Everything about Bridgwater totally explained
Bridgwater in
Somerset,
England, is a
market town, the administrative centre of the
Sedgemoor district, and the leading industrial town in the
county.
Bridgwater is located on the major communication routes through
South West England.
It is situated, on the edge of the
Somerset Levels, in a level and well-wooded country, having to the north the
Mendip range and on the west the
Quantock hills. The town lies along both sides of the
River Parrett, from its mouth, here crossed by an iron bridge. The town is located between two junctions of the
M5 motorway, the southern most of which houses a
motorway service station.
Bridgwater railway station is on the main railway line between
Bristol and
Taunton.
Bridgwater had a population of 36,563 according to the 2001 census (up from 22,718 in 1951, 3,634 in 1801, and 7,807 in 1831). Historically, the town had a politically radical tendency, being involved in several events of note on the national stage.
Among several places of worship the chief is St Mary Magdalene's church; this has a north porch and windows dating from the 14th century, besides a lofty and slender spire; but it has been much altered by restoration. It possesses a fine painted reredos. A house in Blake Street, largely restored, was the birthplace of Admiral Blake in 1598, and is now the
Admiral Blake Museum. Near the town are the three old churches of
Westonzoyland,
Chedzoy and Middlezoy, containing some good brasses and carved woodwork. The battlefield of the
Battle of Sedgemoor, where the
Monmouth Rebellion was finally crushed in 1685, is within ; while not far off is
Charlinch, the home of the
Agapemonites.
Etymology
It is thought that the town was originally called Brigg, meaning
Quay. It has been argued that the name may instead come from the
Old English brycg (gang plank) or
Old Norse bryggja (quay), though this idea has been opposed on etymological grounds.
History
Bridgwater is mentioned both in the
Domesday Book and in earlier
Anglo-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 the
Hundred of North Petherton.
Alfred the Great famously burnt cakes when hiding in the marshes of
Athelney near Bridgwater, after the
Danish invasion in 875, while in 878 there was a major engagement nearby at the
Battle of Cannington.
William Briwere was granted the
lordship of the
Manor of Bridgwater by
Henry II in 1201. which, by the time of the
Dissolution of the Monasteries under
Henry VIII, was worth the substantial sum of almost 121
pounds, as well as starting the construction of the town's first stone bridge. One of William's sons went on to found a
Franciscan priory in the town.
During the 11th century
Second Barons' War against Henry III, Bridgwater was held by the
barons against the King.
Bridgwater's peasants under Nicholas Frampton took part in the
Peasants' Revolt of 1381, sacking Sydenham House, murdering the local tax collectors and destroying the records.
In the medieval period the
River Parrett was used to transport
Hamstone from the quarry at
Ham Hill, having become independent of Bristol and recognised as a port in its own right by 1348. The trade reached its peak in 1857 when there were 142 vessels totaling 17,519 tons. The last vessel built at Bridgwater was the ketch
Irene which was launched in 1907. By 1954 only 12 vessels were registered from the town, and of these five were yachts, largely due to the limitations imposed by the size of the dock which was long and wide. Matters seem to have calmed by 1688 when the Dampiet Street
Unitarian chapel was founded.
In the 1685
Monmouth Rebellion, the rebel
James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth was proclaimed King in various local towns including on the Cornhill in Bridgwater. He eventually lead his troops on a night-time attack on the King's position near
Westonzoyland. Unfortunately surprise was lost when a musket was accidentally discharged, and the
Battle of Sedgemoor resulted in defeat for the Duke. He later lost his head in the
Tower of London, and nine locals were executed for treason. Allegedly, until recently members of the Royal Family wouldn't pass through Bridgwater without drawing the blinds of the
Royal Train as a result of this escapade.
Bridgwater became the first town in Britain to petition the government to ban
slavery in 1785.
In 1896, the
trade unionists of Bridgwater's brick and tile industry were involved a number of strikes. The
Salisbury government sent troops to the town to clear the barricades by force. This was the first use of the
Riot Act in the UK in an industrial dispute, and not the UK miner's strikes of the 1980s as is commonly stated.
Sydenham Manor House
Previously a manor estate built in the early 16th century, which was refronted and rebuilt after 1613. It now stands in the grounds of the former
British Cellophane plant. Its owners were on the losing side in the
Civil War and again in the
Monmouth Rebellion. Allegedly, it has a most persistent and almost predictable ghost.
20th century
A
by-election in 1938 enabled the town to send a message to the government and
Hitler, when an Independent anti-
appeasement candidate was elected.
