| Bridgwater | |
|---|---|
 .jpg)   .jpg) From the top to bottom-right,Corn Exchange,Church of St Mary andstatue of Robert Blake,Bridgwater War Memorial,The Port,Somerset Brick and Tile Museum,Bridgwater Town Hall | |
  Bridgwater Location withinSomerset | |
| Population | 41,276 [1] |
| OS grid reference | ST305370 |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BRIDGWATER |
| Postcode district | TA5, TA6, TA7 |
| Dialling code | 01278 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
| Councillors |
|
| 51°07′41″N2°59′35″W / 51.128°N 2.993°W /51.128; -2.993 | |
Bridgwater is a historicmarket town andcivil parish inSomerset, England. The town had a population of 41,276 at the 2021 census.[1] Bridgwater is at the edge of theSomerset Levels, in level and well-wooded country. The town lies along both sides of theRiver Parrett; it has been a major inland port and trading centre since the industrial revolution. Most of its industrial bases still stand today. Its larger neighbour,Taunton, is linked to Bridgwater via a canal, the M5 motorway and theGWR railway line.
Historically, the town had a politically radical tendency. TheBattle of Sedgemoor, where theMonmouth Rebellion was finally crushed in 1685, was fought nearby. Notable buildings include theChurch of St Mary andBlake Museum, which is a largely restored house in Blake Street and was the birthplace ofAdmiral Blake in 1598. The town has an arts centre and plays host to the annualBridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival.
It is thought that the town was originally called Brigg, meaningquay. It has been argued that the name may instead come from theOld Englishbrycg (gang plank) orOld Norsebryggja (quay), though this idea has been opposed on etymological grounds.[3] In theDomesday Book the town is listed as Brugie, while Brugia was also used. After theNorman invasion the land was given toWalter of Douai,[4] hence becoming known variously as Burgh-Walter, Brugg-Walter and Brigg-Walter, eventually corrupted to Bridgwater. An alternative version is that it derives from "Bridge of Walter" (i.e. Walter's Bridge).[5][6][7]
Bridgwater is mentioned both in theDomesday Book and in the earlierAnglo-Saxon Chronicle dating from around 800, owing its origin as a trade centre to its position at the mouth of the chief river in Somerset. It was formerly part of theHundred of North Petherton.[8] In a legend ofAlfred the Great, he burnt some cakes while hiding in the marshes ofAthelney near Bridgwater, after theDanish invasion in 875, while in 878 the major engagement of theBattle of Cynwit may have been at nearbyCannington.[9]
William Briwere was granted thelordship of theManor of Bridgwater byKing John in 1201,[6] and foundedBridgwater Friary.[10] Through Briwere's influence, King John granted three charters in 1200; for the construction of Bridgwater Castle, for the creation of aborough, and for a market.[3][11]Bridgwater Castle was a substantial structure built inOld Red Sandstone, covering a site of 8 or 9 acres (32,000 to 36,000 m2). A tidalmoat, up to 65 feet (20 m) wide in places, flowed about along the line of the modern thoroughfares of Fore Street and Castle Moat, and between Northgate and Chandos Street. The main entrance opposite the Cornhill was built with a pair of adjacent gates anddrawbridges. In addition to akeep, located at the south-east corner of what is now King Square, documents show that the complex included adungeon, chapel, stables and abell tower. Built on the only raised ground in the town, the castle controlled the crossing of the town bridge. A 12 feet (4 m) thick portion of the castle wall and water gate can still be seen on West Quay, and the remains of a wall of a building that was probably built within the castle can be viewed in Queen Street. The foundations of the tower forming the north-east corner of the castle are buried beneath Homecastle House.[12] William Briwere also founded St John'shospital[13] which, by the time of theDissolution of the Monasteries underHenry VIII, was worth the substantial sum of almost 121pounds,[14] as well as starting the construction of the town's first stone bridge. William Briwere also went on to found theFranciscanBridgwater Friary in the town.[15]
During the 13th centurySecond Barons' War againstHenry III, Bridgwater was held by thebarons against the King. Other charters were granted by Henry III in 1227 (confirmed in 1318, 1370, 1380), which gave Bridgwater a guild merchant which was important for the regulation of trade, allowing guild members to trade freely in the town, and to impose payments and restrictions upon others.[6] Bridgwater's peasants under Nicholas Frampton took part in thePeasants' Revolt of 1381,[16] sackingSydenham House, murdering the local tax collectors and destroying the records.[17]
Bridgwater was incorporated by charter ofEdward IV (1468),[3] confirmed in 1554, 1586, 1629 and 1684. Parliamentary representation as aborough constituency began in 1295 and continued until 1870, when the original borough constituency was disenfranchised for corruption;[18] from 4 July 1870 the town was incorporated within thecounty constituency ofWest Somerset. When parliamentary seats were redistributed for the1885 general election, a new county division ofBridgwater was created.[19] A variety of markets were granted to the town during the Middle Ages including a Midsummer fair (on 24 June), one at the beginning of Lent was added in 1468, and one atMichaelmas.[20][21][22][23][24] The importance of these markets and fairs for the sale of wool and wine, and later of cloth, declined after medieval times. The shipping trade of the port revived after the construction of the new dock in 1841, and corn and timber have been imported for centuries.[25]
Gunpowder PlotterGuy Fawkes is remembered during the carnival season, including a grand illuminated procession through Bridgwater town centre, which culminates in theSquibbing.[26] Bridgwater, being staunchly Protestant at the time of the plot celebrated the thwarting of the conspiracy with particular enthusiasm.
