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Wadebridge Museums Galleries And The Arts
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About Wadebridge - show infohide info
Wadebridge is a market town in the county of Cornwall, UK. As of 2001, its population is 6,222 inhabitants. Wadebridge lies on the Camel Estuary. The initial settlement of Wade (before the bridge was built) came about when the town was situated on a crossing point of the Camel. The crossing has chapels either side of the crossing, Kings Chapel on one side, and St Michaels. Travellers would generally pray for a safe crossing at one side of the river, before wading across at low tide. They would give thanks to God at the other chapel. The Reverend Thomas Lovibond became distressed at the number of travellers and animals dying on the crossing thanks to fast moving tides, and so initiated the building of a bridge across the river. This was completed in 1468, and the suffix -bridge was added to the town name, to make it Wadebridge. The bridge is said to be built on wool. Though this is taken to mean it was built on the profits of wool, in 1963 some wool was found in some core samples taken from the bridge when it was extended, however this is widely believed to have been a hoax. The bridge has been widened twice, in 1853 to 5m, and in 1963 to 12m. The railway reached Wadebridge in 1834, after a survey commissioned by Sir William Molesworth. The first locomotive was named 'Camel'; when a second loco arrived the factory had attached nameplates already, and called the loco 'Elephant', not realising Camel was the name of the River. The final passenger train ran from Wadebridge in 1967, when the line was closed thanks to the Beeching cutbacks. Today, Wadebridge is visited by tourists for watersports in the estuary. There are also a number of beaches, and local sports. There is also a local leisure centre, where it is possible to take part in Cornish Wrestling. The town is now bypassed by the A39, which has helped restore much of the charm of the market town as the roads are much quieter. The reduction in traffic has allowed the town centre to be pedestrianised. Nearby towns to Wadebridge include Newquay, Padstow, Camelford, Bodmin and Liskeard.
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