It originated in 1249 as a horse and cattle fair, lasting for eight days near St Matthew's day (21 September), giving the venue its name. 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,[95] was constructed in 1851 by John Board, a local brick and tile manufacturer. The carriage workshops for the latter were on an adjacent site. The factory produced Bailey bridges during World War II for the invasion of Europe. The first pool, in Old Taunton Road, was replaced by the Bridgwater Lido on Broadway, opened in 1960 by the Mayor, Alderman Mrs A. 14 June 1841 saw the opening of the Bristol and Exeter Railway from Bristol to Bridgwater. [153], Bridgwater Fair normally takes place in September — it starts on the last Wednesday in September and lasts four days. 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. [5] Bridgwater's peasants under Nicholas Frampton took part in the Peasants' Revolt of 1381,[15] sacking Sydenham House, murdering the local tax collectors and destroying the records. [135] In February 2018 the southern hub of the National College for Nuclear was launched at the Bridgwater campus, intended to service the building and operation of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station.[136]. Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed a brick bridge, known as the Somerset Bridge, with a 100-foot (30 m) span but a rise of just 12 feet (3.7 m). This provides a maternity unit and 30 inpatient beds. Bridgwater Town F.C. [124] It now carries the A38 and A39 roads. The founder is Phil Shepherd. When Parliamentary seats were redistributed for the 1885 general election, a new county division of Bridgwater was created. with all members of the community – pupils, parents, staff, governors, neighbouring schools and organisations in the local area - ensuring that all contributions are encouraged and valued. [146] Holloway was also the architect of the Baroque Lions building on West Quay, constructed around 1730. [66], The Bridgwater constituency has been represented in Parliament since 1295. Search results for properties for sale Cooper & Tanner Estate Agents, Commercial Agents and Auctioneers, operate seven offices in Somerset & Wiltshire, providing Professional Estate Agency and Surveying services to the Residential, Agricultural and Commercial property sectors within the region. The event includes an extensive programme of rock, jazz and classical music, dance, drama and visual arts with national and local participants.[155]. Bridgwater was chosen as the location as it was in the centre of Somerset. The National Cyclopaedia of Useful Knowledge, Vol III, London, Charles Knight, 1847, p.802. [87] In its heyday, imports included wine, grain, fish, hemp, coal and timber. The Battle of Sedgemoor, where the Monmouth Rebellion was finally crushed in 1685, was fought nearby. [115] An end to the unequal competition between rail and canal came in 1867 when the Bristol and Exeter Railway purchased the canal. [122] 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. There are local deposits of gravels and sand. In 1828, 40 ships were registered in the port, averaging 60 tons each. [125] Slightly further east is a modern concrete bridge which carries the M5 motorway over both the river and the railway line. [49][50] Under an 1845 Act of Parliament the Port of Bridgwater extends from Brean Down to Hinkley Point in Bridgwater Bay, and includes parts of the River Parrett (to Bridgwater), River Brue and the River Axe. In 1873 it became the Bridgwater Engineering Company Limited but this failed in 1878. Collision on M4 between junction 18 for Bath and junction 17 for Chippenham. 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 a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and the rest of the bridge was kept. William Briwere also went on to found the Franciscan Bridgwater Friary in the town. 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 near Durleigh. Bridgwater is a large historic market town and civil parish in Somerset, England.Its population currently stands at around 35,886 as of 2011. [46][47], In the medieval period the River Parrett was used to transport Hamstone from the quarry at Ham Hill. After the Norman invasion the land was given to Walter of Douai,[3] hence becoming known variously as Burgh-Walter, Brugg-Walter and Brigg-Walter, eventually corrupted to Bridgwater. View our wide selection of houses and flats for sale in Somerset. [68] Standing 12 metres (39 ft) tall, it was created by sculptor Serena de la Hey and is the largest known sculpture in willow, a traditional local material.