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Medieval bridge
Bideford Long Bridge
Grade I listed bridge across the Torridge, 677 feet long with 24 arches; in 1790 it was the longest bridge in Devon.
A mini guide to
Bideford, Appledore & Westward Ho!
The Torridge estuary towns where the Lundy ferry sails from
Photos
1 / 5Welcome to the area
The Torridge estuary towns where the Lundy ferry sails from
Bideford is a historic port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon and the main town of Torridge district. It is one of the two harbours the MS Oldenburg uses for Lundy, so many visitors spend a night here before or after the crossing. Its medieval Long Bridge has 24 arches and is one of the longest medieval bridges in England.
Downstream, Appledore is a village at the mouth of the Torridge, about 3 miles north of Bideford, with a quay, a lifeboat station and the North Devon Maritime Museum. Westward Ho! faces the open sea at the south end of Northam Burrows, with a tidal rock pool on the beach.
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Art gallery and museum
Burton at Bideford
Art gallery and museum in Victoria Park, with collections on Bideford's history and changing exhibitions.
Covered market
Pannier Market
Victorian covered market with small artisan stalls along Butchers Row; there has been a market on the site since 1675.
Park
Victoria Park
Town park opened in 1912, with a bandstand surrounded by nine cannons and listed entrance gates.
Parish church
St Mary's Church, Bideford
Grade II* listed parish church of 1865, built to replace a Norman church of 1260.
Historic fort
Chudleigh Fort
Civil War gun platform in East-the-Water, rebuilt in the 19th century as a stone viewpoint over the town.
Find your way
On the map
The map shows Bideford, Appledore & Westward Ho! and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Check the port
The Oldenburg sails from both Bideford and Ilfracombe, depending on tides; your ticket says which.
2
Maritime museum season
Wikipedia says the North Devon Maritime Museum opens from early April or Easter to the end of October and charges for entry.
3
Rock pool at low tide
The tidal pool at Westward Ho! is a seawater pool on the beach, best visited around low tide.
Tips from the Britlens editors
Explore this guide
Everything for Bideford, Appledore & Westward Ho!
Photo credits
- Bideford, Appledore & Westward Ho! (area photo): Sannse at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bideford Long Bridge: Sannse at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Burton at Bideford: User:Jack1956, CC0, source
- Pannier Market: Jack1956, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Victoria Park: Lewis Clarke, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- St Mary's Church, Bideford: Roger A Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Chudleigh Fort: User:Jack1956, CC0, source
- North Devon Maritime Museum: Rob Noble, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Appledore Quay: Sannse at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- St Mary's Church, Appledore: Rodw, Public domain, source
- Appledore Lifeboat Station: User:Jack1956, CC0, source
- Westward Ho! rock pool: David P Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Lundy island: Lewis Clarke, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring Lundy