Bridgwater is a large historic
market town
A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rural ...
and
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority ...
in
Somerset
( en, All The People of Somerset)
, locator_map =
, coordinates =
, region = South West England
, established_date = Ancient
, established_by =
, preceded_by =
, origin =
, lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset
, lord_ ...
, England. Its population currently stands at around 41,276 as of 2022.
Bridgwater is at the edge of the
Somerset Levels
The Somerset Levels are a coastal plain and wetland area of Somerset, England, running south from the Mendip Hills, Mendips to the Blackdown Hills.
The Somerset Levels have an area of about and are bisected by the Polden Hills; the areas to ...
, in level and well-wooded country. The town lies along both sides of the
River 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
Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England, with a 2011 population of 69,570. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, Taunton Castle, which later became a priory. The Normans built a castle owned by the ...
, is linked to Bridgwater via a canal, the M5 motorway and the
GWR railway line.
Historically, the town had a politically radical tendency. The
Battle of Sedgemoor
The Battle of Sedgemoor was the last and decisive engagement between the Kingdom of England and rebels led by the Duke of Monmouth during the Monmouth rebellion, fought on 6 July 1685, and took place at Westonzoyland near Bridgwater in Somerse ...
, where the
Monmouth Rebellion was finally crushed in 1685, was fought nearby. Notable buildings include the
Church of St Mary and
Blake Museum
The Blake Museum is in Bridgwater, Somerset, England at what is believed to be the birthplace of Robert Blake, General at Sea (1598–1657). Since April 2009 it has been run by Bridgwater Town Council with help from the Friends of Blake Museum ...
, which is a largely restored house in Blake Street and was the birthplace of
Admiral Blake in 1598. The town has an arts centre and plays host to the annual
Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival.
Etymology
It is thought that the town was originally called Brigg, meaning ''
quay
A wharf, quay (, also ), staith, or staithe is a structure on the shore of a harbour or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more berths ( mooring locatio ...
''. It has been argued that the name may instead come from the
Old English
Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...
''brycg'' (gang plank) or
Old Norse
Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...
''bryggja'' (quay), though this idea has been opposed on etymological grounds.
In the
Domesday Book
Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...
the town is listed as Brugie, while Brugia was also used. After the
Norman
Norman or Normans may refer to:
Ethnic and cultural identity
* The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries
** People or things connected with the Norm ...
invasion the land was given to
Walter of Douai
Walter of Douai (Old Norman: ''Wautier de Douai'') (born c.1046, died: c.1107) was a Norman knight, probably at the Battle of Hastings, and a major landowner in South West England after the Norman Conquest, being feudal baron of Bampton in Devon a ...
, 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).
History
Bridgwater proper
Bridgwater is mentioned both in the ''
Domesday Book
Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...
'' and in the earlier ''
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
The ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' is a collection of annals in Old English, chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The original manuscript of the ''Chronicle'' was created late in the 9th century, probably in Wessex, during the reign of Alf ...
'' 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
The Hundred of North Petherton is one of the 40 historical Hundreds in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, dating from before the Norman conquest. Although the Hundreds have never been formally abolished, their functions ended with the e ...
. In a legend of
Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great (alt. Ælfred 848/849 – 26 October 899) was King of the West Saxons from 871 to 886, and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886 until his death in 899. He was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf and his first wife Osburh, who bot ...
, he burnt some cakes while hiding in the marshes of
Athelney
Athelney is a village located between the villages of Burrowbridge and East Lyng in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English '' æþeling'' meaning "prince" + -''ey'' meaning "isle". T ...
near Bridgwater, after the
Danish
Danish may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark
People
* A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark
* Culture of Denmark
* Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...
invasion in 875, while in 878 the major engagement of the
Battle of Cynwit
The Battle of Cynwit, was a battle between West Saxons and Vikings in 878 at a fort which Asser calls ''Cynwit''. The location of the battle is not known for sure but probably was at Countisbury Hill, near Countisbury, Devon.
Prelude
The Viking ...
may have been at nearby
Cannington.
William Briwere
William Briwere (died 1244) was a medieval Bishop of Exeter.
Early life
Briwere was the nephew of William Brewer, a baron and political leader during King Henry III of England's minority.Vincent ''Peter des Roches'' p. 213 Nothing else is k ...
was granted the
lordship
A lordship is a territory held by a lord. It was a landed estate that served as the lowest administrative and judicial unit in rural areas. It originated as a unit under the feudal system during the Middle Ages. In a lordship, the functions of econ ...
of the
Manor of Bridgwater by
King John in 1201,
and founded
Bridgwater Friary
Bridgwater Friary was a Franciscan monastery in Bridgwater, Somerset, England, established in 1245 and dissolved in 1538.
It was founded by William Briwere and moved from another location. Further buildings were added in 1278 and 1284. The chur ...
