The shipyard at Appledore has new owners who plan a bright and secure future for the yard. The Spanish company, Navantia, purchased the site last year and have just started construction of the bow section of a new Fleet Support Ship for the Royal Navy. 

The Torridge has a long history of shipbuilding and building for the Navy. Between 1794 and 1862, just within Bideford, there were nine shipyards – by the late 1970s this had this dwindled to three. In the 1800s, at East the Water, Taylor launched a Navy bombship, Beelzebub, and fireship Comet. After the last East the Water yard closed, in 1886, the quay wall was built and slipways filled in to form Brunswick Wharf. H. M. Restarick, the last shipbuilder, moved to Cleave.

Higher Cleave Houses or Bank End was a shipbuilding site from around 1782 when Richard Chapman opened his yard. Until 1853 many Bideford built vessels, including the bombship Thunder purchased by the Navy in 1803, came from here. 

The Bank End yard subsequently declined until World War I when it became imperative to build coasting steamships to replace war casualties. In a similar way, the yard again sprang to life around World War II building light alloy craft. 

In 1956 Bideford Shipyard Ltd was formed, on the site now occupied by Torridge District Council Offices. With covered ways and slips it was a successful venture with around 200 employees. They produced fishing craft, including United Nations 44 tonners, the passenger vessel TriStar for Padstow, a 71ft cruising lifeboat City of Bristol and a vehicle ferry for the Shetlands. Lack of finance threatened the yard with closure in 1973 but the workforce volunteered to work without pay while attempts were made to find a buyer. It was purchased that year and named: ‘Bideford Shipyard 1973 Ltd.’

The yard obtained an order for two cargo ships of over 500 tons. The first, named Peroto, was completed in March 1979. Unfortunately, Peroto did not perform according to the owners’ requirements and so they refused to complete payment. They also cancelled the order for the second ship, which by then was completed up to the decks. The company went bankrupt and eventually closed in 1983. The part complete ship was cut up where she lay and the site remained derelict for a period before being demolished. Ironically Peroto was a regular visitor to Bideford Port for many years.