In theEnglish Civil War the town and the castle were held by the Royalists underColonel Edmund Wyndham, a personal acquaintance of theKing.[27] British history might have been very different had his wife, Lady (Crystabella) Wyndham, been a little more accurate with a musket shot that missedOliver Cromwell but killed his aide de camp.[28] Eventually, with many buildings destroyed in the town, the castle and its valuable contents were surrendered to the Parliamentarians on 21 July 1645. The castle itself was deliberately destroyed (slighted) the following year, while in 1651 Colonel Wyndham made arrangements forCharles II toflee to France following theBattle of Worcester.[25]
Following therestoration of the monarchy, in 1663 thenon-conformist Reverend John Norman,vicar from 1647 to 1660, was one of several 'religiousfanatics' confined to their homes byLord Stawell'smilitia. A large religious meeting house, thought to have beenPresbyterian, was demolished and its furniture burned on the Cornhill in 1683.[29] By 1688, matters had calmed down enough for a new chapel, Christ Church, to be founded in Dampiet Street, the congregation of which becameUnitarian in 1815.[29][30]
In the 1685Monmouth Rebellion, the rebelDuke of Monmouth was proclaimed King on the Cornhill in Bridgwater and in other local towns. He eventually led his troops on a night-time attack on the King's position nearWestonzoyland.[31] Surprise was lost when a musket was accidentally discharged, and theBattle of Sedgemoor resulted in defeat for the Duke. He was later beheaded at theTower of London,[32] and nine locals were executed for treason.[25]
TheChandos Glass Cone was built in 1725 as a glasswork firing kiln byJames Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos as part of an industrial development. After a short period of use forglassmaking it was converted for the production of pottery, bricks and tiles, which continued until 1939. The majority of the brickwork cone was demolished in 1943. The bottom 2.4 metres (7 ft 10 in) has been preserved and scheduled as anancient monument.[33][34][35]
Bridgwater became the first town in Britain to petition the government to banslavery, in 1785.[36]
The population of Bridgwater in 1841 was 9,899.[37]
In 1896, thetrade unionists of Bridgwater's brick and tile industry were involved a number of strikes. TheSalisbury government sent troops to the town to clear the barricades by force after the reading of theRiot Act.[38]
Aby-election in 1938 enabled the town to send a message to the government andHitler, when an Independent anti-appeasement candidate, journalistVernon Bartlett was elected MP.[39]
InWorld War II theBridgwater and Taunton Canal formed part of theTaunton Stop Line, designed to prevent the advance of aGerman invasion. Pillboxes can still be seen along its length. The first bombs fell on Bridgwater on 24 August 1940, destroying houses on Old Taunton Road, and three men, three women and one child were killed. Later aprisoner of war camp was established at Colley Lane, holdingItalian prisoners.[40] During the preparations for theinvasion of Europe, American troops were based in the town.[41]
The firstcouncil estate to be built was in the 1930s at Kendale Road, followed by those at Bristol Road. The 1950s saw the start of a significant increase in post-war housebuilding, with council house estates being started at Sydenham and Rhode Lane and the former cooperative estate nearDurleigh.[42]
On 4 November 2011 West Quay alongside theRiver Parrett and 19 adjoining properties were evacuated after a 40 metres (130 ft) stretch of the retaining wall partially collapsed after heavy rain and flooding.[43][44] The old hospital in Salmon Parade, which was built in 1813,[45] closed in 2014 and has been replaced with a community hospital in Bower Lane. This provides a maternity unit and 30 inpatient beds.[46] The old hospital site has been sold for development at a price of £1.6 million, and may be turned into a hotel.[47][48]
In the medieval period the River Parrett was used to transportHamstone from the quarry atHam Hill.[49] Bridgwater was part of thePort of Bristol until the Port of Bridgwater was created in 1348,[6] covering 80 miles (130 km) of the Somerset coast line, from theDevon border to the mouth of theRiver Axe.[50][51] Under an 1845Act of Parliament the Port of Bridgwater extends fromBrean Down toHinkley Point inBridgwater Bay, and includes parts of the River Parrett (to Bridgwater),River Brue and theRiver Axe.[52]
