Kingsbridge
Encyclopedia
Kingsbridge is a market town and popular tourist hub in the South Hams
district of Devon
, England
, with a population of about 5,800. It is situated at the northern end of the Kingsbridge Estuary
, which is a textbook example of a ria
and extends to the sea six miles south of the town.
The town formed around a bridge which was built in or before the 10th century between the royal estates of Alvington
, to the west, and Chillington
, to the east, hence giving it the name of Kyngysbrygge ("King's bridge"). In 1219 the Abbot of Buckfast
was granted the right to hold a market there, and by 1238 the settlement had become a borough
. The manor remained in possession of the abbot until the Dissolution of the Monasteries
, when it was granted to Sir William Petre. Kingsbridge was never represented in Parliament or incorporated by charter, the local government being by a portreeve
. It lay within the hundred of Stanborough.
Kingsbridge is in fact a combination of two towns, Kingsbridge and Dodbrooke. Dodbrooke was granted its own market in 1257 and had become a borough by 1319. While Dodbrooke was originally considered to be the dominant of the two, Kingsbridge later expanded to include it. The town consists of two ecclesiastical parish
es: St. Edmund's in the west and St. Thomas Becket
at Dodbrooke in the east. St. Edmund's Church, in mainly Perpendicular style, retains some 13th-century features including a font
, but was enlarged and reconsecrated around 1414 and was mostly rebuilt in the 19th century. The parish church of St. Thomas Becket displays a particularly well-preserved rood screen
, restored in 1897.
The Prince Regent (the future King George IV) considered building his pavilion above nearby South Sands beach before finally settling on Brighton
.
In 1798 the town mills were converted into a woollen manufactory, which produced large quantities of cloth, and serge
manufacture was introduced early in the 19th century. During the 19th century the town had an active coastal shipping trade, shipbuilding, a tannery, other industries and a large monthly cattle market. The chief exports were cider, corn, malt, and slate.
The town centre retains many 18th and 19th century buildings. The Shambles, or market arcade, was rebuilt in 1796 but retains its 16th century granite piers. The former grammar school, now a museum, was founded and built by Thomas Crispin in 1670.
Kingsbridge has been the main market town in the area for centuries. Being situated within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
(AONB) and its proximity to the spectacular south Devon coast and sailing venues, such as Salcombe
, Kingsbridge has developed into a popular tourist destination. Its attractions include several restaurants, pubs, a cinema housed in the town hall building, and a museum devoted to the chemist William Cookworthy
, born in Kingsbridge in 1705.
There are two supermarkets in Kingsbridge; a Morrisons
and a large Tesco
Store - which opened on Valentines Day 2011. It also has a large secondary school, Kingsbridge Community College, which has over 1000 pupils and serves the surrounding area.
The town is linked to Plymouth
and Dartmouth
by the A379 road
, and to Salcombe
and Totnes
by the A381. For seventy years Kingsbridge boasted a railway station until the branch line, via South Brent
, was closed in 1963 as part of the reshaping of British railways, commonly known as The Beeching Axe
. An industrial park now occupies the site of the former station yard. But evidence of the railway's existence can still be seen in the form of disused bridges dotted around the town.
South Hams
South Hams is a local government district on the south coast of Devon, England with its headquarters in the town of Totnes. It contains the towns of Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Ivybridge, Salcombe — the largest of which is Ivybridge with a population of 16,056....
district of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, with a population of about 5,800. It is situated at the northern end of the Kingsbridge Estuary
Kingsbridge Estuary
The Kingsbridge Estuary is located in the South Hams area of Devon, England, running from Kingsbridge in the north to its mouth at the English Channel near Salcombe...
, which is a textbook example of a ria
Ria
A ria is a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley. It is a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea. Typically, rias have a dendritic, treelike outline although they can be straight and without significant branches. This pattern is inherited from the...
and extends to the sea six miles south of the town.
History
West Alvington
West Alvington is a small village, located on the outskirts of Kingsbridge in South Devon.It has a Primary School, and is about a 10 minute walk from the centre of Kingsbridge....
, to the west, and Chillington
Chillington, Devon
Chillington is a village in the Stokenham civil parish of South Hams in Devon, England....
