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

  • Lundy the early leaders in wind generated electricity NDJ 23/01/25

    Lundy Island commands an important strategic position in the sea lanes between south Wales, the north coasts of Devon and Cornwall and the Western Approaches. Its history includes occupation by pirates, contested ownership and poor governance and it was only formally recognised as part of Devon in 1974.  In 1986 the seas around Lundy were…

  • Resolutions and Volunteers NDJ 16/01/25 

    By the time you read this New Year celebrations will be fading into distant memory. So, the question is, assuming you made any, how are you getting on with your resolutions for 2025? According to various surveys you can find on line (and there are many) up to 14 million people (20% of the UK…

  • Celebrating the New Year NDJ 09/01/25

    Not so long ago, Bideford had a reputation for being one of the best places in the country to celebrate New Year’s Eve. When 1997 became 1998, a couple of thousand people gathered on the quay in fancy dress, and a letter in the local paper said that, after Trafalgar Square and Edinburgh, it was…

  • Local Government Reorganisation NDJ 26/12/24

    While everyone has been getting ready for Christmas, the government has published its plans for reorganising local government, something which has the potential to become a truly hot topic in 2025.  The proposals would see Torridge and North Devon District Councils being abolished and their responsibilities absorbed into a larger unitary authority, most likely controlled from…

  • Christmas traditions in Bideford NDJ 19/12/24

    Bideford celebrated its Frost Fair last Saturday. No frost was to be seen, except the spray-on variety, but the event certainly brought plenty of people into town. It was great to see the Pannier Market full of stalls, the town band playing, and a stilt walker mingling with the crowd. Down in Mill Street there…

  • Heritage and regeneration NDJ 21/11/24

    Sometimes it feels like we are fighting a losing battle to improve our area. Just this last week we have seen Bideford’s brand-new play park defaced by vandals and our Post Office slated for closure. Tourist attractions are struggling; we are nowhere near our net zero target, and smoking is actually going up in Torridge,…

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