‘Look after your unique heritage and make the most of it.’ So said Professor Mark Horton, who spoke at an event in Bideford Town Hall to celebrate the 450^th anniversary of Bideford’s charter of incorporation on 10 December 1573. It was an impressive occasion, attended by the mayor and civic staff in full regalia. Professor Horton spoke first about the context in which the charter was granted and later, after refreshments, on his involvement in excavating an area of Virginia in search of Sir Richard Grenville’s lost Roanoke colony. Both talks made the case for Bideford’s unique heritage and importance in world history which ought to be more widely celebrated.

Grenville was, according to Professor Horton, ‘a very stupid man’, though he meant only in terms of his reckless disregard for his own life and that of others when he was overpowered by the Spanish in the Azores. He was far from stupid in seeking favour from Queen Elizabeth I to make Bideford a ‘free borough corporate’. This made sure that Bideford was fit to respond to the unparalleled opportunities of the age. His foresight boosted trade and other forms of maritime enterprise, laying the groundwork for the tobacco trade which was to make Bideford rich during the following two centuries. 

The second talk presented new information of even more significance since it puts Bideford at the heart of the founding story of America. Professor Horton has been researching a settlement on Hatteras Island, formerly known as Croatoan, where he believes Grenville’s Roanoke colonists settled. He has evidence and artifacts which show that Englishmen and women – presumably some of them Bidefordians – were living there in the sixteenth century alongside Croatoan natives. This would predate the colony at Jamestown, which is widely understood to have been the first permanent English settlement in the Americas, established in 1607. The interesting thing about the site is that it contains both native American and European artifacts from the earlier period, suggesting that the English colonists were assimilated into the Indian community on Croatoan. 

As we look towards making Bideford’s heritage more widely known, one person who has done more than most to promote our history and look after its heritage was sadly missing. Three times mayor of Bideford Peter Christie, the normal author of this column, was unable to attend because of ill health. We send our best wishes to Peter.