In
World War II the
Bridgwater and Taunton Canal formed part of the
Taunton Stop Line, designed to prevent the advance of a
German invasion. Pillboxes can still be seen along its length. The first bombs fell on Bridgwater on
August 24 1940, destroying houses on Old Taunton Road, and three men, three women and one child were killed. Later a
prisoner of war camp was established at Colley Lane, holding
Italian prisoners. During the preparations for the
invasion of Europe, American troops were based in the town.
1950 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 near
Durleigh. The first council estate to be built was in the 1930s at Kendale Road, followed by those at Bristol Road.
Governance
The 1973 national reform of local government removed the historic status of Bridgwater as a
Borough, as it became part of the district of
Sedgemoor.
Bridgwater is a
county constituency represented in the
House of Commons of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one
Member of Parliament (MP) by the
first past the post system of election. Following its review of parliamentary representation in Somerset, the
Boundary Commission for England has finalised the proposals which expands the existing Bridgwater seat into a new
Bridgwater and West Somerset division. The current MP is
Ian Liddell-Grainger, a member of the
Conservatives.
Members of Parliament
The
Bridgwater 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 person to vote in the UK, during the 1970 Bridgwater by-election that elected Tom King.
Members of parliament have included:
Residents of Bridgwater also form part of the electorate for the
South West England constituency for elections to the
European Parliament.
Geography
Bridgwater is centred on an outcrop of
marl in an area dominated by low-lying alluvial deposits. There are local deposits of gravels and sand. Bridgwater is situated, on the edge of the
Somerset Levels, in a level and well-wooded country, having to the north the
Mendip range and on the west the
Quantock hills. The town lies along both sides of the
River Parrett, from its mouth, here crossed by an iron bridge, which then flows to discharge into the
Bridgwater Bay National Nature Reserve.
Climate
Along with the rest of
South West England, Bridgwater has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than the rest of the country. The annual mean temperature is approximately and shows a seasonal and a
diurnal variation, but due to the modifying effect of the sea the range is less than in most other parts of the UK. January is the coldest month with mean minimum temperatures between and . July and August are the warmest months in the region with mean daily maxima around .
The south-west of England has a favoured location with respect to the
Azores high pressure when it extends its influence north-eastwards towards the UK, particularly in summer.
Convective cloud often forms inland however, especially near hills, reducing the number of hours of sunshine. The average annual sunshine totals around 1,600 hours.
Rainfall tends to be associated with Atlantic
depressions or with convection. The Atlantic depressions are more vigorous in autumn and winter and most of the rain which falls in those seasons in the south-west is from this source. Average rainfall is around –. About 8–15 days of snowfall is typical. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, with June to August having the lightest winds. The predominant wind direction is from the south-west.
Demography
Bridgwater had a population of 36,563 according to the 2001 census (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 |
| Year | 1801 |
1851 |
1901 |
1911 |
1921 |
1931 |
1941 |
1951 |
1961 |
1971 |
1981 |
1991 |
2001
|
| Population Sedgemoor | 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
|
Economy
The
River Parrett was until recently at the centre of Bridgwater's trade, and the town grew to become a major seaport for the south west of England. The tidal range on the river allowed ships of up to 300 tonnes to reach the town centre.
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, later becoming the fifth largest in England until eclipsed by
Bristol in the 18th century. 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 the
slave trade and, in 1797, was the first town in Britain to petition the government to ban it.
The Bridgwater ship the
Emanuel was one of three that took part in
Martin Frobisher's 1577 search for the
Northwest Passage. In 1828, 40 ships were registered in the port, averaging 60 tons each.
Manufacturing
Bridgwater was the leading industrial town in Somerset. A major manufacturing centre for clay tiles and bricks in the 19th century, including the famous "
Bath brick", were exported through the port. 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. John Sealy & Co exhibited their product range at the 1851
Great Exhibition. These industries are celebrated in the
Somerset Brick and Tile Museum on East Quay.
These industries collapsed in the aftermath of
World War II due to the failure to introduce
mechanisation, although the automated Chilton Tile Factory, which produced up to 5 million tiles each year, lasted until 1968. The importance of the Bath Brick declined with the advent of
detergents and other cleaning products.
During the 19th century, Castle House (originally named Portland Castle after
Portland cement), reputedly the first domestic house in the UK to be built from
concrete, was constructed in 1851 by John Board, a local brick and tile manufacturer. The building is now Grade II*
listed and in 2004 was featured in the
BBC television programme
Restoration.
In the 19th century, Bridgwater was also home to a number of
iron foundries.
George Hennet's Bridgwater Iron Works (closed 1878) worked on bridges, railways and machinery for Brunel and
Robert Stephenson, while W&F Wills Ltd produced
steam locomotives and
fingerposts.
