2008-02-07 | accessdate=2010-05-27}}</ref> |
* [[Michael White (journalist)|Michael White]] - journalist, Associate Editor and former Political Editor of ''The Guardian''<ref>{{cite news| url=http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/02/michael_whites_political_blog_55.html | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=Michael White's political blog: February 7 | date=2008-02-07 | accessdate=2010-05-27}}</ref> |
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* [[Keren Woodward]] – pop singer and songwriter from the girl band [[Bananarama]]. |
* [[Keren Woodward]] – pop singer and songwriter from the girl band [[Bananarama]]. |
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* [[Colin Brewer]] - Councillor for Wadebridge East, who's main claim to fame is stating that ''disabled children should be put down''. <ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/05/03/colin-brewer-cornwall-councillor-disabled-children-_n_3208396.html | work=Huffington Post May 3rd 2013| date=2013-05/-03 | title=Cornwall Councillor Colin Brewer Who Said 'Disabled Children Should Be Put Down' Wins Seat}}</ref> |
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== Town twinning == |
== Town twinning == |
Revision as of 19:05, 8 May 2013
Wadebridge
| |
---|---|
The Platt in Wadebridge looking at the Clock Tower | |
Population | 6,351 (2001) |
OS grid reference | SW990725 |
Civil parish |
|
Unitary authority | |
Ceremonial county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | WADEBRIDGE |
Postcode district | PL27 |
Dialling code | 01208 |
Police | Devon and Cornwall |
Fire | Cornwall |
Ambulance | South Western |
UK Parliament | |
Wadebridge (Cornish: Ponswad[1]) is a civil parish and town in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town straddles the River Camel 5 miles (8.0 km) upstream from Padstow.[2]
For many years Wadebridge was a traffic-congested town (through which the route of the A39 trunk road passed) but in 1991 the Wadebridge bypass was opened together with the Egloshayle bypass causing the two settlements to regain much of their former charm. The main shopping street in Wadebridge (Molesworth Street) has subsequently become pedestrianized through an inner link road, allowing traffic free shopping. The permanent population is 6222 (Census 2001). The main offices of the former North Cornwall District Council were at Trenant Road, Wadebridge.
In April 2013 Wadebridge was short-listed as one of Britain's top eco-towns.[3]
History
The initial settlement of Wade (the name of Wadebridge before the bridge was built)[4] came about due to a ford in the River Camel (Camel probably meaning "crooked one"[5]). 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. People 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 humans and animals 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 English Civil War as in 1646 Oliver Cromwell himself came with 500 Dragoons and 1000 horsemen to take the bridge.[6]
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.
History of the 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 3 to 5 metres (9.8 to 16.4 ft). Then in 1963 a second widening took place which took the bridge from 5 to 12 metres (16 to 39 ft). 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. The bridge's real name is the Bailey 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. This resulted in the road where the masons worked being called Eddystone Road.
History of the railway
The Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway from Wadebridge to Wenfordbridge with a branch line to Bodmin was built at a cost of £35,000 following a study commissioned in 1831 by a local landowner and revolutionary parliamentarian Sir William Molesworth of Pencarrow. The line was intended to carry sand from the Camel estuary to inland farms for use as fertiliser. The line was opened on 30 September 1834 with the locomotive “Camel” pulling 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 last passenger train left Wadebridge railway station in 1967 following railway cut backs. The railway has been transformed into the Camel trail, and 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 and situated 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of Wadebridge. The showground itself is used for many different functions from Scout Jamborees to point to point horse racing.
Historical timeline
- 1312 — Licence granted for Wade to hold a market.
- 1460 — Reverend Thomas Lovibond commenced building the bridge.
- 1646 — Oliver Cromwell and his men descended onto Wadebridge to take control of the bridge.
- 1793 — A shipping canal from Wadebridge to Fowey was surveyed.
- 1834 — The Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway took its first passengers.
- 1845 — The Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway became part of the London and South Western Railway
- 1852 — The Bridge was widened from 3 m to 5 m.
- 1882 — Work began on replacing the Eddystone lighthouse.