Historically, the main port on the river was at Bridgwater; the river was bridged at this point: the first bridge was built in 1200.[53]Quays were built in 1424; another quay, theLangport slip, was built in 1488 upstream of the Town Bridge.[53] ACustoms House was sited at Bridgwater, on West Quay; and adry dock, launching slips and a boat yard on East Quay.[54] The river was navigable, with care, to Bridgwater Town Bridge by 400 to 500 tonnes (440 to 550 tons) vessels.[55] By trans-shipping into barges at the Town Bridge the Parrett was navigable as far asLangport and (via theRiver Yeo) toIlchester. After 1827, it was also possible to transfer goods toTaunton via theBridgwater and Taunton Canal at Huntworth.[56] A floating harbour was constructed between 1837–1841 and the canal was extended to the harbour.[57] The harbour area containedflour mills, timber yards andchandlers.[57]
Shipping to Bridgwater expanded with the construction ofBridgwater Docks, and reached a peak between 1880 and 1885; with an average of 3,600 ships per year entering the port.[57] Bridgwater also built some 167 ships; the last one was theIrene, launched in 1907.[58] Peaktonnage occurred in 1857, with 142 vessels totalling 17,800 tonnes (19,600 tons).[59]
Dunball wharf was built in 1844 by Bridgwater coal merchants,[60] and was formerly linked to theBristol & Exeter Railway by a rail track which crossed theA38. In 1875, the local landowner built The Dunball Steam Pottery & Brick & Tile Works adjacent to the wharf.[61]
Although ships no longer dock in the town of Bridgwater, 90,213 tonnes (99,443 tons) of cargo were handled within the port authority's area in 2006, most of which was stone products via the wharf at Dunball.[62] It is no longer linked to the railway system. The link was removed as part of the railway closures made as a result of theBeeching Report in the 1960s.Dunball railway station, which had opened in 1873, was closed to both passengers and goods in 1964.[63] All traces of the station, other than "Station Road" have been removed. The wharf is now used for landing stone products, mainly marine sand and gravels dredged in theBristol Channel.[64] Marine sand and gravel accounted for 55,754 tonnes (61,458 tons) of the total tonnage of 90,213 tonnes (99,443 tons) using the Port facilities in 2006, with salt products accounting for 21,170 tonnes (23,340 tons) in the same year.[62]
Somerset Council acts as the Competent Harbour Authority for the port, and has providedpilotage services for all boats over 98 feet (30 m) using the river since 1998, when it took over the service fromTrinity House.[65] Pilotage is important because of the constant changes in the navigable channel resulting from the large tidal range, which can exceed 39 feet (11.9 m) on spring tides.[52]
Its historic estates include themanor of Sydenham.
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TheLocal Government Act 1972 removed the historic status of Bridgwater as aBorough, as it became part of the district ofSedgemoor, which had its headquarters inKing Square.
Bridgwater Town Council, which is based atBridgwater Town Hall, was created in 2003,[66] with sixteen elected members representing six wards of the town; Bower (three), Eastover (two), Hamp (three), Quantock (three), Sydenham (three) and Victoria (two). With powers or functions over allotments, bus shelters, making of byelaws, cemeteries, clocks, crime prevention, entertainment and arts, highways, litter, public buildings, public conveniences, recreation, street lighting, tourism, traffic calming, community transport and war memorials.
All other local services for the town are delivered by theunitary authority ofSomerset Council, which took over from Sedgemoor andSomerset County Council on 1 April 2023.
Bridgwater and West Somerset is acounty constituency represented in theHouse of Commons of theParliament of the United Kingdom. It elects oneMember of Parliament (MP) by thefirst past the post system of election. The current MP isIan Liddell-Grainger, a member of theConservative Party.[67]
In 2018, Diogo Rodrigues became the first Portuguese national to be elected as a Mayor in England, also becoming Bridgwater's youngest ever mayor.[68]
TheBridgwater constituency has been represented in Parliament since 1295. After the voting age was lowered in January 1970, Susan Wallace became the first 18-year-old to vote in the UK,[69] during the 1970 Bridgwater by-election that electedTom King, who took the title Baron King of Bridgwater in 2001.[70]At the 2010 General Election, Bridgwater became part of the newBridgwater and West Somerset constituency.[71]
