Wadebridge
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Wadebridge (; ) is a town and
civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...
in north
Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...
, England, United Kingdom. The town straddles the
River Camel The River Camel (, meaning ''crooked river'') is a river in Cornwall, England. It rises on the edge of Bodmin Moor and with its tributaries its catchment area covers much of North Cornwall. The river flows into the eastern Celtic Sea between ...
upstream from
Padstow Padstow (; ) is a town, civil parishes in England, civil parish and fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town is situated on the west bank of the River Camel estuary, approximately northwest of Wadebridge, ...
.Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 200 ''Newquay & Bodmin'' The permanent population was 6,222 in the census of 2001, increasing to 7,900 in the 2011 census. There are two electoral wards in the town (East and West). Their total population is 8,272. Originally known as ''Wade'', it was a dangerous fording point across the river until a bridge was built here in the 15th century, after which the name changed to its present form. The bridge was strategically important during the
English Civil War The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...
, and
Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...
went there to take it. Since then, it has been widened twice and refurbished in 1991. Wadebridge was served by a railway station between 1834 and 1967; part of the line now forms the
Camel Trail The Camel Trail is a permissive cycleway in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, that provides a recreational route for walkers, runners, cyclists and horse riders. As a rail trail, the route has only a slight incline following the River Camel fr ...
, a recreational route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. The town used to be a road traffic bottleneck on the
A39 road The A39 is an A road in south west England. It runs south-west from Bath in Somerset through Wells, Glastonbury, Street and Bridgwater. It then follows the north coast of Somerset, Devon and Cornwall through Williton, Minehead, Porlock, Lynmo ...
until it was bypassed in 1991, and the main shopping street, Molesworth Street, is now pedestrianised. The town has a
secondary school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., b ...
where several notable sports-people were educated. The Royal Cornwall Show is a three-day
agricultural show An agricultural show is a public event exhibiting the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show (a judged event or display in which selective breeding, bree ...
held at the nearby Royal Cornwall Showground every June, and the 5-day Cornwall Folk Festival takes place around the August Bank Holiday.


History


Early history

The initial settlement of Wade (the name of Wadebridge before the bridge was built) came about due to a ford in the River Camel (Camel probably meaning "crooked one"). The early crossing had a chapel on each side of the river, "King's" chapel on the north side and "St Michael's" on the south side. People would pray for a safe crossing at one of the chapels before wading across at low tide, once they had made it the other side they would give thanks to God in the other chapel. In 1312, a licence was granted for a market at Wade by
Edward II Edward II (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), also known as Edward of Caernarfon or Caernarvon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed in January 1327. The fourth son of Edward I, Edward became the heir to the throne follo ...
who also granted two fairs annually; on the feast of Saint Vitalis and at
Michaelmas Michaelmas ( ; also known as the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, the Feast of the Archangels, or the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels) is a Christian festival observed in many Western Christian liturgical calendars on 29 Se ...
. Wade was part of the parish of St Breock and the river separated it from the neighbouring parish of Egloshayle. At some time the ford was supplemented by a ferry until the Reverend Thomas Lovibond (the vicar of
Egloshayle Egloshayle (, meaning ''church on an estuary'') is a civil parish and village in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The village is beside the River Camel, southeast of Wadebridge. The civil parish stretches southeast from the village an ...
) became distressed at the number of humans and animals that died during the crossing of the River Camel so he planned the building of a bridge which was completed in 1468. Wade then became known as Wadebridge. When John Leland travelled through Cornwall in the early 16th century he wrote that the piers were resting on packs of wool. Begun in 1468 and completed in 1485, the bridge was traditionally known as the "Bridge on Wool" because it was reputedly built on wool sacks. In fact, however, it has been proven to be founded directly on the underlying bedrock. The bridge was a strategic position in the
English Civil War The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...
as in 1646
Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...
came with 500
Dragoons Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat wi ...
and 1,000 horsemen to take the bridge. When the bridge was first completed tolls were charged for its maintenance. In 1853, it was widened from . A second widening took place in 1952 and then in 1963 it was again widened taking it to .


