Bideford
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We are all aware of Bideford’s outstanding pottery heritage, but it is not very evident in the town or celebrated publicly. A Millenium project a generation ago sought to remedy this by constructing a replica bottle kiln in Victoria Park, next to the Burton Art Gallery. Although it was somewhat smaller than the many kilns…
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Regeneration of our town centres is high on everyone’s wish list, so it was interesting to see a new report just published that sets out twelve principles for reviving our town centres. It is of particular interest to the River Torridge Heritage Group as it strongly advocates celebrating local history and culture. The report is entitled…
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Picture the scene, the date is late 1855, a young married couple in their 20s are heading purposefully up Market St towards their new business. It is the Bideford Gazette newspaper. The couple are soberly dressed as befits members of the Wesleyan Church community. The Honeys, for this is who they are, Thomas and Eliza, are newly…
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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…