Bridgwater was in theSouth West England constituency for elections to theEuropean Parliament, prior toBrexit in 2020.[72]
Bridgwater is twinned with the following towns and cities:[73]
Bridgwater is centred on an outcrop ofmarl in an area dominated by low-lying alluvial deposits. There are local deposits of gravels and sand.[3] It is situated in a level and well-wooded area, on the edge of theSomerset Levels. To the north are theMendip range and on the west theQuantock hills. The town lies along both sides of theRiver Parrett, 10 miles (16 km) from its mouth, which then flows to discharge into theBridgwater BayNational Nature Reserve. It consists of large areas ofmud flats, saltmarsh, sandflats and shingle ridges, some of which are vegetated. It has been designated as aSite of Special Scientific Interest since 1989,[74] and is designated as a wetland of international importance under theRamsar Convention.[75] The risks to wildlife are highlighted in the local Oil Spill Contingency Plan.[76]
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Along with the rest ofSouth West England, Bridgwater has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than the rest of the country.[77] The annual mean temperature is approximately 10 °C (50.0 °F).Seasonal temperature variation is less extreme than most of the United Kingdom because of the adjacent sea temperatures. The summer months of July and August are the warmest with mean daily maxima of approximately 21 °C (69.8 °F). In winter mean minimum temperatures of 1 or 2 °C (34 or 36 °F) are common.[77] In the summer theAzores high pressure affects the south-west of England, howeverconvective cloud sometimes forms inland, reducing the number of hours of sunshine. Annual sunshine rates are slightly less than the regional average of 1,600 hours.[77] Most of the rainfall in the south-west is caused byAtlantic depressions or byconvection. Most of the rainfall in autumn and winter is caused by the Atlantic depressions, which is when they are most active. In summer, a large proportion of the rainfall is caused by sun heating the ground leading to convection and to showers and thunderstorms. Average rainfall is around 700 mm (28 in). About 8–15 days of snowfall is typical. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, and June to August have the lightest winds. The predominant wind direction is from the south-west.[77]
| Climate data for Yeovilton, 20 m asl (1991–2020 normals), extremes since 1973 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 16.1 (61.0) | 17.7 (63.9) | 21.3 (70.3) | 25.4 (77.7) | 27.5 (81.5) | 34.0 (93.2) | 35.0 (95.0) | 33.9 (93.0) | 29.3 (84.7) | 26.5 (79.7) | 18.5 (65.3) | 16.0 (60.8) | 35.0 (95.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 8.6 (47.5) | 9.0 (48.2) | 11.2 (52.2) | 13.9 (57.0) | 17.1 (62.8) | 19.9 (67.8) | 21.9 (71.4) | 21.6 (70.9) | 19.2 (66.6) | 15.3 (59.5) | 11.5 (52.7) | 9.0 (48.2) | 14.9 (58.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 5.3 (41.5) | 5.4 (41.7) | 7.1 (44.8) | 9.2 (48.6) | 12.3 (54.1) | 15.1 (59.2) | 17.1 (62.8) | 16.9 (62.4) | 14.6 (58.3) | 11.5 (52.7) | 8.0 (46.4) | 5.7 (42.3) | 10.7 (51.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 2.0 (35.6) | 1.8 (35.2) | 3.0 (37.4) | 4.5 (40.1) | 7.4 (45.3) | 10.3 (50.5) | 12.2 (54.0) | 12.2 (54.0) | 10.0 (50.0) | 7.6 (45.7) | 4.4 (39.9) | 2.3 (36.1) | 6.5 (43.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −16.1 (3.0) | −12.2 (10.0) | −8.5 (16.7) | −5.1 (22.8) | −4.0 (24.8) | 1.8 (35.2) | 4.0 (39.2) | 2.9 (37.2) | 0.0 (32.0) | −4.5 (23.9) | −11.7 (10.9) | −14.2 (6.4) | −16.1 (3.0) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 70.0 (2.76) | 50.9 (2.00) | 48.5 (1.91) | 51.5 (2.03) | 47.2 (1.86) | 57.1 (2.25) | 50.2 (1.98) | 60.7 (2.39) | 53.3 (2.10) | 80.9 (3.19) | 81.9 (3.22) | 77.4 (3.05) | 729.5 (28.72) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 12.2 | 10.4 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 9.2 | 8.7 | 8.3 | 9.8 | 9.1 | 12.0 | 13.2 | 12.9 | 125.8 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 59.5 | 79.5 | 121.6 | 170.5 | 202.2 | 199.8 | 205.3 | 185.5 | 149.2 | 107.6 | 71.6 | 53.5 | 1,605.7 |
| Source:Met Office[78] Infoclimat[79] | |||||||||||||
Bridgwater had a population of 35,800 according to the 2001 census[1] (up from 22,718 in 1951, 3,634 in 1801, and 7,807 in 1831).
