The Town of Wadebridge
Wadebridge (St. Breock) - Ponsrys (Nanssans)
A modern English name that explains itself. The Kernewek form is simply a translation. The name was originally Wade 1358, chapel of Wade 1382, town of Wade 1478, bridge of Wadebrygge 1478, Wadebridge c. 1540
Wadebridge is situated on the north coast of Cornwall, on the River Camel with the famous Camel Trail which is very popular for walkers and cyclists alike, that wish to explore the beautiful countryside, together with some some fantastic views and countryside.
Wadebridge has a the famous John Betjeman Centre, which as many may know Sir John Betjeman - Poet Laureate, loved Wadebridge and the close proximity to the coast and the great many beaches.
You will find Sir John Betjeman's grave at the the church of St.Enodoc, which was reclaimed from the sand upon the golf course.
The picturesque fishing village of Padstow is just a fifteen minutes drive away or an hours walking along the Camel Trail, which is a very popular destination for the holidaymakers, with regular ferry rides across the River Camel to Rock, another popular village with a great many water sports.
Wadebridge has a good shopping area, with a tourist information centre for our visitors to the town, together with some great surfing supply shops, as we are in close proximity to many of north Cornwall's famous surfing beaches, which are only a short drive or bus ride away.
During the school summer holidays, you'll always find the Wadebridge Lions with their Teddy Bear stall outside The Swan in the Platt from 10am - 12 noon, which has become a tradition in Wadebridge.
Wadebridge boasts some great eating places, where you can either sit indoors or outdoors under the sun shades in pleasant surroundings, with plenty of choice in food tastes.
Wadebridge was formally named as Wade, until the Rev.Lovibond built the bridge over the River Camel (formally the River Stallon) to Egloshayle. Therefore before the bridge was built, which by local legends was built upon sacks of wool, the main area was Egloshayle. But since the bridge was built in 1468, Wadebridge has grown into a very popular town.
For a great many years now, Wadebridge has been voted as the most envious place to live in Europe, it is no wonder, as we have a great atmosphere and friendly locals.
At various times of the year we have some great events that attract the visitors, including Jazz in the Park (run by Wadebridge Lions Club), The Folk Festival, where the town comes alive to the sounds of folk music and dancing in the streets, plus a great many more festivities through the summer months.
The town of Wadebridge (Cornish: Ponsrys) is is located in North Cornwall on the Camel
Estuary and some 5 miles (8 km) upstream from the popular destination of those on holiday for
the fishing village Padstow.
For many years Wadebridge was a traffic congested town and
in 1991 the Wadebridge bypass was opened together with the Egloshayle bypass causing the two
settlements to regain much of their former charm. Molesworth Street is the main shopping street
in Wadebridge and has subsequently become pedestrianized through an inner link road, allowing
traffic free shopping, although delivery vehicles are still allowed to access.
History:
The initial settlement of Wade (The name of Wadebridge before the bridge was built) came about
due to a crossing place in the river camel (cam — meaning crooked and hayle meaning estuary in
the Cornish language). The early crossing had two chapels either side of the river "Kings"
chapel on the north side and 'St Michael's' on the south side. People would pray for a safe
crossing at one of the chapels before wading across at low tide, once they had made it the
other side they would give thanks to God in the other chapel.
In 1312 a license was granted for Wade to trade with a market. The local Reverend Thomas
Lovibond (the vicar of Egloshayle church) became distressed at the number of humans and
animals that had died during the crossing of the river Camel so he initiated the building of
a bridge which was completed in 1468. It was during this year that the name of Wade became
Wadebridge.
The bridge was to become a strategic position in the English Civil War as in 1646 Oliver
Cromwell himself came with 500 Dragoons and 1000 horsemen to take hold of the bridge.
A serious outbreak of typhoid in 1897 caused by contamination of drinking water led to
Wadebridge having its own town council as decisive action had to be taken for proper water
supplies and disposal of sewage effluent.
Click here for Photos past and present
History of the bridge:
The bridge is said to be built on wool. One of the public houses in Wadebridge is actually
called 'the Bridge on Wool'. However no one is actually sure if this means that the bridge
is actually physically built on sacks of wool as a foundation. What is much more likely is
that the bridge was built on the profits of the wool trade. However when the bridge was
extended in 1963 some wool was found in one of the core samples taken, although some people
say that the core sample was just a hoax. When the bridge was first completed tolls were paid
for the maintenance of the bridge.
During the year of 1853, the bridge was widened from 3m to 5m. Then in 1963 a second
widening took place which took the bridge from 5m to 12m. More recently in 1994 the bridge
underwent a refurbishment to change the stone in the pavement and to create a cycle track
along the length of the bridge.
Challenge Bridge:
A footbridge called Challenge Bridge links the Egloshayle playing fields to the Jubilee fields
on the other side of the river. The bridge was constructed by Anneka Rice and her team for the
TV series 'Challenge Anneka'.
Eddystone Road:
In 1882 cracks started to appear in the rock on which the Eddystone Lighthouse was positioned.
Therefore a new lighthouse had to be built. Granite was quarried from De Lank quarry and brought
down to Wadebridge. The stone masons in Wadebridge dovetailed each segment of stone not only to
each other but also to the course above and below. As each layer had been completed and checked
to fit with the layer above it was sent out to the Eddystone rocks from Wadebridge by sea. The
Lighthouse was completed in 1882. This resulted in the road where the masons worked being called
Eddystone Road.