Railway

The
Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway The Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway was a railway line opened in 1834 in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It linked the quays at Wadebridge with the town of Bodmin and also to quarries at Wenfordbridge.Sources use Wenfordbridge and Wenford Bridg ...
from Wadebridge to
Wenfordbridge Wenfordbridge, or Wenford Bridge, is a hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakes ...
with branch lines to
Bodmin Bodmin () is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated south-west of Bodmin Moor. The extent of the civil parish corresponds fairly closely to that of the town so is mostly urban in character. It is bordered ...
and Ruthernbridge was built at a cost of £35,000 following a study commissioned in 1831 by local landowner Sir William Molesworth of Pencarrow. The line was intended to carry sand from the
Camel Estuary The River Camel (, meaning ''crooked river'') is a river in Cornwall, England. It rises on the edge of Bodmin Moor and with its tributaries its catchment area covers much of North Cornwall. The river flows into the eastern Celtic Sea between ...
to inland farms for use as
fertiliser A fertilizer or fertiliser is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrition, plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from Liming (soil), liming materials or other non- ...
. It was opened on 30 September 1834 with the locomotive ''Camel'' pulling a train load of 400 passengers (one of the first railways in Britain to carry passengers). When the company ordered its second locomotive it came with a name plate already affixed. It had been named the ''Elephant'' as the makers had failed to realise that the first engine had been named after the river and not an animal. The last passenger train left
Wadebridge railway station Wadebridge railway station () was a railway station that served the town of Wadebridge in Cornwall, England. It was on the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway. It opened in 1834 to transport goods between Wadebridge, the limit of navigation on the ...
in 1967 following railway cutbacks. The old railway trackbed is now the
Camel Trail The Camel Trail is a permissive cycleway in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, that provides a recreational route for walkers, runners, cyclists and horse riders. As a rail trail, the route has only a slight incline following the River Camel fr ...
, and the
Bodmin and Wenford Railway The Bodmin Railway is a heritage railway at Bodmin in Cornwall, England. Its headquarters are at Bodmin General railway station and it connects with the Network Rail, national rail network at . The original line was opened in 1887 and 1888. P ...
heritage railway runs on part of the route.


Quays

Wadebridge was the highest navigable town on the
River Camel The River Camel (, meaning ''crooked river'') is a river in Cornwall, England. It rises on the edge of Bodmin Moor and with its tributaries its catchment area covers much of North Cornwall. The river flows into the eastern Celtic Sea between ...
providing the main trade route before the building of the railway, and coasters would bring goods from
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
and coal from
South Wales South Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the Historic counties of Wales, historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire ( ...
. Timber was also imported from the
Baltic Baltic may refer to: Peoples and languages *Baltic languages, a subfamily of Indo-European languages, including Lithuanian, Latvian and extinct Old Prussian *Balts (or Baltic peoples), ethnic groups speaking the Baltic languages and/or originatin ...
, while stone from inland was sent to destination throughout England. The first locomotives used on the railway were also imported through the quay, being manufactured by Neath Abbey Ironworks, and the railway initially linked with river traffic well having been designed to distribute sand from the river to the local farms via a "sand dock" constructed upstream of the bridge at the point where the Treguddick Brook (Polmorla Brook) flows into the River Camel. This commodity, brought up from
Padstow Padstow (; ) is a town, civil parishes in England, civil parish and fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town is situated on the west bank of the River Camel estuary, approximately northwest of Wadebridge, ...
in barges, had previously been taken as far as
Michaelstow Michaelstow ( (village) or (parish)) is a civil parish and village in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The village is about south of Camelford. The hamlets of Fentonadle, Trevenning and Treveighan are in the parish. The civil paris ...
and
Blisland Blisland () is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is approximately five miles northeast of Bodmin. According to the UK census 2001, 2001 census, the parish had a population of 565. Thi ...
using pack animals. In 1843 apart from the dock for the barges bringing sand for onward movement there was another dock capable of holding 5 vessels and construction of a breakwater was considered, while in 1880 there were quays on both sides of the river below the bridge with that on the west bank being served by the railway although the "sand dock" had been filled in by 1895. In the 1900s vessels such as the M.V. Florence brought cargos including slag (for fertiliser), grain and coal, and flour was also a regular cargo brought from Ranks at Avonmouth. However, in the 1950s the river silted badly so that the ketch ''Agnes'' was possibly the last vessel to bring cargo to Wadebridge when she was recorded there in 1955.


