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‘Bideford Legends’ – 4.
Marsh Farm was built on a low-lying site in Northam Road, prone to flooding, and became derelict and abandoned some time ago. The site has now been redeveloped, with levels raised overall, the stream culverted, and the farmhouse restored to … Continue reading
British Naturalists’ Association – local events, 2025.
Celebrating Nature and the countryside. The British Naturalists’ Association is a Registered Charity 296551 Please see below our events for 2025. Tuesday, October 21st. The red deer rut on Exmoor. Meet at the CP* at 9.30am or if going direct … Continue reading
“Bideford Legends” – 3.
The Hamlyn property. A fine listed building once the property of the Hamlyn family, who were noted decorators of the time. (Interior photos courtesy of Rightmove). * * * * * * The railway shed in Kingsley Road. Another … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, History
Tagged Bideford, Bideford and Westward Ho! railway, Bideford Legends
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“Bideford Legends” – 2.
The Strand Cinema. The Strand Cinema was opened by Maurice Prince, Jewish entrepreneur, in 1938. During the war Maurice was a civil defence warden and he also helped Jewish refugees who were escaping from Nazi persecution by sheltering them in … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, History, Local People
Tagged Bideford Legends, Grenville Nursing Home, Strand Cinema Bideford
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“Bideford Legends” – 1.
Introducing “Bideford Legends”. My name is Tanya Harrison, I was born abroad and came to live in Bideford in 2017. By profession I am a Teacher of English to foreign students, not a photographer, not a writer, not an expert … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, History, Local People
Tagged Bideford Hospital, Bideford Legends, Bideford Library, Torridge Hospital
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A tribute to Peter Christie.
Peter Christie. We were very sorry to hear the news of the death of Peter Christie, Torridge councillor, author and historian, and loyal contributor to “Buzz”. He wrote a host of articles over the years, all of which have been … Continue reading
‘Upstream Thinking’ project has many benefits.
More than 40,000 native trees are being planted for farms and landowners to help reduce land run-off and improve natural water quality as part of South West Water’s catchment management programme, Upstream Thinking. The trees, which were provided by the … Continue reading
A Devonshire poem about the Piskies.
Here is an amusing poem in the local dialect by J C Harding, who spent his final years in the ‘White House’, which I believe was the name of the Bideford workhouse. Mr Harding filled an exercise book in his … Continue reading
The Huntshaw Church bells project.
Huntshaw’s Historic Bells drop into the limelight – After 500 years! For over a year the ‘Friends of Huntshaw Bells’ have been raising money through grants, sponsorship and events and have raised so far £17k. There is a long way … Continue reading
Posted in Events, History, Local People
Tagged bell ringing, Huntshaw Church, Huntshaw Church bell fund
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The ‘Way of the Wharves’ project.
‘Way of the Wharves’. The Torridge Estuary and Bideford have a long and fascinating maritime history with boat building documented back to Elizabethan times. On the east bank of the Torridge, opposite Bideford town, East-the-Water was an industrial and transport … Continue reading
Posted in Books, History, Local People
Tagged Bideford, East the Water, river Torridge, Way of the Wharves
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The “Freshspring” project.
Steamship ‘Freshspring’ celebrates four years in Bideford. During the Second World War, a fleet of freshwater-carrying steam ships was commissioned by the Royal Navy to deliver water to warships. These became the ‘Fresh’ class of ships and the last one … Continue reading
Posted in History, Local People, Shipping
Tagged Bideford, maritime history, SS Freshspring, volunteers
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Abbotsham – an historical note.
If you have been watching the last series of ‘Poldark’ you will know that the final episodes dealt with the threat of invasion in the West Country by the French. This threat was temporarily resolved by the Peace of Amiens … Continue reading
Heroine of India honoured with statue in Torrington.
A bronze statue of Sister Nivedita (1867-1911) was unveiled by Great Torrington Town and Torridge District Councillors in Great Torrington Cemetery on Saturday 27th August . Sister Nivedita, who was born Margaret Elizabeth Noble, spent much of her life in … Continue reading
Felicity’s sustainable fish cookery – March.
Finnish Herring Pie – baked herring with tomatoes. Ingredients. 4 /6 herrings. 2 large onions. oil/ butter. 1-2 ½ lbs of potatoes (6-med/large potatoes). S &P. ½pt. milk. Method. Scale and bone the herring and clean by … Continue reading
Buzz Byte; Alan Turing.
Do you know who Alan Turing was? Until I watched the 2014 film ‘The Imitation Game’ starring Benedict Cumberbatch, I did not know who he was and what he had contributed. Mr Turing was a highly intelligent mathematician and logician. … Continue reading