. Through Briwere's influence, King John granted three charters in 1200; for the construction of Bridgwater Castle, for the creation of a
borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
In the Middle Ag ...
, and for a market.
Bridgwater Castle was a substantial structure built in
Old Red Sandstone
The Old Red Sandstone is an assemblage of rocks in the North Atlantic region largely of Devonian age. It extends in the east across Great Britain, Ireland and Norway, and in the west along the northeastern seaboard of North America. It also exte ...
, covering a site of 8 or 9 acres (32,000 to 36,000 m
2). A tidal
moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that is dug and surrounds a castle, fortification, building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive ...
, up to 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 and
drawbridge
A drawbridge or draw-bridge is a type of moveable bridge typically at the entrance to a castle or tower surrounded by a moat. In some forms of English, including American English, the word ''drawbridge'' commonly refers to all types of moveable ...
s. In addition to a
keep
A keep (from the Middle English ''kype'') is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word ''keep'', but usually consider it to refer to large towers in c ...
, located at the south-east corner of what is now King Square, documents show that the complex included a
dungeon
A dungeon is a room or cell in which prisoners are held, especially underground. Dungeons are generally associated with medieval castles, though their association with torture probably belongs more to the Renaissance period. An oubliette (from ...
, chapel, stables and a
bell tower
A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell tower ...
. Built on the only raised ground in the town, the castle controlled the crossing of the town bridge. A 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. William Briwere also founded St John's
hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...
which, by the time of the
Dissolution of the Monasteries under
Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
, was worth the substantial sum of almost 121
pounds, as well as starting the construction of the town's first stone bridge. William Briwere also went on to found the
Franciscan
The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...
Bridgwater Friary
Bridgwater Friary was a Franciscan monastery in Bridgwater, Somerset, England, established in 1245 and dissolved in 1538.
It was founded by William Briwere and moved from another location. Further buildings were added in 1278 and 1284. The chur ...
in the town.
During the 13th century
Second Barons' War
The Second Barons' War (1264–1267) was a civil war in England between the forces of a number of barons led by Simon de Montfort against the royalist forces of King Henry III, led initially by the king himself and later by his son, the fut ...
against
Henry III, Bridgwater was held by the
baron
Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knig ...
s 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.
Bridgwater's peasants under Nicholas Frampton took part in the
Peasants' Revolt
The Peasants' Revolt, also named Wat Tyler's Rebellion or the Great Rising, was a major uprising across large parts of England in 1381. The revolt had various causes, including the socio-economic and political tensions generated by the Black ...
of 1381, sacking
Sydenham House, murdering the local tax collectors and destroying the records.
![blake statue bridgwater](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Blake_statue_bridgwater.jpg)
Bridgwater was incorporated by charter of
Edward IV (1468),
confirmed in 1554, 1586, 1629 and 1684. Parliamentary representation as a
borough constituency began in 1295 and continued until 1870, when the original borough constituency was disenfranchised for corruption;
from 4 July 1870 the town was incorporated within the
county constituency
In the United Kingdom (UK), each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one member to the House of Commons.
Within the United Kingdom there are five bodies with members elected by electoral districts called "constituenc ...
of
West Somerset
West Somerset was a local government district in the English county of Somerset. The council covered a largely rural area, with a population of 34,900 in an area of ; it was the least populous non- unitary district in England. According to f ...
. When Parliamentary seats were redistributed for the
1885 general election, a new county division of
Bridgwater
Bridgwater is a large historic market town and civil parish in Somerset, England. Its population currently stands at around 41,276 as of 2022. Bridgwater is at the edge of the Somerset Levels, in level and well-wooded country. The town lies alon ...
was created. 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 at
Michaelmas
Michaelmas ( ; also known as the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, the Feast of the Archangels, or the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels) is a Christian festival observed in some Western liturgical calendars on 29 September, a ...
. 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.
Gunpowder Plot
The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was a failed assassination attempt against King James I by a group of provincial English Catholics led by Robert Catesby who sought ...
ter
Guy Fawkes
Guy Fawkes (; 13 April 1570 – 31 January 1606), also known as Guido Fawkes while fighting for the Spanish, was a member of a group of provincial English Catholics involved in the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605. He was born and educated ...
is remembered during the carnival season, including a grand illuminated procession through Bridgwater town centre, which culminates in the
Squibbing. Bridgwater, being staunchly Protestant at the time of the plot celebrated the thwarting of the conspiracy with particular enthusiasm.
In the
English Civil War
The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
the town and the castle were held by the Royalists under
Colonel Edmund Wyndham, a personal acquaintance of the
King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
. British history might have been very different had his wife, Lady (Crystabella) Wyndham, been a little more accurate with a musket shot that missed
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...
but killed his aide de camp. 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
Slighting is the deliberate damage of high-status buildings to reduce their value as military, administrative or social structures. This destruction of property sometimes extended to the contents of buildings and the surrounding landscape. It is ...