Eddystone Road

In 1877, after cracks appeared in the rock on which the
Eddystone Lighthouse The Eddystone Lighthouse is a lighthouse on the Eddystone Rocks, south of Rame Head in Cornwall, England. The rocks are submerged below the surface of the sea and are composed of Precambrian gneiss. View at 1:50000 scale The current structu ...
was positioned, a new lighthouse was commissioned from
James Nicholas Douglass Sir James Nicholas Douglass, (16 October 1826 – 19 June 1898) was an English civil engineer, a prolific lighthouse builder and designer, most famous for the design and construction of the fourth Eddystone Lighthouse, for which he was knig ...
. Granite quarried from
De Lank quarry De Lank Quarries () is an active quarry and a 54-acre geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in St Breward parish, north Cornwall, England, UK. The quarry, which received its SSSI notification in 1994, takes its name from the nearby De ...
was brought down to Wadebridge where stonemasons dovetailed each segment of stone not only to each other but also to the courses above and below. As each layer was completed and checked to fit with the layer above, it was sent out to the Eddystone rocks by sea. The lighthouse was completed in 1882. This resulted in the road where the masons worked being called Eddystone Road.


World War I

During
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
Wadebridge was home to refugees from the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
and
Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
. In order to support them, a property in Park Street was converted into a
Calvinist Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...
chapel.


World War II

Despite the rural nature of the area and the lack of military installations, during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
there was a single recorded air raid when three bombs were dropped on the hill above Fernleigh Road. Residents report hearing the bombs whistling as they fell and landed in a field above the nearest houses. There were no casualties and only minor damage.


21st century

In 2003, the
Perch Garage murders On 6 November 2003, Cornish couple Carol and Graham Fisher were found murdered at their home and business they ran near Wadebridge in Cornwall. It has been described as one of Cornwall's most notorious murders. Background Graham and Carol Fishe ...
occurred outside the town on the
A39 road The A39 is an A road in south west England. It runs south-west from Bath in Somerset through Wells, Glastonbury, Street and Bridgwater. It then follows the north coast of Somerset, Devon and Cornwall through Williton, Minehead, Porlock, Lynmo ...
(Atlantic Highway).


Government

Wadebridge is in the constituency of North Cornwall which is currently held by the
Liberal Democrat Several political parties from around the world have been called the Liberal Democratic Party, Democratic Liberal Party or Liberal Democrats. These parties have usually followed liberalism as ideology, although they can vary widely from very progr ...
MP
Ben Maguire Benedict Maguire (born 10 August 1991) is a Cornish Liberal Democrat politician and solicitor in the United Kingdom serving as Member of Parliament (MP) for North Cornwall since the 2024 general election. Maguire currently sits on the Liber ...
. The main offices of the former
North Cornwall District Council North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north'' is ...
were at Trenant Road in the town. Wadebridge Town Council is based at
Wadebridge Town Hall Wadebridge Town Hall is a municipal building in The Platt, Wadebridge, Cornwall, England. The town hall is currently used as the meeting place of Wadebridge Town Council. History The construction of the building was an initiative by the local ...
which was officially opened by Sir Paul Molesworth as the Molesworth Hall and Exchange on 23 May 1988. Historically Wadebridge was part of St Columb Rural District Council until the creation of Wadebridge Urban District Council in April 1898.


Geography

The town straddles the
River Camel The River Camel (, meaning ''crooked river'') is a river in Cornwall, England. It rises on the edge of Bodmin Moor and with its tributaries its catchment area covers much of North Cornwall. The river flows into the eastern Celtic Sea between ...
, upstream from
Padstow Padstow (; ) is a town, civil parishes in England, civil parish and fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town is situated on the west bank of the River Camel estuary, approximately northwest of Wadebridge, ...
; the town centre being on the west bank of the river. On St. Swithin's day 1965, there was a flood in Wadebridge town centre after five and a half inches of rain fell in four and a half hours around high tide. The Swan Hotel on The Platt was flooded to a depth of one and a half feet.