At the start of
World War II, the government built a factory to manufacture high explosives at
Puriton near Bridgwater. Called
ROF Bridgwater, the plant is today owned by
BAE Systems and is scheduled to close by the end of 2007.
British Cellophane Ltd, a joint venture between La Cellophane SA and
Courtaulds opened a major factory producing
cellophane in Bridgwater 1937. The factory produced
Bailey Bridges during
World War II for the invasion of Europe. Bought by
UCB Films in 1996, the town suffered a blow in 2005 when
Innovia Films closed the
cellophane factory. 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 the
Express Park business park including the relocation of
Gerber Juice and new enterprise
Toolstation and
Interpet.
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 the
M5 motorway and half way between
Bristol and
Exeter, Bridgwater is also home to two major distribution centres. The
Excel centre for the
NHS Logistics Authority is located on the
Express Park business park, while retailer
Argos has a regional distribution centre based at
Huntworth. Work on the new Regional Agricultural Business Centre is due to start in 2006/7.
Landmarks
Bridgwater is home to the
Somerset Brick and Tile Museum, built on part of the former Barham Brothers site (brick and tile manufacturers between 1857 and 1965).
A house in Blake Street, largely restored, was the birthplace of
Admiral Robert Blake in 1598, and is now the
Admiral Blake Museum. It was built in the late 15th or early 16th century, and has been designated by
English Heritage as a grade II*
listed building. His statue from 1898 by
D W Pomeroy has been repositioned from the front of the Corn Exchange to face down Cornhill.
The public library By
E Godfrey Page dates from 1905.
Transport
As trade expanded with the
Industrial Revolution, Bridgwater was linked to
Taunton by the
Bridgwater and Taunton Canal (1827), although initially it ran from a
basin south of Bridgwater at
Huntworth.
As trade grew
docks were built in the town, linked to an extension of the canal, with both opening in 1841.The docks was dredged by a scraper-dredger
Bertha similar to the one Brunel had designed for the Bristol Floating Harbour.
June 14, 1841 saw the opening of the
Bristol and Exeter Railway from Bristol to Bridgwater. The railway also opened a coach and wagon works in the town; the last of the buildings is currently in 2005 scheduled for demolition.
Bridgwater railway station, designed by
Isambard Kingdom Brunel is now a Grade II
listed building.
An end to the unequal competition between rail and canal came in 1867 when the Bristol and Exeter railway purchased the canal. Four years later, in 1871, the River Parrett was spanned by a unique
steam-powered telescopic bridge, to allow the railway to serve the docks, last used in 1953(?). A number of local branches were also built, for example to serve the Northgate
Brewery (now replaced by a car park north of Angel Crescent) and the former British Cellophane factory. The
Somerset and Dorset branch line to
Edington was opened in 1890. Its former Bridgwater station is now occupied by
J Sainsbury.
The importance of shipping and the docks started to decline after 1886, the year in which the opening of the
Severn 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
July 31 1971, and although they now house a marina they're 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 the
mump (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 small
dry dock on East Quay and constructed the last ship to built in the town - the
Irene - which has its own
web site
. The former associated industry of
rope making is commemorated in
street furnishings and paving on East Quay and in the name of
Ropewalk street.
Under an 1845
Act of Parliament the Port of Bridgwater extends from
Brean Down to
Hinkley Point in
Bridgwater Bay, and parts of the rivers
Parrett (to Bridgwater),
River Brue and
River Axe, Somerset. Although no ships now dock in the town, in 2001 103,613 tonnes of cargo were handled within the area of the Port Authority (compared with more than 200,000 tons in 1878), most of which were stone products through
Dunball
Education
Schools listed in alphabetical order
Further Education colleges
Bridgwater College (formerly Bridgwater Technical School)
Poplar School Of Engineering And Navigation (closed; Dr Morgan's Grammar School For Boys was later located in the same premesis)
Secondary schools
Robert Blake Science College
Brymore School
Chilton Trinity Technology College
East Bridgwater Community School
Haygrove School
Special schools
Elmwood Special School
New Horizon Centre School
Penrose School
Primary schools
Eastover Community Primary School
Hamp Community Junior School
Sedgemoor Manor School
St John & St Francis Primary School
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
St Mary's Primary School
Somerset Bridge Primary School
Spaxton CofE Primary School
Westover Green Primary School
Nursary and infants schools
Hamp Nursery and Infants School
Former Schools and colleges
Further Education colleges
Bridgwater Technical School (Now Bridgwater College)
Poplar School Of Engineering And Navigation (closed; Dr Morgan's Grammar School For Boys was later located in the same premesis)
Secondary Schools
Bridgwater Grammar School For Boys
Bridgwater Grammar School For Girls
Dr Morgan's Grammar School For Boys
Sydenham School (Now East Bridgwater Community School)
Westover Senior Council School
Religious sites
Among several places of worship the chief is St Mary Magdalene's church; this has a north porch and windows dating from the 14th century, besides a
The Church of St John the Baptist in Blake Place was built by John Brown in 1843.
