Bideford

The building of New Bridge across the River Torridge, north of Bideford in Devon. The finished structure has eight spans with a total length of 641 m/2,104 ft and is 24 m/79 ft above the spring tide water level. The opening of the bridge has greatly eased the pressure of traffic on the town of Bideford.

Town and port in north Devon, England; population (2001) 15,000. It is situated 13 km/8 mi southwest of Barnstaple, on both banks of the River Torridge, 6 km/4 mi above its confluence with the estuary of the River Taw. An old 24-arched bridge unites the two parts of the town. Industries include the making of fabric gloves and toys, boat building, and light engineering.

There are regular sailings from Bideford to Lundy Island, 18 km/11 mi offshore.

Bideford has an art gallery, and the parish church of St Mary has many historic documents and monuments. The port handled considerable trade up to the late 18th century, including cloth, salted fish, and tobacco. It was the starting-place of the last voyage of the 16th-century adventurer Sir Richard Grenville. The town also figures prominently in Charles Kingsley's Westward Ho!.