Transport

For many years, Wadebridge was a traffic-congested town, through which the route of the A39 trunk road passed; however, in 1991, the Wadebridge bypass was opened, together with the
Egloshayle Egloshayle (, meaning ''church on an estuary'') is a civil parish and village in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The village is beside the River Camel, southeast of Wadebridge. The civil parish stretches southeast from the village an ...
bypass, enabling the two settlements to regain much of their former charm. The main shopping street in Wadebridge (Molesworth Street) has subsequently been pedestrianised through construction of an inner link road, allowing traffic-free shopping. Local bus services are operated by and Kernow, with routes to
Boscastle Boscastle () is a village and fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, England, in the civil parish of Forrabury and Minster (where the 2011 Census population was included) . It is south of Bude and northeast of Tintagel. The harbour ...
,
Bude Bude (, locally or ; Cornish language, Cornish ) is a seaside town in north Cornwall, England, in the civil parish of Bude-Stratton and at the mouth of the River Neet (also known locally as the River Strat). It was sometimes formerly known as ...
, Launceston,
Padstow Padstow (; ) is a town, civil parishes in England, civil parish and fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town is situated on the west bank of the River Camel estuary, approximately northwest of Wadebridge, ...
and
Truro Truro (; ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Cornwall, England; it is the southernmost city in the United Kingdom, just under west-south-west of Charing Cross in London. It is Cornwall's county town, s ...
. Wadebridge no longer has its own national
railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
, since its closure in 1967. The nearest is now Bodmin Parkway, on the
Cornish Main Line The Cornish Main Line is a railway line in Cornwall and Devon in the United Kingdom. It runs from Penzance to Plymouth, crossing from Cornwall into Devon over the Royal Albert Bridge at Saltash. It directly serves Truro, St Austell, Bodmin (by ...
, which is served by services to
Plymouth Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...
,
Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...
,
London Paddington Paddington, also known as London Paddington, is a London railway station and London Underground station complex, located on Praed Street in the Paddington area. The site has been the London terminus of services provided by the Great Western Ra ...
and
Penzance Penzance ( ; ) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is the westernmost major town in Cornwall and is about west-southwest of Plymouth and west-southwest of London. Situated in the ...
.