) the following year, while in 1651 Colonel Wyndham made arrangements for
Charles II to
flee to France following the
Battle of Worcester
The Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 in and around the city of Worcester, England and was the last major battle of the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. A Parliamentarian army of around 28,000 under Oliver Cromwell def ...
.
Following the
restoration of the monarchy, in 1663 the
non-conformist Reverend John Norman,
vicar
A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pref ...
from 1647 to 1660, was one of several 'religious
fanatics' confined to their homes by
Lord Stawell's
militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
. A large religious meeting house, thought to have been
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
, was demolished and its furniture burned on the Cornhill in 1683.
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.
In the 1685
Monmouth Rebellion, the rebel
Duke of Monmouth
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...
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 near
Westonzoyland
Westonzoyland is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is situated on the Somerset Levels, south east of Bridgwater.
History
The name of the parish derives from its location on the "island" of Sowy, an area of slightly higher groun ...
. Surprise was lost when a musket was accidentally discharged, and the
Battle of Sedgemoor
The Battle of Sedgemoor was the last and decisive engagement between the Kingdom of England and rebels led by the Duke of Monmouth during the Monmouth rebellion, fought on 6 July 1685, and took place at Westonzoyland near Bridgwater in Somerse ...
resulted in defeat for the Duke. He was later beheaded at the
Tower of London
The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is separa ...
, and nine locals were executed for treason.
The
Chandos Glass Cone was built in 1725 as a glasswork firing kiln by
James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos
James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos, (6 January 16739 August 1744) was an English landowner and politician who sat in the English and British House of Commons from 1698 until 1714, when he succeeded to the peerage as Baron Chandos, and vacated ...
as part of an industrial development. After a short period of use for
glassmaking
Glass production involves two main methods – the float glass process that produces sheet glass, and glassblowing that produces bottles and other containers. It has been done in a variety of ways during the history of glass.
Glass container ...
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 has been preserved and scheduled as an
ancient monument
In British law, an ancient monument is an early historical structure or monument (e.g. an archaeological site) worthy of preservation and study due to archaeological or heritage interest. The ''Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 ...
.
Bridgwater became the first town in Britain to petition the government to ban
slavery
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
, in 1785.
The population of Bridgwater in 1841 was 9,899.
In 1896, the
trade unionists
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits (su ...
of Bridgwater's brick and tile industry were involved a number of strikes. The
Salisbury
Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath.
Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...
government sent troops to the town to clear the barricades by force after the reading of the
Riot Act.
![Bridgewater map 1946](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Bridgewater_map_1946.jpg)
A
by-election
A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election (Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is an election used to f ...
in 1938 enabled the town to send a message to the government and
Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Germany from 1933 until his death in 1945. He rose to power as the leader of the Nazi Party, becoming the chancellor in 1933 and then ...
, when an Independent anti-
appeasement
Appeasement in an international context is a diplomatic policy of making political, material, or territorial concessions to an aggressive power in order to avoid conflict. The term is most often applied to the foreign policy of the UK governm ...
candidate, journalist
Vernon Bartlett
Charles Vernon Oldfield Bartlett, CBE (30 April 1894 – 18 January 1983) was an English journalist, politician and author. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1938 to 1950: first as an Independent Progressive advocating a Popular Fro ...
was elected MP.
In
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
the
Bridgwater and Taunton Canal formed part of the
Taunton Stop Line
The Taunton Stop Line was a World War II defensive line in southwest England. It was designed "to stop an enemy's advance from the west and in particular a rapid advance supported by armoured fighting vehicles (up to the size of a German medium ...
, designed to prevent the advance of a
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
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 a
prisoner of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold prisoners of wa ...
camp was established at Colley Lane, holding
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
prisoners. During the preparations for the
invasion of Europe
Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 (D-Day) with the Norm ...
, American troops were based in the town.
The first
council estate
Public housing in the United Kingdom, also known as council estates, council housing, or social housing, provided the majority of rented accommodation until 2011 when the number of households in private rental housing surpassed the number in so ...
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 near
Durleigh.
On 4 November 2011 West Quay alongside the
River Parrett and 19 adjoining properties were evacuated after a stretch of the retaining wall partially collapsed after heavy rain and flooding. The old hospital in Salmon Parade, which was built in 1813, closed in 2014 and has been replaced with a community hospital in Bower Lane. This provides a maternity unit and 30 inpatient beds. The old hospital site has been sold for development at a price of £1.6 million, and may be turned into a hotel.