[144]. The Salisbury government sent troops to the town to clear the barricades by force after the reading of the Riot Act. F J Carver and Son owned a small dry dock on East Quay and constructed the last ship to be built in the town — the Irene. Bridgwater railway station, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel is now a Grade II listed building. Try our helium delivery and collection service, essential for balloon releases, birthdays, weddings and promotional balloons. [58], Dunball wharf was built in 1844 by Bridgwater coal merchants,[59] and was formerly linked to the Bristol and Exeter Railway by a rail track which crossed the A38. It now carries the A38 and A39 roads. [118] The former associated industry of rope making is commemorated in street furnishings and paving on East Quay and in the name of Ropewalk street. 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. [161], East Bridgwater Sports Centre offers badminton courts, outside football pitches, squash courts and a fitness room. [45] The old hospital site has been sold for development at a price of £1.6 million, and may be turned into a hotel. Welcome back on Monday 8th March 2021 - Please be aware of the need for prompt arrival and collection times. The docks were dredged by a scraper-dredger Bertha similar to the one Brunel had designed for the Bristol Floating Harbour. [14], During the 11th century Second Barons' War against Henry III, Bridgwater was held by the barons against the King. In 2012 EDF purchased the site,[111] including the Grade II listed 16th century building. Beautiful stretches of sandy coastline, caves, moors, the unique Somerset Levels, get-away-from it-all areas of outstanding natural beauty, cool-list towns, internationally renowned art galleries and great food. Find properties to buy in Somerset with the UK's largest data-driven property portal. are a football club based at Fairfax Park. 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. Gunpowder Plotter Guy Fawkes is remembered during the carnival season, including a grand illuminated procession through Bridgwater town centre, which culminates in the Squibbing. [7] In a legend of Alfred the Great, he burnt some cakes while hiding in the marshes of Athelney near Bridgwater, after the Danish invasion in 875, while in 878 the major engagement of the Battle of Cynwit may have been at nearby Cannington. Bowerings Animal Feed Mill is now the only industry still located at the docks. Please continue to read the letters and information posted on the school app and website. [52] A Customs House was sited at Bridgwater, on West Quay; and a dry dock, launching slips and a boat yard on East Quay. 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. [32][33][34], Bridgwater became the first town in Britain to petition the government to ban slavery, in 1785. 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. In summer, a large proportion of the rainfall is caused by sun heating the ground leading to convection and to showers and thunderstorms. In the English Civil War the town and the castle were held by the Royalists under Colonel Edmund Wyndham, a personal acquaintance of the King. The works passed to his son and then traded as Hennet, Spink & Else. After the voting age was lowered in January 1970, Susan Wallace became the first 18-year-old to vote in the UK,[67] during the 1970 Bridgwater by-election that elected Tom King, who took the title Baron King of Bridgwater in 2001. [131] This included the complete relocation and rebuilding of a new school combining the both Haygrove and Penrose School. The canal path is an ideal way of passing through lowland Somerset, seeing areas of historic interest and natural beauty. On the southern edge of Bridgwater there is a bridge which carries the Bristol and Exeter Railway across the River Parrett. Now held annually on the Saturday after the first Friday of November (i.e. to be the best we can in our behaviour, our learning and our hopes and dreams. [55] A floating harbour was constructed between 1837–1841 and the canal was extended to the harbour. Most events are staged in venues such as churches, barns and halls surrounding Bridgwater and attract audiences up to 850 people at an event. Walter's Bridge). Most of the rainfall in the south-west is caused by Atlantic depressions or by convection. The town is both on the route of the Samaritans Way South West and the River Parrett Trail. [25] Bridgwater, being staunchly Protestant at the time of the plot celebrated the thwarting of the conspiracy with particular enthusiasm. Dedicated to Excellence Through Learning Together. Built on the only raised ground in the town, the castle controlled the crossing of the town bridge. Secondary schools include: Robert Blake Science College, Brymore Academy, Chilton Trinity School, East Bridgwater Community School which was previously known as Sydenham School and is a Performing and Visual Arts College,[128] and Haygrove School which has specialist Language College status. [140] There is a Salvation Army Citadel located in Moorland