| Population since 1801 - Source: A Vision of Britain through Time & ONS, 2006 Population projections; 2001 census | |||||||||||||||
| Year | 1801 | 1851 | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1941 | 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 | 2008 | 2011* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population Sedgemoor[80][81] | 27,205 | 48,575 | 49,907 | 51,263 | 52,082 | 52,917 | 57,964 | 63,497 | 71,684 | 80,933 | 88,544 | 99,317 | 105,867 | 113,500 | 117,300 |
Apr2006.jpg)
As early as 1300, the port exported wheat, peas and beans to Ireland, France and Spain, and by 1400 was also exporting cloth from Somerset and the adjoining counties. By 1500 it was the largest port in Somerset,[82] later becoming the fifth largest in England,[83][84][85] until eclipsed byBristol in the 18th century.[86] In its heyday, imports included wine, grain, fish, hemp, coal and timber. Exports included wheat, wool, cloth, cement, bricks and tiles. Unlike Bristol, Bridgwater was never involved in theslave trade and, in 1785, was the first town in Britain to petition the government to ban it.[87]
The Bridgwater ship theEmanuel was one of three that took part inMartin Frobisher's 1577 search for theNorthwest Passage. In 1828, 40 ships were registered in the port, averaging 60 tons each.[88]
Bridgwater was the leading industrial town in Somerset and remains a major centre for manufacturing.[89] A major manufacturing centre for clay tiles and bricks in the 19th century, including the famous "Bath brick", were exported through the port.[90] In the 1890s there were a total of 16 brick and tile companies, and 24 million bricks per annum were exported during that decade alone.[91] These industries are celebrated in theSomerset Brick and Tile Museum on East Quay.[92]
These industries collapsed in the aftermath ofWorld War II due to the failure to introducemechanisation, although the automated Chilton Tile Factory, which produced up to 5 million tiles each year, lasted until 1968.[93] The importance of the Bath Brick declined with the advent ofdetergents and other cleaning products. Dunware ponds used to make bricks and can still be found along the paths.
During the 19th century,Castle House (originally named Portland Castle afterPortland cement), reputedly the first domestic house in the UK to be built fromconcrete,[94] was constructed in 1851 by John Board, a local brick and tile manufacturer. The building is now Grade II*listed,[95] and in 2004 was featured in theBBCtelevision programmeRestoration.[96]
In the 19th century, Bridgwater was also home to a number ofironfoundries.George Hennet's Bridgwater Iron Works worked on bridges, railways and machinery for Brunel andRobert Stephenson. This location allowed the import by boat of raw materials fromWales and the dispatch of finished work to south Devon using theBristol & Exeter Railway. The carriage workshops for the latter were on an adjacent site. The works passed to his son and then traded as Hennet, Spink & Else. Some of the ironwork was produced for theRoyal Albert Bridge atSaltash,Cornwall. In 1873 it became the Bridgwater Engineering Company Limited but this failed in 1878.[97] W&F Wills Ltd producedsteam locomotives andfingerposts.[98]
At the start ofWorld War II, the government built a factory to manufacture high explosives atPuriton near Bridgwater.[99] CalledROF Bridgwater, the plant is today owned byBAE Systems and closed after decommissioning was completed in July 2008.[100]
British Cellophane Ltd, a joint venture between La Cellophane SA andCourtaulds opened a major factory producingcellophane in Bridgwater 1937. The factory producedBailey bridges duringWorld War II for the invasion of Europe. Bought byUCB Films in 1996, the town suffered a blow in 2005 whenInnovia Films closed thecellophane factory.[101] At one time the factory employed around 3,000 people, although at the time of closure this had been reduced to just 250. However recovery has begun with the establishment of new businesses on theExpress Park business park including the relocation ofGerber Juice and new enterprisesToolstation andInterpet as well as theExel centre for theNHS Logistics Authority.[102]
Bridgwater is now a major centre of industry in Somerset, with industries including the production of plastics, engine parts, industrial chemicals, and foods. Bowerings Animal Feed Mill is now the only industry still located at the docks. Being close to theM5 motorway and halfway betweenBristol andExeter, Bridgwater is also home to two major distribution centres, while retailerArgos has a regional distribution centre based atHuntworth. A new £100 m Regional Agricultural Business Centre opened in 2007, following construction which began in 2006.[103][104]
As of 2021, a 616 acres (249 ha) commercial development campus named Gravity, targeting thelow-carbon economy, is planned for the formerROF Bridgwater site 3.5 miles (5.6 km) north of Bridgwater.[105][106]
Bridgwater is home to theSomerset Brick and Tile Museum, built on part of the former Barham Brothers site (brick and tile manufacturers between 1857 and 1965).Castle House was built in 1851 and was one of the first to make extensive use ofconcrete demonstrating "an innovative interpretation of traditional masonry features in concrete".[94]
TheBridgwater Town Mill, originating in theMiddle Ages is located at the end of Blake Street, and there are plans to develop it as an extension to theBlake Museum
A house in Blake Street, largely restored, is believed to be the birthplace ofRobert Blake in 1598, and is now theBlake Museum. It was built in the late 15th or early 16th century, and has been designated byEnglish Heritage as a grade II*listed building.[107] Hisstatue from 1898 byF. W. Pomeroy has been repositioned from the front of theCorn Exchange to face down Cornhill.[108] The public library byE Godfrey Page dates from 1905.[109]
Sydenham House was previously a manor estate built in the early 16th century, which was refronted and rebuilt after 1613.[110] Its owners were on the losing side in theCivil War and again in theMonmouth Rebellion.[111] It now stands in the grounds of the formerBritish Cellophane plant. In 2012EDF purchased the site,[112] including the Grade IIlisted 16th century building.[113] In 2015 the industrial site was razed to the ground. It is intended for construction of temporary accommodation for 1,000 workers involved in the construction ofHinkley Point C nuclear power station.[114][115]
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As trade expanded during theIndustrial Revolution, Bridgwater was linked toTaunton by theBridgwater and Taunton Canal (1827), although initially it ran from abasin south of Bridgwater atHuntworth. As trade grewdocks were built in the town, linked to an extension of the canal, with both opening in 1841. The docks were dredged by a scraper-dredgerBertha similar to the oneIsambard Kingdom Brunel had designed for the Bristol Floating Harbour. 14 June 1841 saw the opening of theBristol & Exeter Railway from Bristol to Bridgwater. The railway also opened a coach and wagon works in the town; the last of the buildings was in 2005 scheduled for demolition.Bridgwater railway station, designed by Brunel is now a Grade IIlisted building.[116] An end to the unequal competition between rail and canal came in 1867 when the Bristol & Exeter Railway purchased the canal.[117] A number of local branches were also built, for example to serve the NorthgateBrewery (now replaced by a car park north of Angel Crescent) and the former British Cellophane factory. TheSomerset and Dorsetbranch line toEdington was opened in 1890.[118] Its former Bridgwater station is now occupied byJ Sainsbury.