, to the east, hence giving it the name of Kyngysbrygge ("King's bridge"). In 1219 the Abbot of Buckfast
Buckfast Abbey
Buckfast Abbey forms part of an active Benedictine monastery at Buckfast, near Buckfastleigh, Devon, England. Dedicated to Saint Mary, it was founded in 1018 and run by the Cistercian order from 1147 until it was destroyed under the Dissolution of the Monasteries...
was granted the right to hold a market there, and by 1238 the settlement had become a borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
. The manor remained in possession of the abbot until the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
, when it was granted to Sir William Petre. Kingsbridge was never represented in Parliament or incorporated by charter, the local government being by a portreeve
Portreeve
A portreeve, or 'port warden' is a historical British political appointment with a fluctuating role which evolved over time.The origins of the position are in the reign of Edward the Elder, who, in order to ensure that taxes were correctly exacted, forbade the conducting of trades outside of a...
. It lay within the hundred of Stanborough.
Kingsbridge is in fact a combination of two towns, Kingsbridge and Dodbrooke. Dodbrooke was granted its own market in 1257 and had become a borough by 1319. While Dodbrooke was originally considered to be the dominant of the two, Kingsbridge later expanded to include it. The town consists of two ecclesiastical parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es: St. Edmund's in the west and St. Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion...
at Dodbrooke in the east. St. Edmund's Church, in mainly Perpendicular style, retains some 13th-century features including a font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
, but was enlarged and reconsecrated around 1414 and was mostly rebuilt in the 19th century. The parish church of St. Thomas Becket displays a particularly well-preserved rood screen
Rood screen
The rood screen is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or wrought iron...
, restored in 1897.
The Prince Regent (the future King George IV) considered building his pavilion above nearby South Sands beach before finally settling on Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
.
In 1798 the town mills were converted into a woollen manufactory, which produced large quantities of cloth, and serge
Serge
Serge is a type of twill fabric that has diagonal lines or ridges on both sides, made with a two-up, two-down weave. The worsted variety is used in making military uniforms, suits, great coats and trench coats. Its counterpart, silk serge, is used for linings. French serge is a softer, finer variety...
manufacture was introduced early in the 19th century. During the 19th century the town had an active coastal shipping trade, shipbuilding, a tannery, other industries and a large monthly cattle market. The chief exports were cider, corn, malt, and slate.
The town centre retains many 18th and 19th century buildings. The Shambles, or market arcade, was rebuilt in 1796 but retains its 16th century granite piers. The former grammar school, now a museum, was founded and built by Thomas Crispin in 1670.
The town today
South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
The South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covers 337 square kilometres, including much of the South Hams area of Devon and the rugged coastline from Jennycliff to Elberry Cove near Brixham. The purpose of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is to preserve and enhance the beauty of...
(AONB) and its proximity to the spectacular south Devon coast and sailing venues, such as Salcombe
Salcombe
Salcombe is a town in the South Hams district of Devon, south west England. The town is close to the mouth of the Kingsbridge Estuary, built mostly on the steep west side of the estuary and lies within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
, Kingsbridge has developed into a popular tourist destination. Its attractions include several restaurants, pubs, a cinema housed in the town hall building, and a museum devoted to the chemist William Cookworthy
William Cookworthy
-Bibliography:*Early New Church Worthies by the Rev Dr Jonathon Bayley*Cookworthy's Plymouth and Bristol Porcelain by F.Severne Mackenna published by F.Lewis...
, born in Kingsbridge in 1705.
There are two supermarkets in Kingsbridge; a Morrisons
Morrisons
Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc is the fourth largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, headquartered in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The company is usually referred to and is branded as Morrisons formerly Morrison's, and it is part of the FTSE 100 Index of companies...
and a large Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
Store - which opened on Valentines Day 2011. It also has a large secondary school, Kingsbridge Community College, which has over 1000 pupils and serves the surrounding area.
The town is linked to Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
and Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Devon
Dartmouth is a town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes...
by the A379 road
A379 road
The A379 is a road in the English county of Devon. It links points on the edges of that county's two principal cities, Exeter and Plymouth, by an indirect and largely coastal route....
, and to Salcombe
Salcombe
Salcombe is a town in the South Hams district of Devon, south west England. The town is close to the mouth of the Kingsbridge Estuary, built mostly on the steep west side of the estuary and lies within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
and Totnes
Totnes
Totnes is a market town and civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
by the A381. For seventy years Kingsbridge boasted a railway station until the branch line, via South Brent
South Brent
South Brent is a large village on the southern edge of Dartmoor, England, in the valley of the River Avon, population 2998 , 8 km north-east of Ivybridge, and next to the Devon Expressway which connects Exeter to the north-east and Plymouth to the west.-History:It was originally a woollen...
