Westward Ho!
Staying in the county of Devonshire, but this blog is moving
north of county, to the historic town of Bideford.
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| Westward Ho! (1855) by Charles Kingsley |
The historic port on the estuary of the River Torridge. Bideford is the etymology of the name which
means, “by the ford”, before the wooden bridge built during the 13th
century spanning the river, there was a ford where people could wade across the
low tide.
The wooden bridge was replaced during the 14th
century, for a stone bridge, consisting of 24 arches, for which can be seen
today. During 1790, the bridge was recorded as
longest one in Devon. Further restorations and widening were carried out during
1925. The Bridge is listed as Grade I
and an ancient monument. Author, Henry Williamson, based River Torridge
as home for the fictional Tarka the Otter.
The primary source of the River Torridge are Baxworthy Cross, and
Clifford Water finally flows into the Bideford Bay.
Bideford Bay is sheltered by the island of Lundy, which is
12 miles out to sea. During the Second
World War, Lundy Island a steep, rocky island, is usually surround by fog was site
of air crashes of German Heinkel 111H bombers.
The first crash dating, 3rd March 1941. The crew survived and taken as prisoners, the
second crash was 1st April, the pilot was killed, and the remaining
crew taken as prisoners. Today Lundy
Island, which as a population of 28, has a rich bird life.
East of the Bideford Bay is the village of Westward Ho!
Westward Ho! was given its name from the title of a novel written
by Charles Kingsley.
The development of the village began in 1865, ten years
after the publication of the bestselling novel, in order to satisfy the
Victorian’s passion for seaside holidays.
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| Charles Kingsley |
Charles Kingsley born 1819, he was a broad-church priest of
the Church of England, a university professor, a social reformer, a historian. Charles Darwin was one his close friends.
Charles Kingsley was married to Frances Eliza Grenfell. Frances born 1814, was the daughter of Pascoe
Grenfell, MP, and Georgina St. Leger. Her
sibling, being Pascoe St. Leger Grenfell, and her nephew was Field Marshall
Francis Wallace Grenfell.
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| Frances Eliza Grenfell |
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| Charles Kingsley and Frances Eliza Grenfell grave St. Mary's Church, Eversley, Surrey |
Charles Kingsley, died from pneumonia January 1875, and is
buried St. Mary’s Churchyard, Eversley, Surrey. His
wife, Frances dying 1891.
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| Rudyard Kipling |
Rudyard Kipling during his childhood, spent several years at
Westward Ho! After the First World War,
and the creation of the numerous war cemeteries situated around Europe, Rudyard
penned the words “Their Name Liveth For Evermore” inscribed on the Stone
of Remembrance
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| Stone of Remembrance “Their Name Liveth For Evermore” |
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