Culture and community

The Molesworth Arms is one of the oldest Inns in Wadebridge. Previously known as The Fox, The King's Arms and The Fountain, this coaching Inn got its current name in 1817. Since 2014 the first of the annual events in and around Wadebridge has been the MayPlay festival, a weekend of free children's activities. The Royal Cornwall Agricultural Show is held at the Royal Cornwall Showground, west of Wadebridge over three days in early June each year. The show began in 1793 at Bodmin and was then held every year in East and West Cornwall alternately until 1960 when it came to its present site. The showground, run by the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association, is used for many different functions from
Scout Scout may refer to: Youth movement *Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement ** Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom ** Scouts BSA, sect ...
Jamborees to point-to-point horse racing. The Big Lunch, organised by the local chamber of commerce, is a free street party in the pedestrianised part of Molesworth St in the centre of Wadebridge, where around 500–750 people get together to share food, chat, and enjoy music and other entertainment. The idea grew out of a project by the Eden Project, and was started by a former local councillor, Harriet Wild. In 2012 it also served as a celebration of the Queen's Jubilee. Later in June, the Wadebridge Lions organise a Beer Festival, with brews from across Cornwall, and plenty of live music. July sees the Rock Oyster Festival on fields just outside the town on the Camel River. Oysters are, of course, on the menu, along with bands from the local area, the South West and further afield. Wadebridge Carnival is held annually in August, with a Carnival Queen and there is the Eglos Craft Fayre at Egloshayle Church. The Cornwall Folk Festival, one of the UK's longest-running folk festivals started in 1972, now runs for fives days around the August Bank Holiday. The focus is on
contemporary folk music Contemporary folk music refers to a wide variety of genres that emerged in the mid-20th century and afterwards which were associated with traditional folk music. Starting in the mid-20th century, a new form of popular folk music evolved from trad ...
,
bluegrass music Bluegrass music is a genre of American roots music that developed in the 1940s in the Appalachian region of the United States. The genre derives its name from the band Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys. Bluegrass has roots in African America ...
,
Americana (music) Americana (also known as American roots music) is an amalgam of Music of the United States, American music formed by the confluence of the shared and varied traditions that make up the musical ethos of the United States of America, with particul ...
,
celtic music Celtic music is a broad grouping of music genres that evolved out of the folk music traditions of the Celts (modern), Celtic people of Northwestern Europe (the modern Celtic nations). It refers to both orally-transmitted traditional music and ...
and acoustic music, with the likes of
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was established in 1970 by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. A non-profit organization, its objective is to honor and preserve the songwriting legacy that i ...
inductee
Gretchen Peters Gretchen Peters is an American singer and songwriter. Early life Peters was born in Bronxville, New York on November 14, 1957. She wrote her first song with her sister at the age of 5. In 1970, her parents broke up, and Peters moved with her ...
, Scotland's
Eddi Reader Sadenia "Eddi" Reader Order of the British Empire, MBE (born 29 August 1959) is a Scottish singer-songwriter, known for her work as the lead vocalist of the Folk music, folk and soft rock band Fairground Attraction and for an enduring solo caree ...
MBE and
Dougie Maclean Dougie MacLean, OBE (born 27 September 1954) is a Scottish singer-songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. Described by AllMusic as "one of Scotland's premier singer-songwriters", MacLean has performed both under his ow ...
OBE,
The Unthanks The Unthanks (until 2009 called Rachel Unthank and the Winterset) are an folk music of England, English folk group known for their eclectic approach in combining traditional English folk, particularly Music of Northumbria, Northumbrian folk mus ...
,
Martin Carthy Martin Dominic Forbes Carthy MBE (born 21 May 1941) is an English singer and guitarist who has remained one of the most influential figures in English folk music, inspiring contemporaries such as Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, as well as later ar ...
MBE and Irish singer
Cara Dillon Cara Elizabeth Dillon (born 21 July 1975, in Dungiven, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland) is a Northern Irish folk singer. In 1995, she joined the folk supergroup Equation and signed a record deal with Warners Music Group. After leaving t ...
rubbing shoulders with Cornish and bands. The "musician's musician" Wiz Jones and father of the Lakeman clan (
Seth Lakeman Seth Bernard Lakeman (born 26 March 1977) is an English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who is most often associated with the fiddle and tenor guitar, but also plays the viola and banjo. Nominated for the 2005 Mercury Music Prize ...
,
Sam Lakeman Samuel Charles Lakeman (born 6 November 1975) is an English musician, songwriter, and producer and co-owner of Charcoal Records. Lakeman was brought up in the village of Buckland Monachorum, near Yelverton, Devon, Yelverton, Devon, United King ...
and
Sean Lakeman Sean Lakeman (born 29 January 1974) is an English folk musician and record producer. Early life Sean was born and brought up as the first of three boys in Buckland Monachorum, near Yelverton, Devon with his brothers, fellow folk musicians S ...
) Geoff Lakeman are the festival's patrons. The festival was featured in the German travel documentary Wunderschön in Spring 2023. Depending on the tides, the Camel River Festival is held around August or September. The main attraction is a set of raft races on the river, with bar, food, stalls and more live music. In October, The Bikelights procession through the town centre showcases decorated bicycles and involves many youngsters. In November the Prime Stock Show and the Garden Produce Association and Chrysanthemum Show are held. A footbridge called the Challenge Bridge links the Egloshayle playing fields to the Jubilee fields on the other side of the river. The bridge was constructed in 1991 by
Anneka Rice Anne Lucinda Hartley Rice (born 4 October 1958), known professionally as Anneka Rice, is a British television and radio presenter, journalist and painter. She began her broadcasting career with the BBC World Service and later moved to childr ...
and her team for the TV series "
Challenge Anneka ''Challenge Anneka'' is a British entertainment Reality television, reality programme that originally aired on BBC One, BBC1 from 8 September 1989 to 15 October 1995 and is hosted by Anneka Rice. It was announced on 6 November 2006 that the se ...
". Locally, the bridge is known as Anneka's Bridge, but its real name is the Bailey Bridge. The newspaper is a local edition of the weekly ''
Cornish Guardian The ''Cornish Guardian'' (founded 1901) is a weekly newspaper in Cornwall, England, UK, which is part of the Cornwall & Devon Media group. Its head office is in Truro and it is published in seven separate editions: *Bodmin edition *Lostwithiel ...
''. The town is twinned with
Langueux Langueux (; ) is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department of Brittany in northwestern France. Population Inhabitants of Langueux are called ''langueusiens'' in French. See also *Communes of the Côtes-d'Armor department The following ...
(Langaeg) in
Brittany Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...
, France. In April 2013 Wadebridge was short-listed as one of Britain's top eco-towns and is home to
Wadebridge Renewable Energy Network Wadebridge Renewable Energy Network (WREN) based in Wadebridge, Cornwall, is a grass roots social enterprise aiming to transform the area into the first solar powerered and renewable energy powered town in the UK. The group plans to install 1 MW ...
a grass roots enterprise aiming to make the town the first solar powered and renewable energy powered town in the UK. Wadebridge and District Museum opened in 2007 and moved to their current location on Chapel Lane in 2013.