Port of Bridgwater
![West Quay, Bridgwater from the old town bridge - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/West_Quay%2C_Bridgwater_from_the_old_town_bridge_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1459534.jpg)
In the medieval period the River Parrett was used to transport
Hamstone
Hamstone is the name given to a honey-coloured building stone from Ham Hill, Somerset, England. It is a well-cemented medium to coarse grained limestone characterised by marked bedding planes of clay inclusions and less well-cemented material ...
from the quarry at
Ham Hill. Bridgwater was part of the
Port of Bristol
The Port of Bristol comprises the commercial docks situated in and near the city of Bristol in England. They are now operated by the Bristol Port Company, which owns both Avonmouth and Royal Portbury Docks. Until 1991 the Port of Bristol Authori ...
until the Port of Bridgwater was created in 1348,
covering of the Somerset coast line, from the
Devon
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...
border to the mouth of the
River Axe.
[Lawrence, J.F. (revised and completed by Lawrence, J.C.) (2005). ''A History of Bridgwater''. Chichester: Phillimore. . Chapter 8: "The Medieval Port of Bridgwater".] Under an 1845
Act of Parliament
Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the Legislature, legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of ...
the Port of Bridgwater extends from
Brean Down
Brean Down is a promontory off the coast of Somerset, England, standing high and extending into the Bristol Channel at the eastern end of Bridgwater Bay between Weston-super-Mare and Burnham-on-Sea.
Made of Carboniferous Limestone, it is a ...
to
Hinkley Point
Hinkley Point is a headland on the Bristol Channel coast of Somerset, England, north of Bridgwater and west of Burnham-on-Sea, close to the mouth of the River Parrett.
Excavations in 2014 and 2015, carried out by Cotswold Archaeology and fund ...
in
Bridgwater Bay
Bridgwater Bay is on the Bristol Channel, north of Bridgwater in Somerset, England at the mouth of the River Parrett and the end of the River Parrett Trail. It stretches from Minehead at the southwestern end of the bay to Brean Down in the nor ...
, and includes parts of the River Parrett (to Bridgwater),
River Brue
The River Brue originates in the parish of Brewham in Somerset, England, and reaches the sea some west at Burnham-on-Sea. It originally took a different route from Glastonbury to the sea, but this was changed by Glastonbury Abbey in the twelft ...
and the
River Axe.
Historically, the main port on the river was at Bridgwater; the river was bridged at this point: the first bridge was built in 1200.
Quay
A wharf, quay (, also ), staith, or staithe is a structure on the shore of a harbour or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more berths ( mooring locatio ...
s were built in 1424; another quay, the ''Langport slip'', was built in 1488 upstream of the Town Bridge.
A
Customs House
A custom house or customs house was traditionally a building housing the offices for a jurisdictional government whose officials oversaw the functions associated with importing and exporting goods into and out of a country, such as collecting ...
was sited at Bridgwater, on West Quay; and a
dry dock
A dry dock (sometimes drydock or dry-dock) is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform. Dry docks are used for the construction, maintenance, ...
, launching slips and a boat yard on East Quay. The river was navigable, with care, to Bridgwater Town Bridge by vessels. By trans-shipping into barges at the Town Bridge the Parrett was navigable as far as
Langport
Langport is a small town and civil parish in Somerset, England, west of Somerton in the South Somerset district. The parish, which covers only part of the town, has a population of 1,081. Langport is contiguous with Huish Episcopi, a separate ...
and (via the
River Yeo) to
Ilchester
Ilchester is a village and civil parish, situated on the River Yeo or Ivel, five miles north of Yeovil, in the English county of Somerset. Originally a Roman town, and later a market town, Ilchester has a rich medieval history and was a nota ...
. After 1827, it was also possible to transfer goods to
Taunton
Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England, with a 2011 population of 69,570. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, Taunton Castle, which later became a priory. The Normans built a castle owned by the ...
via the
Bridgwater and Taunton Canal at Huntworth. A floating harbour was constructed between 1837–1841 and the canal was extended to the harbour.
[Lawrence, J.F. (revised and completed by Lawrence, J.C.) (2005). ''A History of Bridgwater''. Chichester: Phillimore. . Chapter 21: "Victorian Times".] The harbour area contained
flour mill
A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separated ...
s, timber yards and
chandlers.
Shipping to Bridgwater expanded with the construction of
Bridgwater Docks
The Port of Bridgwater is a port, originally located in the town of Bridgwater, Somerset, England. Created under an 1845 Act of Parliament, it extends from Brean Down to Hinkley Point in Bridgwater Bay, and parts of the rivers Parrett (to Bridg ...
, and reached a peak between 1880 and 1885; with an average of 3,600 ships per year entering the port.
Bridgwater also built some 167 ships; the last one was the ''Irene'', launched in 1907. Peak
tonnage
Tonnage is a measure of the cargo-carrying capacity of a ship, and is commonly used to assess fees on commercial shipping. The term derives from the taxation paid on ''tuns'' or casks of wine. In modern maritime usage, "tonnage" specifically ref ...
occurred in 1857, with 142 vessels totalling .
Dunball
Dunball is a small hamlet west of the village of Puriton and close to the town of Bridgwater, Somerset, England.