The importance of shipping and the docks started to decline after 1886, the year in which the opening of theSevern Tunnel caused a severe drop in coal imports by sea. The situation worsened as the railways were extended into Somerset and beyond, and ships became too big for the port. The last commercial use of the docks was when coal imports ceased on 31 July 1971, and although they now house a marina they are currently little used. The surrounding quays have been developed for housing, although the remains of wooden quays on the riverbank can still be seen. All but a small remnant of themump (a huge mound of spoil from the original dock excavations) was removed in the 1980s to make way for the development on the north side of the dock. Due to the port,ship building was also an important industry, and around 140 ships were built in the town during the 19th century by companies including David Williams, Joseph Gough, Watsons and William Lowther. F J Carver and Son owned a smalldry dock on East Quay and constructed the last ship to be built in the town — theIrene.[119] The former associated industry ofrope making is commemorated instreet furnishings and paving on East Quay and in the name ofRopewalk street.
The Drove Bridge, which marks the current extent of the Port of Bridgwater is the nearest to the mouth and the newest road bridge to cross the river. With a span of 184 feet (56 m), the bridge was constructed as part of the Bridgwater Northern Distributor road scheme (1992), and provides a navigable channel which is 66 feet (20 m) wide with 8.2 feet (2.5 m) headroom at normal spring high tides.[120] Upstream of this is theretractableTelescopic Bridge, built in 1871 to the design ofSir Francis Fox, the engineer for theBristol & Exeter Railway. It carried a railway siding over the river to the docks, but had to be movable, to allow boats to proceed upriver. An 80-foot (24 m) section of railway track to the east of the bridge could be moved sideways, so that the main 127-foot (39 m) girders could be retracted, creating a navigable channel which was 78 feet (24 m) wide.[121] It was manually operated for the first eight months, and then powered by a steam engine, reverting to manual operation in 1913, when the steam engine failed. The bridge was last opened in 1953, and the traverser section was demolished in 1974, but public outcry at the action resulted in the bridge being listed as aScheduled Ancient Monument, and the rest of the bridge was kept.[122] It was later used as a road crossing, until the construction of the Chandos road bridge alongside it, and is now only used by pedestrians. Parts of the steam engine were moved toWestonzoyland Pumping Station Museum in 1977.[121]
The next bridge is the Town Bridge. There has been a bridge here since the 13th century, when Bridgwater was granted a charter by King John. The present bridge was designed by R. C. Else and G. B. Laffan, and the 75-foot (23 m)cast iron structure was completed in 1883.[86][123] It replaced an earlier bridge, which was the first cast iron bridge to be built in Somerset when it was completed in 1797.[123] The stone abutments of that bridge were reused by the later bridge, which formed the only road crossing of the river in Bridgwater until 1958.[121] Above the bridge there were two shoals, called The Coals and The Stones, which were a hazard to barge traffic on the river, andbargees had to choose carefully when to navigate the river, to ensure that there was sufficient water to carry them over these obstructions.[124] In March 1958 a new reinforced concrete road bridge, the Blake Bridge, was opened as part of a bypass to take traffic away from the centre of Bridgwater.[125] It now carries theA38 andA39 roads. On the southern edge of Bridgwater there is a bridge which carries the Bristol & Exeter Railway across the River Parrett. Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed a brick bridge, known as theSomerset Bridge, with a 100 feet (30 m) span but a rise of just 12 feet (3.7 m). Work started in 1838 and was completed in 1841. Brunel left the scaffold supporting the centre of the bridge in place as the foundations were still settling but was forced to remove it in 1843 to reopen the river for navigation. Brunel demolished the brick arch and had replaced it with a timber arch within six months without interrupting the traffic on the railway. This was in turn replaced in 1904 by a steel girder bridge.[126] Slightly further east is a modern concrete bridge which carries theM5 motorway over both the river and the railway line. It was started in 1971 and opened in 1973.[127]
Bridgwater is served twice daily byBerrys Coaches 'Superfast' service to and from London.[128]
Theprimary andinfant schools in Bridgwater include: Eastover Community Primary School, Hamp Community Junior School, Sedgemoor Manor School, St George's Church School, St John and St Francis Primary School, St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, St Mary's Primary School, Somerset Bridge Primary School, Spaxton Church of England Primary School, Westover Green Primary School and Hamp Nursery and Infants School.Secondary schools include:Robert Blake Science College,Brymore Academy,Chilton Trinity School,Bridgwater College Academy which was previously known as Sydenham School and is aPerforming and Visual Arts College,[129] andHaygrove School which has specialistLanguage College status.[130]Special schools in the town include: Elmwood Special School, New Horizon Centre School and Penrose School.
