Bridgetown, Devon
Bridgetown occupies the left bank of the Dart in the town of Totnes, Devon, England.[1][2]
It resulted from the first bridge being built across the river for the town. The river is in a valley, with Bridgetown on the south eastern slopes opposite Totnes.
St John's Church, Bridgetown is the Church of England facility for the area and is part of the parish of Totnes with Bridgetown,[3] Apart from church services, it has baby and toddler groups, Citizens' Advice, community cafes, a foodbank, exercise and fitness classes, art and craft activities, films and talks, music groups and concerts, rooms for hire. At the other end of Bridgetown in Hope Close is Bridgetown Community Hall. It has a community cafe, yoga for over-55s, a film night and hall available for hire from Bridgetown Alive!,the local community group. There are noticeboards outside Bridgetown Community Hall, Bridgetown Stores, St John's Church and Weston Lane opposite the school.
Bridgetown is well-known for the "Bridgetown Safari", animal sculptures made by local sculptor Malcolm Curley. You can find out more and download a map from Totnes Pulse, the online newspaper at https://www.totnespulse.co.uk/?s=bridgetown+safari
Shops include Bridgetown Stores, Tempt Chocolaterie, Taylor Hair and a Spar shop which also has a Post Office. It has a pub (the Albert Inn which includes its own brewery), Riverside Cafe, Quayside Bistro (another cafe) and a Chinese takeaway.
The biggest open spaces are the Chicken Run (a streamside path in the middle of Bridgetown) and Longmarsh along the river (flat, surfaced and accessible with a boardwalk through the nature reserve). St John's Churchyard is also a nature reserve. There are a number of play areas in Dairy Close, Hope Walk, Parkers Way, Westonfields and Elm Walk/Rush Way. There is also the popular Pirate Ship to play on down by the river in Steamer Quay Road. Food can be grown at Camomile Lawn allotments and Rowsells Lane allotments. Incredible Edible maintain plant beds by the river with salad vegetables and herbs for anyone to pick.
There are four bus routes. Bob the Bus (a community bus) links most of Bridgetown to Totnes Monday to Saturday daytime. Country Bus 88b links Higher Westonfields to Totnes once a day Monday to Friday late afternoon. Country Bus 149 links Westonfields to Torbay Hospital and Willows Retail Park Monday to Friday daytime. Stagecoach 80 links Bridgetown Hill to Paignton or Plymouth daily. Electric bikes can be hired from several locations. Car-sharing is available from Ecocars who have a car for hire parked on Seymour Road. There are also boat trips along the River Dart and Steamer Quay is the home of Totnes Boating Association and the Dart Totnes Amateur Rowing Club.
Schools (both in Pathfields) include Daisy Pre-School and St John's Primary School. The Sea Scouts meet in a hut on Steamer Quay Road and are for 6-14 year-olds.
Health facilities include Dart Vale (a private dentist), Bowen Therapy (a physiotherapy clinic) and Seymour Vets. A Memory Cafe meets at Totnes Boating Association. Defibrillators are located outside Bridgetown Community Hall, Dart Totnes Amateur Rowing Club, St John's Church, Stafford Court retirement flats and Totnes Boating Association.
There are a couple of art and craft studios on Steamer Quay - the Clay Yard and Vivid Glass. There is also the Contact Darkroom for photography.
Accommodation for visitors is available at the Old Forge hotel, Four Seasons guest house and Steamer Quay which has a Caravan Club campsite.
Recycling facilities include the book swop boxes in Furze Road and Higher Westonfields. There are also clothes and shoe banks outside the Spar shop.
There are public toilets in Steamer Quay Road car park.
References
- ↑ Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 202 Torbay & South Dartmoor (Totnes & Salcombe) (Map). Ordnance Survey. 2009. ISBN 9780319232880.
- ↑ "Ordnance Survey: 1:50,000 Scale Gazetteer" (csv (download)). ordnancesurvey.co.uk. Ordnance Survey. 1 January 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
- ↑ "A Church Near You".
External links
Media related to Bridgetown, Devon at Wikimedia Commons