Road, on the Sydenham Estate and St Joseph's Roman Catholic in Binford Place. [38], 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. [40], The first council estate to be built was in the 1930s at Kendale Road, followed by those at Bristol Road. The wharf is now used for landing stone products, mainly marine sand and gravels dredged in the Bristol Channel. It was formerly part of the Hundred of North Petherton. Unlike Bristol, Bridgwater was never involved in the slave trade and, in 1785, was the first town in Britain to petition the government to ban it. To the north are the Mendip range and on the west the Quantock hills. [69], Bridgwater was in the South West England constituency for elections to the European Parliament, prior to Brexit in 2020. - the nearest Saturday to 5 November), it was original held on the first Thursday of November, later moving to the first Friday. [147] Bridgwater Arts Centre was the venue for the first post-war meeting of the Congres Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne in 1947.[148]. [110] It now stands in the grounds of the former British Cellophane plant. [159] The cricket club play at The Parks on Durleigh Road. The fair is now a funfair, ranked as second largest in England after the Nottingham Goose Fair. [2] In the Domesday Book the town is listed as Brugie, while Brugia was also used. [102] At one time the factory employed around 3,000 people, although at the time of closure this had been reduced to just 250. (revised and completed by Lawrence, J.C.) (2005). [61], Sedgemoor District Council acts as the Competent Harbour Authority for the port, and has provided pilotage services for all boats over 98 feet (30 m) using the river since 1998, when it took over the service from Trinity House. [95], The Bridgwater Town Mill, originating in the Middle Ages is located at the end of Blake Street, and there are plans to develop it as an extension to the Blake Museum, A house in Blake Street, largely restored, is believed to be the birthplace of Robert Blake in 1598, and is now the Blake Museum. 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. [56] The harbour area contained flour mills, timber yards and chandlers. It is pleasantly situated, on the edge of the Somerset Levels, having on the east the Mendip range and on the west the Quantock hills. He later lost his head in the Tower of London,[31] and nine locals were executed for treason. Deciding to push Sedgemoor FM towards an older demographic than its predecessor, the team have successfully created a radio station that the community have welcomed. [51], Historically, the main port on the river was at Bridgwater; the river was bridged at this point: the first bridge was built in 1200. [123] 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. The building is now Grade II* listed,[96] and in 2004 was featured in the BBC television programme Restoration. Being close to the M5 motorway and halfway between Bristol and Exeter, Bridgwater is also home to two major distribution centres, while retailer Argos has a regional distribution centre based at Huntworth. ... Cheddar Bridge Touring Park Cheddar, Somerset . Our Mission: 'To provide quality care and support to our practice population and local community which empowers them to improve their health and well-being' COVID-19 9 (CORONAVIRUS) - CHANGES TO SERVICES. [62] All traces of the station, other than "Station Road" have been removed. [90] A major manufacturing centre for clay tiles and bricks in the 19th century, including the famous "Bath brick", were exported through the port. The original version of the club was founded in 1898. [164][165] A new pool was planned as part of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) rebuild of Chilton Trinity School,[166] however, the government's review of the BSF programme may result in the cancellation of the new school and pool build.[133]. Bridgwater Town Council was created in 2003,[64] with sixteen elected members representing six wards of the town; Bower (three), Eastover (two), Hamp (three), Quantock (three), Sydenham (three) and Victoria (two). Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed a brick bridge, known as the Somerset Bridge, with a 100 feet (30 m) span but a rise of just 12 feet (3.7 m). The town has an arts centre and plays host to the annual Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival. Castle House was built in 1851 and was one of the first to make extensive use of concrete demonstrating "an innovative interpretation of traditional masonry features in concrete". This was the first truly local radio station for the town since BCR FM was bought by Choice Media in 2006 which eventually became The Breeze. [78] The risks to wildlife are highlighted in the local Oil Spill Contingency Plan. [27] Eventually, with many buildings destroyed in the town, the castle and its valuable contents were surrendered to the Parliamentarians on 21 July 1645. Exports included wheat, wool, cloth, cement, bricks and tiles. Artists featured have included Sir James Galway, The Sixteen, Nigel Kennedy, The Hilliard Ensemble, The Tallis Scholars, Roger McGough and John Cooper Clarke. [79], 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. Brent Road, East Brent, Highbridge TA9 ... Bridgwater TA6. The foundations of the tower forming the north-east corner of the castle are buried beneath Homecastle House. We use cookies to track usage and improve the website. 