Just north of Dunball is Down End which is the site of Down End Castle a motte-and-bailey castle, which has been designated as ...
wharf was built in 1844 by Bridgwater coal merchants, and was formerly linked to the
Bristol & Exeter Railway by a rail track which crossed the
A38. In 1875, the local landowner built The Dunball Steam Pottery & Brick & Tile Works adjacent to the wharf.
Although ships no longer dock in the town of Bridgwater, of cargo were handled within the port authority's area in 2006, most of which was stone products via the wharf at Dunball.
It is no longer linked to the railway system. The link was removed as part of the railway closures made as a result of the
Beeching Report Beeching is an English surname. Either a derivative of the old English ''bece'', ''bæce'' "stream", hence "dweller by the stream" or of the old English ''bece'' "beech-tree" hence "dweller by the beech tree".''Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames' ...
in the 1960s.
Dunball railway station
There are 22 disused railway stations in the between and , 12 of which have structures that can still be seen from passing trains. Most were closed in the 1960s but four of them, especially around , were replaced by stations on new sites. 13 s ...
, which had opened in 1873, was closed to both passengers and goods in 1964. 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 the
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel ( cy, Môr Hafren, literal translation: "Severn Sea") is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Seve ...
. Marine sand and gravel accounted for of the total tonnage of using the Port facilities in 2006, with salt products accounting for in the same year.
Sedgemoor, Sedgemoor District Council acts as the Competent Harbour Authority for the port, and has provided Maritime pilot, pilotage services for all boats over using the river since 1998, when it took over the service from Trinity House. Pilotage is important because of the constant changes in the navigable channel resulting from the large tidal range, which can exceed on spring tides.
Its historic estates include the manor of Sydenham.
Governance
![Warmemorialbridgwater (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Warmemorialbridgwater_%28cropped%29.jpg)
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, King Square.
Bridgwater Town Council, which is based at Bridgwater Town Hall, was created in 2003, 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.
Bridgwater and West Somerset (UK Parliament constituency), Bridgwater and West Somerset is a
county constituency
In the United Kingdom (UK), each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one member to the House of Commons.
Within the United Kingdom there are five bodies with members elected by electoral districts called "constituenc ...
represented in the British House of Commons, House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. The current MP is Ian Liddell-Grainger, a member of the Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party.
In 2018 Diogo Rodrigues became the first Portuguese national to be elected as a Mayor in England, also becoming Bridgwater's youngest ever mayor.
Members of Parliament
The Bridgwater (constituency), 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 to vote in the UK, during the 1970 Bridgwater by-election that elected Tom King, Baron King of Bridgwater, Tom King, who took the title Baron King of Bridgwater in 2001.
At the 2010 General Election, Bridgwater became part of the new Bridgwater and West Somerset (UK Parliament constituency), Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency.
Bridgwater was in the South West England (European Parliament constituency), South West England constituency for elections to the European Parliament, prior to Brexit in 2020.
Twinning
Bridgwater is twinned with the following towns and cities:
*Uherské Hradiště, in the Czech Republic, since 1992
*La Ciotat in France, since 1957
*Homberg (Efze), Homberg, Efze in Germany, since 1992
*Marsa, Malta, Marsa in Malta, since 2006
*Priverno in Italy, since 2015
*Camacha, Madeira Autonomous Region, Portugal, since 2019
Geology
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.
It is situated in a level and well-wooded area, on the edge of the
Somerset Levels
The Somerset Levels are a coastal plain and wetland area of Somerset, England, running south from the Mendip Hills, Mendips to the Blackdown Hills.
The Somerset Levels have an area of about and are bisected by the Polden Hills; the areas to ...
. To the north are the Mendip Hills, Mendip range and on the west the Quantock hills. The town lies along both sides of the
River Parrett, from its mouth, which then flows to discharge into the
Bridgwater Bay
Bridgwater Bay is on the Bristol Channel, north of Bridgwater in Somerset, England at the mouth of the River Parrett and the end of the River Parrett Trail. It stretches from Minehead at the southwestern end of the bay to Brean Down in the nor ...
national nature reserves in England, National Nature Reserve. It consists of large areas of mud flats, saltmarsh, sandflats and shingle ridges, some of which are vegetated. It has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest since 1989,
and is designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
The risks to wildlife are highlighted in the local Oil Spill Contingency Plan.
Climate
![Bridgwater-Fore-Street-in-Snow-(1200x800)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Bridgwater-Fore-Street-in-Snow-%281200x800%29.jpg)
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 . Temperateness, 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 . In winter mean minimum temperatures of are common.
In the summer the Azores high pressure affects the south-west of England, however convective 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.
Most of the rainfall in the south-west is caused by Low-pressure area, Atlantic depressions or by convection. 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 . 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.