Elim Pentecostal Church on Church Street was a public house after being used as a church and is now a shop.
There is a Salvation Army Citadel located in Moorland Road, on the Sydenham Estate
Arts
Nearing Bridgwater on the M5 motorway it's possible to see the Willow Man sculpture, a striding human figure constructed from willow, sometimes called the Angel of the South (see also Angel of the North). Standing 12 m (39') tall, it was created by sculptor Serena de la Hey and is the largest known sculpture in willow, a traditional local material.
The Bridgwater Arts Centre was opened on October 10 1946, the first community arts centre opened in the UK with financial assistance from the newly established Arts Council of England. It is situated in a Grade I listed building in the architecturally protected Georgian Castle Street, designed by Benjamin Holloway for the Duke of Chandos, and built over the site of the former castle. Holloway was also the architect of the Baroque Lions building on West Quay, constructed around 1730.
Bridgwater Arts Centre was the venue for the first post-war meeting of the Congres Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne in 1947.
Castle Street was used as a location in the 1963 film Tom Jones.
Horror writer and film journalist Kim Newman was educated at Dr Morgan's school in Bridgwater, and set his 1999 experimental novel Life's Lottery in a fictionalised version of the town (Sedgwater).
A sailor who had sailed "from Bridgwater with bricks" and found "There was lice in that bunk in Bridgwater" features in James Joyce's Ulysses (Chapter 16).
Annual events
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 Friday after the first Thursday of November (ie - the nearest Friday to November 5). It consists of a dazzling display of over 100 large vehicles ("Carnival floats") up to 100 feet long, festooned with dancers (or team member in tableaux) and up to 22,000 lightbulbs, that follows a 2.5 mile route over 2 to 3 hours. Later in the evening of the Carnival, there's the simultaneous firing of large fireworks (known as squibs) in the street outside the town hall, known as "squibbing".
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 a funfair, ranked as second largest in England after the Nottingham Goose Fair. It originated in 1249 as a horse and cattle fair, lasting for eight days near St Matthew's day (September 21), giving the venue its name.
During the first weekend of July, the annual "Somerfest" arts festival is held in Bridgwater. The event includes an extensive program of rock, jazz and classical music, dance, drama and visual arts with national and local participants.
Sports
Bridgwater Town F.C. are a football club based at Fairfax Park. The original version of the club was founded in 1898. The club currently plays in the Southern League Division One South and West.
Bridgwater & Albion RFC are Somerset's highest- placed rugby team, playing in National League 3 South and are based at College Way. Founded in 1875 they've had previous homes in Bridgwater including the site now occupied by B&Q.
Notable people
Admiral Robert Blake, until Horatio Nelson the most famous of British Admirals, was born in Bridgwater, and attended the local grammar school (Bridgwater Grammar School For Boys). His home is now the Admiral Blake Museum and contains details of his career amongst its exhibits of local history and archaeology.
Henry Phillpotts, Bishop of Exeter, born in Bridgwater in 1778.
James Sully, psychologist, born in Bridgwater in 1842.
Andrew Plimer, portrait miniature artist, born in Bridgwater 1763.
Donald Crowhurst (1932-69), who tried to fake a round-the-world solo yacht journey, set up his business in the town and was a Town Councillor.
Jean Rees, artist and co-founder of the Bridgwater Arts Centre. b 1914
David Luckes MBE England and Great Britain hockey player - 1989-2000 brought up in Bridgwater
Simon (1981) and Richard Mantell (1984), brothers and field hockey players for England, were both born in Bridgwater.
Sergeant Ben Knight, Bridgwater airman who died in an Afghanistan RAF Nimrod plane crash. Sgt Knight was only 25 when he was killed along with 13 comrades from the 120 Squadron when the Nimrod came down near Kandahar on September 2 2002
Kim Newman, science fiction novelist, horror film expert, TV presenter and film critic, educated at Dr Morgan's Grammar School in Bridgwater
Twinning
Bridgwater is twinned with:
Uherské Hradiště, in the Czech Republic (since 1991)
La Ciotat, France
Homberg, Efze, Germany
Marsa, MaltaFurther Information
Get more info on 'Bridgwater'.
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