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. Most of the rainfall in autumn and winter is caused by the Atlantic depressions, which is when they are most active. Under the management and direction of Tom Copestake and technical skills of Grant Francis, Access FM had mild success within the community, attending multiple events and marking new ground for local radio in the area. [112] In 2015 the industrial site was razed to the ground. [117] Its former Bridgwater station is now occupied by J Sainsbury. Notable buildings include the Church of St Mary and the house in Blake Street, largely restored, which was the birthplace of Admiral Blake in 1598, and is now the Blake Museum. After a short period of use for glassmaking it was converted for the production of pottery, bricks and tiles, which continued until 1939. [162], Bridgwater had a series of swimming pools from 1890 until 2009. 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 in tableaux) and up to 22,000 lightbulbs, that follows a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) route over 2 to 3 hours. Helium Gas Hire. Quarantine work for week beginning 7th December 2020. Bridgwater Somerset TA6 4SZ Tel: 01278 420599 Fax: 01278 420 604 Email: bridgwater@tacklestore.net. View more Avon and Somerset Police News. The fair takes place on St Matthew's Field, better known locally as the Fair Field. Access FM was founded by Martin Hodgson (CEO of Bridgwater YMCA), Grant Francis (owner of Special Media Projects) and Tom Copestake, a youth worker who had worked with a Christian radio station in Coventry before moving to work at Bridgwater YMCA. Show Bridgwater Map. [91] 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. [132][133] Following a meeting with Education Secretary Michael Gove, Bridgwater MP Ian Liddell-Grainger announced that the fate of all six affected schools would be subject to review, including the ones that were cancelled. The Somerset and Dorset branch line to Edington was opened in 1890. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. [16], Bridgwater was incorporated by charter of Edward IV (1468),[2] confirmed in 1554, 1586, 1629 and 1684. 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 became Haygrove School with the Somerset County Council introduction of Comprehensive education), Bridgwater Grammar School For Girls, also in Durleigh, and Westover Senior Council School. [126], Bridgwater is served twice daily by Berrys Coaches 'Superfast' service to and from London.[127]. Classes in Buddhism and meditation were held in the Quaker Meeting House on Friarn Street. [41], On 4 November 2011 West Quay alongside the River 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. It consists of large areas of mud flats, saltmarsh, sandflats and shingle ridges, some of which are vegetated. [76], Bridgwater is centred on an outcrop of marl in an area dominated by low-lying alluvial deposits. 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. An alternative version is that it derives from "Bridge of Walter" (i.e. The Local Government Act 1972 removed the historic status of Bridgwater as a Borough, as it became part of the district of Sedgemoor, which has its headquarters in King Square. 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). [80] The annual mean temperature is approximately 10 °C (50.0 °F). [150] 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).[151]. In 2013, community radio station Access FM was launched on 104.2 FM. [88], The Bridgwater ship the Emanuel was one of three that took part in Martin Frobisher's 1577 search for the Northwest Passage. Parliamentary representation as a borough constituency began in 1295 and continued until the Reform Act of 1870, when the original borough constituency was disenfranchised for corruption. The series also features performance poetry, jazz and folk. The town lies along both sides of the River Parrett, 10 miles from its mouth. Somerset Bridge Primary School, Stockmoor Drive, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 6AH. [24], Following the restoration of the monarchy, in 1663 the non-conformist Reverend John Norman, vicar from 1647 to 1660, was one of several 'religious fanatics' confined to