Demography
Bridgwater had a population of 35,800 according to the 2001 census
(up from 22,718 in 1951, 3,634 in 1801, and 7,807 in 1831).
Economy
![BridgwaterWestQuayAndRiverParrett(PatrickMackie)Apr2006](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/BridgwaterWestQuayAndRiverParrett%28PatrickMackie%29Apr2006.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, 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 1785, 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.
Industry
Bridgwater was the leading industrial town in Somerset and remains a major centre for manufacturing. 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. These industries are celebrated in the Somerset Brick and Tile Museum on East Quay.
These industries collapsed in the aftermath of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
due to the failure to introduce Mechanization, 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. Dunware ponds used to make bricks and can still be found along the paths.
During the 19th century, Castle House, Bridgwater, 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 building, listed, and in 2004 was featured in the BBC television programme ''Restoration (television), Restoration''.
In the 19th century, Bridgwater was also home to a number of iron foundry, foundries. George Hennet's Bridgwater Iron Works worked on bridges, railways and machinery for Brunel and Robert Stephenson. This location allowed the import by boat of raw materials from Wales and the dispatch of finished work to south Devon using the
Bristol & 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 the Royal Albert Bridge at Saltash, Cornwall. In 1873 it became the Bridgwater Engineering Company Limited but this failed in 1878. W&F Wills Ltd produced locomotive, steam locomotives and traffic sign, fingerposts.
At the start of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the government built a factory to manufacture high explosives at Puriton near Bridgwater.
[Cocroft, Wayne D. (2000). ''Dangerous Energy: The archaeology of gunpowder and military explosives manufacture''. Swindon: English Heritage. ] Called ROF Bridgwater, the plant is today owned by BAE Systems and closed after decommissioning was completed in July 2008.
British Cellophane Ltd, a joint venture between La Cellophane SA and Samuel Courtauld (industrialist), Courtaulds opened a major factory producing cellophane in Bridgwater 1937. The factory produced Bailey bridges during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
for the invasion of Europe. Bought by Innovia Films, UCB Films in 1996, the town suffered a blow in 2005 when Innovia Films closed the British Cellophane Ltd, 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 Company, Gerber Juice and new enterprises Toolstation and Interpet as well as the Exel centre for the National Health Service, NHS Logistics Authority.
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 halfway between Bristol and Exeter, Bridgwater is also home to two major distribution centres, while retailer Argos (retailer), Argos has a regional distribution centre based at Huntworth. A new £100 m Regional Agricultural Business Centre opened in 2007, following construction which began in 2006.
As of 2021, a commercial development campus named Gravity, targeting the low-carbon economy, is planned for the former ROF Bridgwater site north of Bridgwater.
Landmarks
![CastleHouseBridgwater](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/CastleHouseBridgwater.JPG)
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). Castle House, Bridgwater, 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".
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
The Blake Museum is in Bridgwater, Somerset, England at what is believed to be the birthplace of Robert Blake, General at Sea (1598–1657). Since April 2009 it has been run by Bridgwater Town Council with help from the Friends of Blake Museum ...
A house in Blake Street, largely restored, is believed to be the birthplace of Robert Blake (admiral), Robert Blake in 1598, and is now the
Blake Museum
The Blake Museum is in Bridgwater, Somerset, England at what is believed to be the birthplace of Robert Blake, General at Sea (1598–1657). Since April 2009 it has been run by Bridgwater Town Council with help from the Friends of 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 Blake Statue, statue from 1898 by F. W. Pomeroy has been repositioned from the front of the Corn Exchange, Bridgwater, Corn Exchange to face down Cornhill. The public library by E Godfrey Page dates from 1905.
Sydenham House was previously a manor estate built in the early 16th century, which was refronted and rebuilt after 1613. Its owners were on the losing side in the English Civil War, Civil War and again in the
Monmouth Rebellion. It now stands in the grounds of the former British Cellophane Ltd, British Cellophane plant. In 2012 Électricité de France, EDF purchased the site, including the Grade II listed building, listed 16th century building. 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 of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station.
Transport
![Bridgwater railway station MMB 09](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/Bridgwater_railway_station_MMB_09.jpg)
As trade expanded during the Industrial Revolution, Bridgwater was linked to
Taunton
Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England, with a 2011 population of 69,570. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, Taunton Castle, which later became a priory. The Normans built a castle owned by the ...
by the
Bridgwater and Taunton Canal (1827), although initially it ran from a dock (maritime), basin south of Bridgwater at Huntworth. As trade grew Port of Bridgwater, docks were built in the town, linked to an extension of the canal, with both opening in 1841. The docks were dredged by a scraper-dredger Bertha similar to the one Isambard Kingdom Brunel had designed for the Bristol Floating Harbour. 14 June 1841 saw the opening of the
Bristol & 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 II listed building. An end to the unequal competition between rail and canal came in 1867 when the Bristol & Exeter Railway purchased the canal. 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 Joint Railway, Somerset and Dorset branch line to Edington, Somerset, Edington was opened in 1890. Its former Bridgwater station is now occupied by J Sainsbury.