Bridgwater was selected as the first town in the South West, outside Bristol, to be selected for the UK government'sBuilding Schools for the Future (BSF) initiative, which aimed to rebuild and renew nearly everysecondary school in England.[131] Within Bridgwater, BSF was to redevelop all of the four secondary schools and two special provision schools at an expected cost of around £100 million.[132] This included the complete relocation and rebuilding of a new school combining both the Haygrove and Penrose Schools. In July 2010, several components of the Bridgwater BSF programme were cancelled and others were singled out for further review.[133][134] Following a meeting with Education SecretaryMichael Gove, Bridgwater MPIan Liddell-Grainger announced that the fate of all six affected schools would be subject to review, including the ones that were cancelled.[135]
Further Education is provided byBridgwater and Taunton College which was formerly Bridgwater Technical School.[136] In February 2018 the southern hub of theNational College for Nuclear was launched at the Bridgwater campus, intended to service the building and operation of theHinkley Point C nuclear power station.[137]
Schools which have since closed include: Bridgwater Grammar School For Boys (originally the Poplar School of Engineering And Navigation, then Dr Morgan's Grammar School For Boys, which becameHaygrove School with the Somerset County Council introduction of Comprehensive education), Bridgwater Grammar School For Girls, also in Durleigh, and Westover Senior Council School.
Among several places of worship the chief is theChurch of St Mary; this has a north porch and windows dating from the 14th century, besides a 170 feet (52 m)[11] slender spire; but it has been much altered by restoration. It possesses a fine painted reredos, and has been designated byEnglish Heritage as a grade Ilisted building.[138]
There is also Christ Church Unitarian Chapel on Dampiet Street, built in 1688, it still retains many of its original features from 1688 and its remodeling in 1788. It has been designated byEnglish Heritage as a grade II*listed building.[139]
The Church of St John the Baptist in Blake Place was built by the Revd. John More Capes[140] and designed byJohn Brown in 1843.[141]Elim Pentecostal Church on Church Street was a public house after being used as a church and is now a shop.[142] There is aSalvation Army Citadel located in Moorland Road, on the Sydenham Estate and St Joseph'sRoman Catholic in Binford Place.
Classes inBuddhism andmeditation were held in theQuaker Meeting House on Friarn Street.[143] In 2014 the building was put up for auction and purchased by local Muslims[144] to become Bridgwater Islamic Centre.[145]
Nearing Bridgwater on theM5 motorway it is possible to see theWillow Man sculpture, a striding human figure constructed fromwillow, sometimes called theAngel of the South (see alsoAngel of the North). Standing 12 metres (39 ft) tall, it was created bysculptorSerena de la Hey and is the largest known sculpture in willow, a traditional local material.[146]
Bridgwater is the home of Music on the Quantocks, Somerset's most successful music series specialising in world-class classical music. The series also features performance poetry, jazz and folk. Most events are staged in venues such as churches, barns and halls surrounding Bridgwater and attract audiences up to 850 people at an event. Artists featured have includedSir James Galway,The Sixteen,Nigel Kennedy,The Hilliard Ensemble,The Tallis Scholars,Roger McGough andJohn Cooper Clarke.
The Bridgwater Arts Centre was opened on 10 October 1946, the first community arts centre opened in the UK with financial assistance from the newly establishedArts Council of England.[147] It is situated in a Grade Ilisted building in thearchitecturally protectedGeorgianCastle Street, designed byBenjamin Holloway for theDuke of Chandos, and built over the site of the former castle.[148] Holloway was also thearchitect of theBaroqueLions building on West Quay, constructed around 1730.[149] Bridgwater Arts Centre was the venue for the first post-war meeting of theCongres Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne in 1947.[150]
Somerset Film (then Somerset Film & Video) opened their community media centre,The Engine Room, in March 2003. The centre allows the public to drop in and use the computers and equipment for free (on certain days) to teach themselves how to edit video, design websites or screen films at open evenings. Cameras and edit suites can also be hired and day courses on using creative software are run regularly.