- 1888 — The Town Hall (then known as the Molesworth Hall) was completed.
- 1888 — The Bodmin and Wadebridge railway was connected to the Great Western Railway.
- 1894 — Wadebridge Town Football Club was founded.
- 1895 — The London and South Western Railway, reached Wadebridge from Halwill Junction and Launceston.
- 1897 — A serious outbreak of typhoid in the town led to better water supplies.
- 1899 — The Bodmin and Wadebridge railway was extended to Padstow.
- 1930 — The Cinedrome (now the Regal) opened to its first customers.
- 1955 — Wadebridge Camels RFC was founded.
- 1960 — Wadebridge was chosen as the permanent site of the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Show.
- 1963 — The Bridge was widened from 5m to 12m.
- 1967 — The railway line was closed to passengers.
- 1991 — The Challenge Bridge was completed.
- 1993 — The Wadebridge Bypass was completed.
Politics and administration
Wadebridge is in the constituency of North Cornwall which is currently held by the Liberal Democrat Dan Rogerson.
Education
Wadebridge has two primary schools which have academy status, Wadebridge Primary School and St. Breock Primary School. Wadebridge has just one Secondary School (Wadebridge School) which has a sixth form.
Health care
There has been a group practice in Wadebridge since the early 20th century. Many of the early doctors had their surgeries operating from their homes. Today there are two health care practices in Wadebridge: the Wadebridge and Camel Estuary Practice and the Bridge Medical Centre.
Media
The Cornish Guardian is a weekly newspaper: it is published in 7 separate editions, including the Wadebridge edition.
Sports
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 leisure centre which has a varied programme of sports and leisure pursuits including Cornish wrestling.
Sports clubs
Wadebridge is home to a number of sporting clubs including Wadebridge Town Football Club who play their home games at Bodieve park; and Wadebridge Camels, who play their home games at the Molesworth Field in Egloshayle.
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
Notable former and present residents
- Olly Barkley – current England rugby union international player
- Michaela Breeze – Commonwealth weightlifting champion
- Sir Goldsworthy Gurney – surgeon based in Wadebridge from 1814 who invented the Bude-Light. A street in Wadebridge has subsequently been named after him (Goldsworthy Way)
- Francis Hurdon – prominent figure in Canadian politics.
- Andrew Ridgeley – member of the pop music duo, Wham!
- Sgt Steven Roberts – the first solder to die in the invasion of Iraq
- Jethro - (Geoffrey Rowe) a comedian who formerly lived in Wadebridge for many years
- Annie Vernon – 2007 World Rowing Champion Women's Quad Sculls
- Michael White - journalist, Associate Editor and former Political Editor of The Guardian[7]
- Keren Woodward – pop singer and songwriter from the girl band Bananarama.
- Colin Brewer - Councillor for Wadebridge East, who's main claim to fame is stating that disabled children should be put down. [8]
Town twinning
Wadebridge is twinned with Langueux (Langaeg) in Brittany, France.[9]
References
- ^ http://www.magakernow.org.uk/idoc.ashx?docid=f3fabe0c-206f-4e0c-8889-4ce4a5060e5b&version=-1
- ^ Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 200 Newquay & Bodmin ISBN 978-0-319-22938-5
- ^ "Wadebridge short-listed as top eco-towns | West Country (W) - ITV News". itv.com. 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Mills, A. D. (1996). The Popular Dictionary of English Place-Names. Parragon Book Service Ltd and Magpie Books. p. 65. ISBN 0-7525-1851-8.
- ^ Wadebridge
- ^ "Michael White's political blog: February 7". The Guardian. London. 2008-02-07. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
- ^ "Cornwall Councillor Colin Brewer Who Said 'Disabled Children Should Be Put Down' Wins Seat". Huffington Post May 3rd 2013. 2013-05/-03.
{{cite news}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^ "Twinning". Retrieved 2009-05-25.
Bibliography
- Tuthill, Peter (2004) A Brief History of Wadebridge
- History of Wadebridge Town and Police; by Peter Tuthill