![Bridgwaterdocks68](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Bridgwaterdocks68.jpg)
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 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 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
A dry dock (sometimes drydock or dry-dock) is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform. Dry docks are used for the construction, maintenance, ...
on East Quay and constructed the last ship to be built in the town — the ''Irene''. The former associated industry of rope making is commemorated in Street furniture, street furnishings and paving on East Quay and in the name of ''Ropewalk'' 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 , the bridge was constructed as part of the Bridgwater Northern Distributor road scheme (1992), and provides a navigable channel which is wide with headroom at normal spring high tides.
Upstream of this is the retractable bridge, retractable Telescopic Bridge, Bridgwater, Telescopic Bridge, built in 1871 to the design of Sir Francis Fox, the engineer for the
Bristol & 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 section of railway track to the east of the bridge could be moved sideways, so that the main girders could be retracted, creating a navigable channel which was wide.
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 a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and the rest of the bridge was kept. 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 to Westonzoyland Pumping Station Museum in 1977.
[
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 cast iron structure was completed in 1883.] It replaced an earlier bridge, which was the first cast iron bridge to be built in Somerset when it was completed in 1797. 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.[ Above the bridge there were two shoals, called The Coals and The Stones, which were a hazard to barge traffic on the river, and wikt:bargee, bargees had to choose carefully when to navigate the river, to ensure that there was sufficient water to carry them over these obstructions. 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. It now carries the A38 and A39 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 the Bridgwater railway station#Somerset Bridge, Somerset Bridge, with a span but a rise of just . 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.] Slightly further east is a modern concrete bridge which carries the M5 motorway over both the river and the railway line. It was started in 1971 and opened in 1973.
Bridgwater is served twice daily by Berrys Coaches 'Superfast' service to and from London.
Education
The primary school, primary and infant school, infant schools in Bridgwater include: Eastover Community Primary School, Hamp Community Junior School, Sedgemoor Manor 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 a Arts College, Performing and Visual Arts College, and Haygrove School which has specialist Language College status. 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's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) initiative, which aimed to rebuild and renew nearly every secondary school in England. 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. 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. 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.
Further Education is provided by Bridgwater and Taunton College which was formerly Bridgwater Technical School. 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.
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.
Religious sites
Among several places of worship the chief is the Church of St Mary; this has a north porch and windows dating from the 14th century, besides a slender spire; but it has been much altered by restoration. It possesses a fine painted reredos, and has been designated by English Heritage as a grade I listed building.
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 by English Heritage as a grade II* listed building.
The Church of St John the Baptist in Blake Place was built by the Revd. John More Capes and designed by John Brown (architect), 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 and St Joseph's Roman Catholic in Binford Place.
Classes in Buddhism and meditation were held in the Quaker Meeting House on Friarn Street. In 2014 the building was put up for auction and purchased by local Muslims to become Bridgwater Islamic Centre.
Arts
Nearing Bridgwater on the M5 motorway it is 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 tall, it was created by sculpture, sculptor Serena de la Hey and is the largest known sculpture in willow, a traditional local material.
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 included James Galway, Sir James Galway, The Sixteen, Nigel Kennedy, The Hilliard Ensemble, The Tallis Scholars, Roger McGough and John 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 established Arts Council of England. It is situated in a Grade I listed building in the architecture, architecturally protected Georgian architecture, 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#Architecture: origins and characteristics, Baroque Lions House, Bridgwater, 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.
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, Bridgwater, Castle Street was used as a location in the 1963 film ''Tom Jones (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 (novel), Ulysses (Chapter 16).
In 2013, community radio station Access FM was launched on 104.2 FM. 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 (Bristol), The Breeze. Access FM was initiated as a function of Bridgwater's YMCA and as such held the same values as the charity. 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. The station was the first in history to provide live broadcast coverage from Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival in 2014.
In October 2015 the station went through a re-branding process under a revised management team, creating Sedgemoor 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.
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 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 long, festooned with dancers (or team member in Tableau vivant, tableaux) and up to 22,000 lightbulbs, that follows a route over 2 to 3 hours.[It is claimed that the 2011 Bridgwater carnival had 118 entries, 57 of which were illuminated "carts", see ] 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".
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 Saint Matthew, St Matthew's day (21 September), 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 programme of rock, jazz and classical music, dance, drama and visual arts with national and local participants.
A new annual event was launched in 2014, taking place in May each year. The Bridgwater 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 the University 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 each year and features the best in local produce with cooking demonstrations taking place from local chefs.
Sport and leisure
Sport
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 are Somerset's highest-placed rugby team, playing in English rugby union system#Level 5: National League 3, National League 3 South and are based at College Way. It was founded in 1875.