, was closed in 1963 as part of the reshaping of British railways, commonly known as The Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
. An industrial park now occupies the site of the former station yard. But evidence of the railway's existence can still be seen in the form of disused bridges dotted around the town.
Geography
Twin cities
- Isigny-sur-MerIsigny-sur-MerIsigny-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Geography:Positioned at the bottom of the baie des Veys, Isigny is an important milk production area, known for its AOC butter and cream, as well as its cheeses made by the Isigny Sainte...
,
Early Modern France - WeilerbachWeilerbachWeilerbach is a municipality in the district of Kaiserslautern, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated approx. 11 km north-west of Kaiserslautern....
,
Germany
2012 Olympic Torch Relay
Kingsbridge has been selected as a town for the Plymouth to Exeter route of the 2012 Olympic Relay. The Olympic torch will pass through the Town on Sunday 20th May 2012.Notable residents
- William CookworthyWilliam Cookworthy-Bibliography:*Early New Church Worthies by the Rev Dr Jonathon Bayley*Cookworthy's Plymouth and Bristol Porcelain by F.Severne Mackenna published by F.Lewis...
(1705–1780), the discoverer of English china clay and producer of the first English porcelainPorcelainPorcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
, was born in the town. - John WolcotJohn WolcotJohn Wolcot , satirist, born in Dodbrooke, near Kingsbridge in Devon, was educated by an uncle, and studied medicine. In 1767 he went as physician to Sir William Trelawny, Governor of Jamaica, and whom he induced to present him to a Church in the island then vacant, and was ordained in 1769...
(1738–1819), poet and satirist who wrote under the name of "Peter Pindar", was born here. - Naturalist George Montagu (1753–1815), after whom the bird Montagu's HarrierMontagu's HarrierThe Montagu's Harrier is a migratory bird of prey of the harrier family. Its common name commemorates the British naturalist George Montagu.-Plumage:...
was named, lived before his death at Knowle House, Kingsbridge, having been born in Wiltshire. - John ScobleJohn ScobleJohn Scoble was a British abolitionist and political figure in Canada West.-Biography:Scoble was born in Kingsbridge, England in 1799 and was educated in Devon and London. He was part of the anti-slavery movement in England and was involved in the protests against the apprenticeship system which...
(1799– d. after 1867), anti-slavery campaigner in Britain and Canada, was born in Kingsbridge. - Radio Legend Martin MillsMartin MillsMartin Mills, born May 12, 1949, is both the founder and chairman of the Beggars Group .His company is one of the world's most successful independent group of record labels....
, The pioneer of The Kitesurfing Organisation. He also one part of the Swedish House MafiaSwedish House MafiaSwedish House Mafia is a Swedish House Music group consisting of the three disc jockeys and producers; Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso. The group officially formed in late 2008....
. - Composer William Henry SquireWilliam Henry SquireWilliam Henry Squire was a composer and cellist. Pieces he wrote include Danse Rustique, Bouree, Tarantella, and Humoresque.Born in Ross-on-Wye, Squire was as well known as a cellist as he was a composer...
(1871–1963) was educated in Kingsbridge. - Architect Vincent HarrisVincent HarrisEmanuel Vincent Harris OBE, RA was an English architect who designed several important public buildings.He was born in Devonport, Devon and educated at Kingsbridge Grammar School. He was articled to the Plymouth architect James Harvey in 1893; in 1897 he moved to London where he assisted E. Keynes...
(1876–1971) was also educated in the town. - Maurice Fox-Strangways, 9th Earl of IlchesterMaurice Fox-Strangways, 9th Earl of IlchesterGroup Captain Maurice Vivian de Touffreville Fox-Strangways, 9th Earl of Ilchester served in the Royal Air Force for 40 years, from 1936 to 1976. From 1955, he concentrated mainly as an engineer involved with nuclear weapons...
(1920–2006), RAF officer and nuclear weapons engineer, was educated here. - Physicist Sir William MitchellWilliam Mitchell (physicist)Sir Edgar William John Mitchell, CBE, FRS was a professor of physics at Oxford, and helped pioneer the field of neutron scattering....
(1925–2002) was born here. - England rugby player Julian WhiteJulian WhiteJulian White MBE is an English rugby union footballer who plays prop for Leicester Tigers and England.White is regarded as one of the most powerful forwards in the game...
grew up in Kingsbridge and was the son of a local sailor.