Bideford is a historic port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. It is the main town of the Torridge local government district.
Great Torrington is a market town in Devon, England. Parts of it are sited on high ground with steep drops down to the River Torridge below, with the lower-lying parts of the town prone to occasional flooding. Torrington is in the centre of Tarka Country, a landscape captured by Henry Williamson in his novel Tarka the Otter in 1927. Great Torrington has one of the most active volunteering communities in the United Kingdom.
Northam is a market town, civil parish and electoral ward in Devon, England, lying north of Bideford. The civil parish also includes the villages of Westward Ho!, Appledore, West Appledore, Diddywell, Buckleigh and Silford, and the residential areas of Orchard Hill and Raleigh Estate.
Instow is a village in north Devon, England. It is on the estuary where the rivers Taw and Torridge meet, between the villages of Westleigh and Yelland and on the opposite bank to Appledore. There is an electoral ward with the same name. The ward's total population at the 2011 census was 1,501.
Beaford is a village and civil parish in the Torridge district of Devon, England. The village is about five miles south-east of Great Torrington, on the A3124 road towards Exeter. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 393, compared to 428 in 1901. The western boundary of the parish is formed by the River Torridge and it is surrounded, clockwise from the north, by the parishes of St Giles in the Wood, Roborough, Ashreigney, Dolton, Merton and Little Torrington.
The River Torridge is a river in Devon in England; it rises near Meddon. The river describes a long loop through Devon farming country where its tributaries the Lew and Okement join before meeting the Taw at Appledore and flowing into the Bristol Channel. The river is spate dependent and often flows between wooded banks which can be steep. The Torridge local government district is named after the river.
Littleham is a village and civil parish in the Torridge district of north Devon in south west England, about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Bideford. The parish had a population of 446 at the 2011 census.
Bradford is a village and civil parish in the local government district of Torridge, Devon, England. The parish, which lies about six miles east of the town of Holsworthy has part of its eastern boundary formed by the River Torridge, and it is surrounded clockwise from the north by the parishes of Milton Damerel, Shebbear, Black Torrington, Ashwater, Cookbury and Thornbury. In 2001 its population was 359, compared to 280 in 1901.
Annery kiln is a former limekiln of the estate of Annery, in the parish of Monkleigh, North Devon. It is situated on the left bank of the River Torridge near Half-Penny Bridge, built in 1835, which connects the parishes of Monkleigh and Weare Giffard. Running by it today is A386 road from Bideford to Great Torrington. Weare Giffard is the start of the tidal section of the River Torridge, and thus the kiln was sited here to import by river raw materials for the kiln, the product of which was lime fertiliser for use on inland agricultural fields. The old lime kiln is thus situated between the River Torridge and the now filled-in Rolle Canal built circa 1827 and railway that ran formerly from Bideford to Torrington, opened in 1872 and closed in 1966. The old trackbed now forms a stretch of the Tarka Trail.
Sheepwash is a village and civil parish on the southern border of the local government district of Torridge, Devon, England. The parish, which lies about nine miles ENE of the town of Holsworthy, about eight miles south of Great Torrington and about ten miles north-west of Okehampton, is surrounded clockwise from the north by the parishes of Buckland Filleigh, Highampton and Black Torrington. Its southern boundary follows the River Torridge and most of its other boundaries are along watercourses too. In 2001 its population was 254, lower than the 326 residents it had in 1901.
Clawton is a village and civil parish in the far west of Devon, England. It forms part of the local government district of Torridge. The village lies about three miles south of the town of Holsworthy on the A388 road. The parish is surrounded clockwise from the north-west by the parishes of Pyworthy, Holsworthy Hamlets, Ashwater, and Tetcott. Its western border follows the River Tamar which forms the county boundary with Cornwall. In 2001 its population was 326, slightly down from 389 in 1901.
Luffincott is a civil parish in the far west of Devon, England. It forms part of the local government district of Torridge and lies about six miles south of the town of Holsworthy. The parish is surrounded clockwise from the north by the parishes of Tetcott, Ashwater, St Giles on the Heath and Northcott. Its western border follows the River Tamar which forms the county boundary with Cornwall.
Northcott is a small settlement and civil parish in the far west of Devon, England. It lies about seven miles south of the town of Holsworthy and forms part of the local government district of Torridge. It is bordered on the north by the parish of Luffincott and on the east and south by the parish of St Giles on the Heath. Its western border follows the River Tamar which forms the county boundary with Cornwall. In 2001 its population was 26, down from 60 in 1901. Whilst it is administered as a separate parish in Devon, for ecclesiastical purposes it is linked with the parish of Boyton across the River Tamar in Cornwall, and it has been transferred from one county to the other several times.
Pancrasweek is a village and civil parish and hamlet in the far west of Devon, England forming part of the local government district of Torridge and lying about three miles north west of the town of Holsworthy.
East Putford is a small settlement and civil parish in the local government district of Torridge, Devon, England. The parish, which lies about halfway between the towns of Holsworthy and Bideford, is surrounded clockwise from the north by the parishes of Parkham, Buckland Brewer, Bulkworthy, West Putford, and Woolfardisworthy. In 2001 its population was 103, slightly lower than the 125 residents it had in 1901.
Merton is a village, ecclesiastical parish, former manor and civil parish administered by the local government district of Torridge, Devon, England. The parish, which lies about five miles south east of the town of Great Torrington, is surrounded clockwise from the north by the parishes of Little Torrington, Beaford, Dolton, Huish, Petrockstowe and Peters Marland. In 2001 its population was 331, down from the 507 residents it had in 1901. The eastern and northern boundaries of the parish follow the loops of the River Torridge and the other sides are defined by the River Mere. The village forms part of the electoral ward of Clinton. The population at the 2011 census was 1,537.
Bideford Long Bridge in North Devon spans the River Torridge near its estuary and connects the old part of the town, and formerly important river port, of Bideford on the left bank with East-the-Water on the right bank. It is one of the longest mediaeval bridges in England, being 677 feet long with 24 arches. In 1790 the bridge was the longest in Devon. It remained the furthest downstream bridge on the river until 1987, when the Torridge A39 Road Bridge was built a mile or so further downstream at Northam. The river is still tidal at Bideford and a very large fluctuation in water levels occurs twice daily under the bridge. An ancient New Year's Eve tradition was to try to run across the Long Bridge during the time taken for the bells of St. Mary's parish church, near the west end, to chime midnight. A sight enjoyed by many in the winter months is of the starlings at dusk, as they come in large flocks to roost underneath the bridge.
Bideford Town Hall is a municipal building at the corner of Bridge Street and New Road in Bideford, Devon, England. The building, which is the meeting place of Bideford Town Council and is also used for some meetings of Torridge District Council, is a Grade II listed building.
