Heritage Harbour Blog

North Devon Journal

The River Torridge Heritage Group has been contributing this column in the North Devon Journal since December 2023. The column was previously written by the late Peter Christie, who did so much to research and promote the history and heritage of Bideford and North Devon.

The column follows a similar style with historical themed stories mixed with local politics and community interest.

The River Torridge Heritage Group is a partnership of local heritage organisations led by Way of the Wharves

Columns are copied here after publication

  • Trees NDJ 05/03/2026

    Bideford Regeneration Board’s Masterplan makes much of the town’s built heritage as well as our maritime history. But there is another aspect to our urban heritage which perhaps receives less attention: our arboreal heritage. From the ‘wonky conker’ on the Quay to the Monterrey pines at Chudleigh Fort, our town is rich in trees which…

  • Cutting steel NDJ 26/02/2026 

    In December last year the Navantia shipyard at Appledore held the ceremony for the commencement of ‘cutting steel’ as they started work on the construction of the bow section of the first Fleet Solid Support Ship. At 216 metres long – the length of two Premier League football pitches – these new ships will provide munitions,…

  • Trust Port NDJ 19/02/26

    What will happen to the port of Bideford after local government reorganisation? That is the question being posed in a recent proposal from Bideford Town Council.  At the moment, Torridge District Council (TDC) is the harbour authority and its Harbour Board, consisting of both councillors and independent members, oversees its statutory role. But with district…

  • Northam NDJ 12/02/2026 

    Number 5, The Square, is the imposing building in the centre of Northam, next to St Margaret’s Church, and has a long and distinguished history dedicated to the care and welfare of the ordinary people of Northam. As far back as 1741 it was the workhouse and, thirty years later, it could accommodate 80 inmates.…

  • Shipyards NDJ 05/02/2026

    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…

  • Symposium NDJ 29/01/2026

    From Sir Richard Grenville’s ill-fated attempts to set up a colony in the New World to the participation of North Devon ships in defending England against the Spanish Armada, Bideford’s role in key historical events of the sixteenth century is well recognised. But how much do we really know about what it was like to…

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