their homes by Lord Stawell's militia. [28] By 1688, matters had calmed down enough for a new chapel, Christ Church, to be founded in Dampiet Street, the congregation of which became Unitarian in 1815. The 15-mile canal path between Taunton and Bridgwater has been developed as a multi-user route to encourage walking and cycling. A large religious meeting house, thought to have been Presbyterian, was demolished and its furniture burned on the Cornhill in 1683. [94] The importance of the Bath Brick declined with the advent of detergents and other cleaning products. [145] 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. Dave Englefield now directs station and sales operations, Grant Francis continues his work as technical manager and Jason Pimm plays as support to both as station administrator and facilitator. 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. [1] Bridgwater is at the edge of the Somerset Levels, in level and well-wooded country. [35], The population of Bridgwater in 1841 was 9,899. An Avon and Somerset Police spokesperson was quoted as saying: “At approximately 6.10pm this evening (Sunday, March 7) we were called to the West Quay area of Bridgwater following the sudden death of a male. (Not to Bath Brick Enthusiasts)", Somerset Brick and Tile Museum, Bridgwater, "Castle House, Queen Street (South side), Bridgwater", "Bridgewater calling: Strummer's friends want concrete folly turned into memorial", "Nineteenth-century iron works site, Colley Lane, Bridgwater", "Erection of petrol filling station and associatedinfrastructure at Land to the South West of HuntworthRoundabout and, to the North West of, A38, Bridgwater", "Public library and attached wall, railings, gate piers and gates (1197353)", "GES006 - British Cellophane Factory, Bridgwater", "Revised submission following EDF Updated Draft Development Consent Order and Proposed Mitigation", "Statutory Instrument 1995 No. Holiday Letting Lodge Complex, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA5 Established holiday letting lodge complex set around its own private lake close to the West Somerset coastline with 33 letting units. [152] Later in the evening of the Carnival, there is the simultaneous firing of large fireworks (known as squibs) in the street outside the town hall, known as "squibbing". Castle Street was used as a location in the 1963 film Tom Jones. The station was the first in history to provide live broadcast coverage from Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival in 2014. Dunball railway station, which had opened in 1873, was closed to both passengers and goods in 1964. Bridgwater is at the edge of the Somerset Levels, in level and well-wooded country.The town lies along both sides of the River Parrett, and has been a major inland port and trading centre since the industrial revolution. 3 bed semi-detached house for sale. Bridgwater was selected as the first town in the South West, outside Bristol, to be selected for the UK government's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) initiative, which aimed to rebuild and renew nearly every secondary school in England. Access FM was initiated as a function of Bridgwater's YMCA and as such held the same values as the charity. At the southern edge of Bridgwater is a bridge which carries the Bristol and Exeter Railway across the River Parrett. 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 indoor Sedgemoor Splash swimming pool in Mount Street, which opened in 1991. Family site in Somerset with entertainment and BMX track, between the Quantock Hills and the Somerset coastline. [121] 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. Probably both", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bridgwater&oldid=1011066515, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2020, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from EB9, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz area identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Bridgwater Cement, Lime, Brick & Tile Works, This page was last edited on 8 March 2021, at 20:55. 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.[24]. for our school environment, so that we maintain a safe, sustainable and healthy community and set an example for life choices both within and outside of school. This location allowed the import by boat of raw materials from Wales and the dispatch of finished work to south Devon using the Bristol and Exeter Railway. There has been a bridge here since the 13th century, when Bridgwater was granted a charter by King John. [17] From 4 July 1870 the town was incorporated within the county constituency of West Somerset. The majority of the brickwork cone was demolished in 1943. [63] 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.
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