There are some twenty shipyard and boat building sites along the Torridge from Appledore at the mouth and as far upstream as the sea lock to the Rolle Canal.

In the 18th and early 19th century ship building was a much less capital intensive industry, requiring a shipwright with some skilled tradesmen and a suitable beach with level land where a saw pit could be dug. This changed when steam ships started to be constructed and access to raw materials, labour, energy and greater capital investment became essential.

Many of the historic sites have very little or nothing visible today but the records of ships built, newspaper articles of launches and photographs or paintings of vessels provide a vivid record of this important industry.

Bideford & River Torridge Heritage Harbour is partnering with North Devon Maritime Museum, Appledore, MOLA Coasts in Mind project and Navantia shipyard to create a Shipyard Trail from Bideford to Appledore – following that part of the South West Coast Path known locally as the ‘shipyard path’. This will include information about the historical sites, as well as the current Navantia shipyard, together with the stories of some of the vessels constructed, the ship wrights and men who worked there.

We hope to launch the trail in September 2026 as part of Heritage Open Days