Castle Street was used as a location in the 1963 filmTom Jones.[151] Horror writer and film journalistKim Newman was educated at Dr Morgan's school in Bridgwater, and set his 1999 experimental novelLife's Lottery in a fictionalised version of the town (Sedgwater).[152] A sailor who had sailed "from Bridgwater with bricks" and found "There was lice in that bunk in Bridgwater" features inJames Joyce'sUlysses (Chapter 16).[153]
In 2013, community radio station Access FM was launched on 104.2 FM. This was the first truly local radio station for the town sinceBCR FM was bought by Choice Media in 2006 which eventually becameThe Breeze. Access FM was initiated as a function of Bridgwater'sYMCA and as such held the same values as the charity.[citation needed] The community station began with the intentions of providing youth based programming to 16- to 25-year-olds in order to give the younger generation something new and productive to get involved with. Many of the voluntary presenters were aged 16 – 20 and the station acted as the first step into the industry. Access FM had mild success within the community, attending multiple events and marking new ground for local radio in the area.[citation needed] The station was the first in history to provide live broadcast coverage fromBridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival in 2014.
In October 2015 the station went through a re-branding process under a revised management team, creatingSedgemoor FM, which launched on 4 April 2016. Sedgemoor FM broadcasts on 104.2FM across Bridgwater and the rest of the district, providing listeners with programming specific for the community. Scheduling consists of a variety of informative and entertaining radio shows including Dave Englefield's Breakfast Show, Sedgemoor Life with Jackie Sealy and The Carnival Show with Andy Bennett, along with local and national news coverage, local events guide, The Lowdown, and Just The Job, which highlights current job vacancies in the area.[citation needed]
Bridgwater is now best known for the illuminated "Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival" that attracts around 150,000 people from around the country and overseas. Now held annually on the Saturday after the first Friday of November (i.e. - the nearest Saturday to 5 November), it was original held on the first Thursday of November, later moving to the first Friday. It consists of a display of 100 or more entries, many consisting of large vehicles ("Carnival carts") up to 100 feet (30 m) long, festooned with dancers (or team member intableaux) and up to 22,000 lightbulbs, that follows a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) route over 2 to 3 hours.[154] Later in the evening of the Carnival, there is the simultaneous firing of largefireworks (known as squibs) in the street outside the town hall, known as "squibbing".[155]
Bridgwater Fair normally takes place in September — it starts on the last Wednesday in September and lasts four days. The fair takes place on St Matthew's Field, better known locally as the Fair Field. The fair is now afunfair, ranked as second largest in England after theNottingham Goose Fair. It originated in 1249 as a horse and cattlefair, lasting for eight days nearSt Matthew's day (21 September), giving the venue its name.[156] During the first weekend of July, the annual "Somerfest" arts festival is held in Bridgwater. The event includes an extensive programme of rock, jazz and classical music, dance, drama and visual arts with national and local participants.[157]
A new annual event was launched in 2014, taking place in May each year. TheBridgwater Science Festival brings science-related family entertainment and activities to town. The event takes place in the Town Hall, and works with local organisations and theUniversity of the West of England.
An annual Food and Drink Festival also takes place each year at the Bridgwater Town Hall. The Bridgwater Food and Drink Festival takes place at the beginning of March[158] each year and features the best in local produce with cooking demonstrations taking place from local chefs.
Local news and television programmes are provided byBBC West andITV West Country. Bridgwater's local radio stations areBBC Radio Somerset,Heart West,Greatest Hits Radio South West and Sedgemoor FM.[159] Local newspapers include theSomerset County Gazette,SomersetLive, andBridgwater Mercury.
Bridgwater United F.C. are a football club based atFairfax Park. The original version of the club was founded in 1898. The club currently plays in theSouthern League Division One South and West.[160]
Bridgwater & Albion are Somerset's highest-placed rugby team, playing inNational League 3 South and are based at College Way.[161] It was founded in 1875.[162]
Thecricket club play at The Parks on Durleigh Road.[163]
BridgwaterHockey Club was founded in 1925 and field four men's teams and three women's teams, playing fixtures at 1610 Leisure Centre.[164]
East Bridgwater Sports Centre offers badminton courts, outside football pitches, squash courts and a fitness room.[165]
Bridgwater had a series of swimming pools from 1890 until 2009. The first pool, on Old Taunton Road, was replaced by theBridgwaterLido on Broadway, which was opened in 1960 by the Mayor, Alderman Mrs A. B. Potterton. The lido, which had three pools, a diving bay and paddling pool, was demolished in the late 1980s to make way for a supermarket and to fund the indoorSedgemoor Splash swimming pool in Mount Street, which opened in 1991.[166] In 2009, after the local council were unable to raise the funds needed to upgrade the pool, it was closed and demolished to make way for another supermarket.[167][168] A new pool was planned as part of theBuilding Schools for the Future (BSF) rebuild ofChilton Trinity School,[169]
The town is both on the route of theSamaritans Way South West and theRiver Parrett Trail.
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help){{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help){{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help){{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)Attribution:
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Bridgwater",Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 4 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, p. 560
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