History of the railway:
A railway from Wadebridge to Wenfordbridge with a branch line to Bodmin was built at a cost of
£35,000 following a study commissioned in 1831 by a local landowner and revolutionary
parliamentarian Sir William Molesworth of Pencarrow. The line was intended to carry sand from
the Camel estuary to inland farms for use as fertiliser. The line was opened on 30 September
1834 with the locomotive “Camel” pulling a train load of 400 passengers (one of the first
railways in Britain to carry passengers). When the company ordered its second locomotive it came
with a name plate already affixed. It had been named the Elephant as the makers had failed to
realise that the first engine had been named after the river and not an animal! The last
passenger train to leave Wadebridge left in 1967 following railway cut backs. The railway was
transformed into what is known as the Camel trail.
The Royal Cornwall Agricultural Show:
The Show began in 1793 at Bodmin and then every year in East and West Cornwall alternately.
In 1960 the show came to its present site on the edge of Wadebridge where it has stayed.
The showground itself is used for many different functions from Scout Jamborees to point to
point horse racing.
Diary of Historical Events:
1312 — License granted for Wade to commence with a market
1460 — Reverend Lovibond commenced building the bridge
1646 — Oliver Cromwell and his men descended onto Wadebridge to take control of the bridge
1793 — A shipping canal from Wadebridge to Fowey is surveyed
1834 — The Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway took its first passengers
1845 — The Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway became part of the London and South Western Railway
1852 — The Bridge was widened from 3mts to 5mts
1882 — Work began on replacing the Eddystone lighthouse
1888 — The Town Hall (then known as the Molesworth Hall) was completed
1888 — The Bodmin and Wadebridge railway connected to the Great Western Railway
1894 — Wadebridge Town Football Club was founded
1897 — A serious outbreak of typhoid in the town led to better water supplies
1899 — The Bodmin and Wadebridge railway is extended to Padstow
1930 — The Cinedrome (now the Regal) opens to its first customers
1960 — Wadebridge is chosen as the permanent site of the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Show
1963 — The Bridge was widened from 5mts to 12mts
1967 — The railway line was closed to passengers
1991 — The Challenge Bridge was completed
1993 — The Wadebridge Bypass was completed
Sports:
The Camel estuary offers a wide range of water sports, including sailing, water skiing,
windsurfing, surfing and kite surfing. Golf courses close by include Trevose and St Enodoc
and St Kew.
Wadebridge has a leisure centre which has a varied programme of sports and leisure pursuits
including Cornish wrestling.
Cornish wrestling:
Cornish wrestling is a form of wrestling similar to judo, which has been established in Cornwall
(South West of the UK) for several centuries. The referee is known as a 'stickler', and it is
claimed that the popular meaning of the word as a 'pedant' originates from this usage. It is
colloquially known as "wrasslin" in Cornish dialect.
The wrestlers in the Cornish style both wear tough jackets enabling them to gain better grip
on their opponent. All holds are taken upon the wrestlers jacket, grabbing of the wrists or
fingers is forbidden as well as any holding below the waist. Although all holds are to be taken
upon the jacket the flat of the hand is allowed to be used to push or deflect an opponent.
The objective of Cornish Wrestling is to throw your opponent and make him land as flat as
possible on his back. Three Sticklers (referees) watch and control each bout whilst also
recording down the score of points achieved in play. Four Pins are located on the back of a
wrestler, two at the back of each shoulder and two either side just above the buttocks.
If a wrestler manages to throw his opponent flat onto his back, simultaneously scoring with
all 4 pins they score four points in that single throw and this is called a "Back" to which
the bout is then finished and the throwing wrestler is the winner. The Sticklers will each
raise their sticks when they perceive a Back has been achieved. If two sticklers raise their
sticks but one does not a back is still awarded.
The Cornish Wrestling Association was formed in 1923 to standardise the rules and to promote
Cornish Wrestling throughout Cornwall and indeed Worldwide.
Click Here for further details
Sports:
Wadebridge is the home to the following sports clubs:
Wadebridge Town Football Club playing their home games at Bodieve park.
Wadebridge Bowls Club playing at the bowling green in Egloshayle playing fields.
The Camels Rugby Club playing their home games at the Molesworth Field in Egloshayle.
Wadebridge Cricket Club playing their home games at Egloshayle playing fields.
Wadebridge Tennis Club playing their home games at Egloshayle playing fields as well.
Wadebridge Swimming Club which is based at Wadebridge leisure centre.
An archery club called Bowmen of Wadebridge
Annual events:
August - Jazz in the Garden at Pencarrow House
August - Eglos Craft Fayre at Egloshayle Church
July - Wheels, held at The Royal Cornwall Showground
July - Wadebridge Carnival
June - Royal Cornwall Agricultural Show
Notable former and present residents:
Michaela Breeze – Commonwealth weightlifting champion
Olly Barkley – current England rugby union international player
Sir Goldsworthy Gurney – surgeon based in Wadebridge from 1814 who invented
the Bude-Light. A street in Wadebridge has subsequently been named after him
(Goldsworthy Way)
Francis Hurdon – prominent figure in Canadian politics
Andrew Ridgeley – member of the pop music duo, Wham!
Sgt. Steven Roberts – the first solder to die in the invasion of Iraq
Annie Vernon – 2007 World Rowing Champion Women's Quad Sculls
Michael White - Associate Editor and former Political Editor of The Guardian
Keren Woodward – pop singer and songwriter from the girl band Bananarama
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