We can see from an article in the Exeter & Plymouth Gazette, dated Friday, 21st January, 1887, that a steamer had a narrow escape off the coast of Bude back. The article, available from the British Library, told of a large steamer, making its way up the channel, probably in […]

This info comes from a slender pamphlet called “Farthest From Railways: An Unknown Corner of Devon” by R. Pearse Chope, originally written in 1934. It seems Hartland Parish, despite being one of the largest in Devon, amounting to 17,000 acres in size, is too hilly for a cricket ground, is bounded by […]

Here is a wonderful poem celebrating Bude Sea Canal by Lucille Opie:   Our Canal, unique as it is locked to the sea Was opened in eighteen twenty-three. For two miles it meanders to the inclined plane, A feat of engineering the Victorians rightly claim. Navigable only to Marhamchurch today […]

There are some lovely nostalgic photos of old Bude on various Facebook websites. The problem is, they drop off the page pretty quickly. On the local history section of our site, images and articles are here to stay, but we are always interested in seeing and knowing more. If you […]

More from the pamphlet of John Acland: The Compass Point or Storm Tower was built around 1830. Fifty years later, owing to cliff erosion, it was taken down and rebuilt in a safer position. It seems to be back in that situation now. A slate fixed in the pavement outside […]

It is well worth joining this organisation to attend their monthly lectures. Here’s a report on the first one by Helen Bartrop Hocking. With Autumn Equinox behind them, and a full moon due that very night, members of Bude, Stratton & District Old Cornwall Society gathered for the first of […]

From Jeanette: This probably sounds a bit bizarre but when I was a little girl (I’m now nearly 40), I used to travel through Stratton most weekends with my parents. I saw something a bit odd. There was an old house there. At the time, it looked abandoned but on […]

Info here adapted from the book by the late Rennie Bere and Brian Dudley Stamp, written in 1980, The Book of Bude and Stratton. Images are from Ray Boyd. Hard to believe that Stratton was mentioned in the will of Alfred the Great (yes, he of cake burning scandal) back […]

As part of an  interview with  local resident , Bryan Adams,  I learned how  Bryan gained an apprenticeship at Pethicks the building company in Bude. They had an interesting arm to their business. I got  £1 and 3 shillings a week in 1951 as an apprentice at the building firm, […]

Taken from Bude Past & Present Adapted from: Views and Likenesses – Photographers & Their Work in Cornwall and Scilly, 1839-1870, by Charles Thomas, 1988 The well-known local Thorn photographic family originated from Kilkhampton and Launcells in the 16th century, or maybe before, according to the book “Views and Likenesses” […]