BIDDLESFORD. 262 BIDEFORD. Buckingham, 6 miles to the N.W. of Buckingham. Brackluy is its post town. It lies on the edgo of North- amptonshire, near the river Oust 1 , iind was formerly a market town, under a grant by Edward II. A Cister- cian abbey was founded here about the middle of the liith century by Ernald de Bosco, the revenue of which amounted at the Dissolution to 142. It was given by Henry VIII. to Thomas, Lord Wriothesley. The living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of Oxford, val. 09, in the patron, of CJ. Morgan, Esq. The church is dedicated to St. Margaret. There are no remains of the abbey. The principal scat is Biddlesdon Park. BIDDLESFOBD, a hmlt. in the par. of Arreton, lib. of East Medina, in the Isle of Wight, co. of South- ampton, 2 miles from Newport. B1DDLESTONE, a tnshp. in the par. of Allcnton, ward of Coquetdale, in the co. of Northumberland, 7 miles to the N.W. of Rothbury. It is situated at the foot of the Cheviot Hills, on the river Coquet. Biddle- stone Hall, a modern mansion at the foot of Silverton, one of the most southern peaks of the Cheviots, over- looking the valley of the Coquet, is the seat of the fielbys.who have held the manor since the 13th century, when it was granted to Sir Walter Selby. James I., on his progress to London in 1603, was entertained here, and conferred the honour of knighthood on five members of the Selby family. BIDDULPH, or BIDDLE, a par. in the north div. of the hund. of Pirohill, in the co. of Stafford, 3 miles to the S. of Congleton, its post town. It lies on the confines of Cheshire, not far from the lofty hill called Mow Cop. The inhabitants are employed in the iron- works, the collieries, and the cotton and earthenware factories. Near the village is Biddulph Moor, inhabited by a curious ?et of people who live after the manner of gipsies. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of Lichficld, val. 122, in the patron, of J. Bateman, Esq. The church is dedicated to St. Lawrence. The Wesleyans have a chapel on the moor. The charitable endowments of the parish, including about 18 a-year to a school, amount to 22. Near an artificial cave lined with large unhewn stones, are the curious remains of antiquity called the Bride Stones. They stand upright, and are eight in number, two being within a semicircle formed by the other six. The manor of Biddulph was for many generations held by the family of that name, whose seat was Biddulph Hall, about a mile from the village. BIDEFORD, a par. and market town, borough, and seaport in the hund. of Shebbear, in the co. of Devon, 38 miles to the N.W. of Exeter by road, or 48 mil railway, and 201 miles to the A . of London. It is a station on the North Devon railway, which terminates hero. The town is of considerable antiquity, and stands on the banks of the river Torridge, near an old ford, from which circumstance its name, sometimes written Jiy-t he-ford, is derived. It was a place of impni before the Norman Conquest, and was given by William the Conqueror to Richard de Granvillo. It possessed and exercised the elective franchise in the reigns of Edward I. and Edward II., but afterwards, by its own desire, ceased to do so. It became a market town in the latter part of the 13th century, and was made a free- borough by Queen Elizabeth. The place distinguished itself in the civil war of the 17th century on the side of the parliament. Three forte were raised tw< the town and one on the coast by Appledore which sur- rendered to the royalists, under Colonel Digby, in Sep- tember, KJ43. The trade and prosperity of Bidoford was promoted by thi> introduction of silk weaving in 1650, and the establishment of the cotton and silk manufac- tures Protestants in 1615. A severe visita- tion of the plague occurred in 1680. Bidcford is nbout 5 miles from the sea-coast, situated on both banks of the Torridgo, but chiefly on the side of a steep hill rising from the west bank of that river. The two parts of the town are connected with each other by a largo and handsome bridge of 24 arches, built of stone, and 677
- n length. It is a work of the 14th ccntm-
was undertaken in consequence of the dream of a i and under the patronage of a bishop. It ii i management of trustees, who are incorporated i a common seal, and its repair is provided lor 1 mente, known as the Bridge Estate. The bridge form a delightful promenade, commanding a fine vie. broad channel and of the scenery on its bank* are two principal streets. Many of the houses are ol and poorly built, but the town is clean, well-drainec paved, and lighted with gas. There is a townhall vttfl prisons beneath it, erected in 1698, and a hall bridge trustees, erected in 1758. The is the chief business of the place. There are 'naM^IH yards, and shipbuilding is carried <m branches of industry are the manufacture of ropes, nil ! cloth, pottery, and bone-lace. The river is navigaU for large vessels up to the bridge, ami loi to the Torrington canal, between 2 and 3 mile* htght II up. There is a fine quay near the middle of ( 1,200 feet in length. The port to which . subordinate, had about 140 vessels and one longing to it in 1862. The principal traffic is cout wise, but some of the vessels are engaged in th^^H and colonial trade. The chief exports are q^^H earthenware, linens, woollens, sail-cloth, cord^^^H com, &c., to London and other large towi coast. Timber, coal, and lime are imported. A L. re- number of boats are employed in the fishery. TV. are two lighthouses near the mouth of 86 feet in height, the other 40 feet ; t! at the distance of 14, the other of 11 miUn The dm ter of incorporation granted by < .' th . confirmed and enlarged by James I. The l.orough i governed under the Reform Act by a mayor, 4 alJ<: men, and 12 councillors, the corporation ba^^^H style of the "mayor, aldermen, and capital ImrgeMi the borough, town, and manor of Bidefui limits of the borough coincide with those of the par, u.. comprise an area of 3,196 acres; with 1,211 houses, and a population of 5,851, according to t of 1861, against 5,775 in 1851. Petty sesti borough are held once a month, and general MI quarterly. Bideford is the seat of a 1 and a County Court district, and is a polling-pbw the county elections. The Union poorhou- town. The living is a rect." in tin . of the val. of 633, in the patron. > Bart. The church, which was er tury, and is dedicated to St. Mary, is a spacious d in the form of a cross, in the early architecture, with a l tains a fine stone screen beautifully carved, an an< font, and several monuments. The ori: church is, however, obscured by enlarge alterations made at various times. There are ebl n<ing to the Independents, Wesleyans, Bap< Primitive Methodists, and Bible Christians The ] cipal charitable foundations an- tin- <. a revenue of 435; the free gramma > at an early period, and having an income of I^^H a free school supported by the trn- John Strange' a almshouscs for seven families, I in 1646 ; Henry Amory's hospital for twelve f founded about 1664 ; and an endo Newcommen for the benefit of poor Dia are also National, British, and in! : produce of the various endowments an per annum. This town was the I Sir liiehard Grenville, general of th Sir Walter Raleigh to found the first colo: The two Donned, distinguished math' Shebbear, a political writer, author Zachary Mudge, master of the grammar school eccentric ThomaB Stuck ley, were natives r* It also boasts of Edward i <p ni. the rural 1 '.idrtord, whoso charming lyrics will long be i Tuesday and Saturday arc the market d for corn, the latter chiefly for provisions. Fain on the 14th February, the 18th July, and the 1 vember.