The cricket club play at The Parks on Durleigh Road.
Bridgwater Field hockey, Hockey Club was founded in 1925 and field four men's teams and three women's teams, playing fixtures at 1610 Leisure Centre.
Leisure
East Bridgwater Sports Centre offers badminton courts, outside football pitches, squash courts and a fitness room.
Bridgwater had a series of swimming pools from 1890 until 2009. The first pool, on Old Taunton Road, was replaced by the ''Bridgwater Lido (swimming pool), Lido'' 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 indoor ''Sedgemoor Splash'' swimming pool in Mount Street, which opened in 1991. 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. A new pool was planned as part of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) rebuild of Chilton Trinity School,
The town is both on the route of the Samaritans Way South West and the River Parrett Trail.
Notable people
*Robert Blake (admiral), Admiral Robert Blake (1598–1657) was born in Bridgwater, and attended the local grammar school (Bridgwater Grammar School For Boys). His home is now the Blake Museum
The Blake Museum is in Bridgwater, Somerset, England at what is believed to be the birthplace of Robert Blake, General at Sea (1598–1657). Since April 2009 it has been run by Bridgwater Town Council with help from the Friends of Blake Museum ...
and contains details of his career amongst its exhibits of local history and archaeology.
*John Chubb (artist), John Chubb (1746–1818), Bridgwater merchant and amateur artist, who painted portraits of his local contemporaries, as well as a number of paintings of Bridgwater street scenes. His work is in the collection of the Blake Museum
The Blake Museum is in Bridgwater, Somerset, England at what is believed to be the birthplace of Robert Blake, General at Sea (1598–1657). Since April 2009 it has been run by Bridgwater Town Council with help from the Friends of Blake Museum ...
, Bridgwater.
*Donald Crowhurst (1932–1969), who tried to fake a round-the-world solo yacht journey, set up his business in Bridgwater and was a borough councillor.
*William Diaper (1685–1717), clergyman and innovative poet, was born in Bridgwater.
*Robert Dibble (1882–1963), England rugby player, was born in Bridgwater, and played club rugby for Bridgwater & Albion RFC and Newport RFC.
*Sir Paul Dukes (1889–1967) was born in Bridgwater and educated at Caterham School, and went on to be the premier SIS agent in pre-revolution Russia. Known as the "Man with a Hundred Faces", he eluded Bolshevik capture and is still the only man to be knighted based on his exploits as a spy.
*Wayne Goss (Make-up Artist), Wayne Goss (b. 1978), makeup artist and YouTube personality, was born in Bridgwater.
*Peter Haggett (b. 1933), academic geographer and professor at University of Bristol, was educated at Dr Morgan's Grammar School, Bridgwater.
*Chris Harris (actor, director and writer), Chris Harris (1942–2014), English performer, director and writer who starred in ''Into the Labyrinth (TV series), Into the Labyrinth''. He also starred in and directed the pantomime at the Theatre Royal, Bath from 2001.
*Charles Kent (rugby player), Charles Kent (1953–2005), England rugby player, was born in Bridgwater.
*David Luckes (b. 1969), England and Great Britain hockey player 1989–2000, was brought up in Bridgwater.
*Richard Mantell, Richard (b. 1981) and Simon Mantell (b. 1984), brothers and field hockey players for England, were both born in Bridgwater.
*Breaker Morant, Harry "Breaker" Morant (1864–1902), Anglo-Australian Boer War soldier, was born in Bridgwater.
*Kim Newman (b. 1959), science fiction novelist, horror film expert, TV presenter and film critic, was educated at Dr Morgan's Grammar School in Bridgwater.
*Henry Phillpotts (1778–1869), Bishop of Exeter 1830–1869, was born in Bridgwater.
*John de Ponz (c.1248-c.1307), royal administrator and senior judge in Ireland, was born in Bridgwater, and was sometimes known as "John of Bridgwater".[Ball, F. Elrington ''The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921'' London John Murray 1926]
*Jean Rees (1914–2004), artist and co-founder of the Bridgwater Arts Centre.
*Alexander Scoles (1844–1920), Roman Catholic priest and architect of Catholic churches: he served as parish priest in Bridgwater and designed and built St Joseph's church, Binford Place.
*James Sully (1842–1923), psychologist, was born in Bridgwater.
*Fanny Talbot (1824–1917), born in Bridgwater, philanthropist and friend of John Ruskin, who donated the first property to the National Trust.
*Tommy Woods (rugby), Tommy Woods (1883–1955), England rugby player, was born in Bridgwater and played club rugby for Bridgwater & Albion RFC and Rochdale Hornets.
Notes
References
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Attribution:
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External links
Port of Bridgwater
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{{Authority control
Bridgwater,
Market towns in Somerset
Towns in Sedgemoor
Somerset Levels
Monmouth Rebellion