Demographics

The town has two primary schools which have academy status, Wadebridge Primary Academy which OfSTED graded as a ‘GOOD’ school in November 2012 and St. Breock Primary School. There is also a
secondary school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., b ...
,
Wadebridge School Wadebridge School is a coeducational secondary school with academy status, located in the town of Wadebridge, Cornwall, England. It has 1,235 pupils. The headteacher is Mr Mat Winzor. Facilities include gymnasium, tennis courts, football/rugb ...
. There are two health care practices: the Wadebridge and Camel Estuary Practice and the Bridge Medical Centre. There has been a group practice in Wadebridge since the early 20th century; many of the early doctors had their surgeries operating from their homes. In the 1901 census the population of Wadebridge was 3470, while in 2001 the population was 6222.


Sport


Cornish wrestling

Wadebridge has been a centre for
Cornish wrestling Cornish wrestling () is a form of wrestling that has been established in Cornwall for many centuries and possibly longer. It is similar to the Breton people, Breton Gouren wrestling style. It is colloquially known as "wrasslin’"Phillipps, K C: ...
for centuries.Royal Cornwall Gazette, 20 June 1818. Places used for Cornish wrestling tournaments include: * Bodieve Park, including the Interceltic games in 1965Cornish Guardian, 19 August 1965. and 1967.Cornish Guardian, 9 July 2014. * Cricket Ground, including the Interceltic games in 2006The Western Morning News, 25 July 2006. and 2008.The Western Morning News, 29 July 2008. * Gonvena Manor House.Cornish Guardian, 6 June 1946. * Old Bowling Green, Trevanson Street.Cornish Guardian, 12 July 1962. Wadebridge hosted the Interceltic games in 1965, 1967, 2006, 2008 and 2010.


Football

Wadebridge is home to sporting clubs including Wadebridge Town Football Club who play at Bodieve park,
Wadebridge Camels Wadebridge Camels RFC is a rugby union club based in Wadebridge, Cornwall which has been in existence since 1955. They play at Molesworth Field. History Wadebridge played in the Tribute South West 1 West, for four seasons having won promotion ...
, who play at the Molesworth Field in
Egloshayle Egloshayle (, meaning ''church on an estuary'') is a civil parish and village in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The village is beside the River Camel, southeast of Wadebridge. The civil parish stretches southeast from the village an ...
, and Wadebridge Cricket Club, whose main ground has been in Egloshayle Park since the 1950s. The town has a leisure centre with a programme of sports and pursuits including
Cornish wrestling Cornish wrestling () is a form of wrestling that has been established in Cornwall for many centuries and possibly longer. It is similar to the Breton people, Breton Gouren wrestling style. It is colloquially known as "wrasslin’"Phillipps, K C: ...
.


Other

The Camel estuary offers a range of water sports, including
sailing Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, Windsurfing, windsurfer, or Kitesurfing, kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' (Land sa ...
,
water skiing Water skiing (also waterskiing or water-skiing) is a surface water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation over a body of water, skimming the surface on one or two skis. The sport requires sufficien ...
,
windsurfing Windsurfing is a wind-propelled water sport that is a combination of sailing and surfing. It is also referred to as "sailboarding" and "boardsailing", and emerged in the late 1960s from the Californian aerospace and surf culture. Windsurfing gain ...
,
surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...
and
kite surfing Kiteboarding or kitesurfing is a sport that involves using wind power with a large power kite to pull a rider across a water, land, snow, sand, or other surface. It combines the aspects of paragliding, surfing, windsurfing, skateboarding, snow ...
. Golf courses close by include Trevose and Saint Enodoc and .


Notable people

The
gentleman scientist An independent scientist (historically also known as gentleman scientist) is a financially independent scientist who pursues scientific study without direct affiliation to a public institution such as a university or government-run research and ...
and surgeon Sir Goldsworthy Gurney, who invented the
Bude-Light A Bude-Light was a very bright oil lamp (later, in its modified form, a gas lamp) invented by Goldsworthy Gurney, Sir Goldsworthy Gurney, patented by him on 8 June 1839 and named after Bude, Cornwall, where he lived. History Lighthouse experim ...
, lived in Wadebridge from 1814 to 1820. A street (Goldsworthy Way) has been named after him.
Francis Hurdon Francis Hurdon (18 June 1834 – 19 December 1914) was an Ontario businessman and political figure. He represented Bruce South (federal electoral district), Bruce South in the 1st Canadian Parliament as a Conservative Party of Canada (hist ...
(1834–1914), a prominent figure in Canadian politics, was educated in the town. In media, Michael White, journalist, associate editor and former political editor of ''The Guardian'' was born here in 1945.
Andrew Ridgeley Andrew John Ridgeley (born 26 January 1963) is an English musician, best known for his work in the 1980s in the musical duo Wham! consisting of Ridgeley and George Michael. Associated with the MTV-driven Second British Invasion of the US, th ...
, member of the pop music duo,
Wham! Wham! were an English pop duo formed in Bushey in 1981 consisting of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. They were one of the most successful pop acts during the 1980s, selling more than 30 million certified records worldwide from 1982 to ...
and his partner
Keren Woodward Keren Jane Woodward (born 2 April 1961) is an English singer/songwriter and, with Sara Dallin and Siobhan Fahey, a founding member of the girl group Bananarama. In 1986, the trio reached number one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 with their ve ...
, from the group
Bananarama Bananarama is an English pop group formed in London in 1980. The group, originally a trio, consisted of friends Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, and Keren Woodward. Fahey left the group in 1988 and was replaced by Jacquie O'Sullivan until 1991, when ...
, lived in a converted farmhouse near the town. Sergeant Steven Roberts, the first soldier to die in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, was born in Wadebridge. In sport,
Olly Barkley Oliver John Barkley (born 28 November 1981) is a former English rugby union player who played for Bath, Gloucester, Racing Metro, Grenoble, Scarlets and London Welsh at fly-half between 2001 and 2016. Early career Barkley was born in Hammers ...
, the England
rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...
international player, was raised in the town, as was
Michaela Breeze Michaela Alica Breeze (born 17 May 1979) is a British former weightlifter. Breeze was born in Watford and raised in Cornwall and educated at Wadebridge School. She started weightlifting under the guidance of PE teacher Dave Allen. Breeze then ...
, the Commonwealth
weightlifting Weightlifting or weight lifting generally refers to physical exercises and sports in which people lift weights, often in the form of dumbbells, barbells or machines. People engage in weightlifting for a variety of different reasons. These can ...
champion. Both were educated at
Wadebridge School Wadebridge School is a coeducational secondary school with academy status, located in the town of Wadebridge, Cornwall, England. It has 1,235 pupils. The headteacher is Mr Mat Winzor. Facilities include gymnasium, tennis courts, football/rugb ...
, as was Annabel Vernon, the 2007 World Rowing Champion Women's Quad Sculls.


References


Bibliography

* Tuthill, Peter (2004) ''A Brief History of Wadebridge''
''History of Wadebridge Town and Police''; by Peter Tuthill


External links

* *
Wadebridge Town Council

Cornwall Record Office Online Catalogue for WadebridgeWadebridge history
IntoCornwall.com {{authority control Wadebridge, Towns in Cornwall Civil parishes in Cornwall Market towns in Cornwall Cornish Killas