Ivybridge
Encyclopedia
Ivybridge ˈaɪvibrɪdʒ is a small town and civil parish in the South Hams
, in Devon
, England
. It lies about 9 miles (14.5 km) east of Plymouth
. It is at the southern extremity of Dartmoor
, a National Park of England and Wales
and lies along the A38 "Devon Expressway" road
. Ivybridge has a population of 12,056.
Mentioned in documents as early as the 13th century, Ivybridge's early history is marked by its status as an important crossing-point over the River Erme
on the Exeter
-to-Plymouth
route. In the 16th century mills were built using the River Erme's power. The parish of Saint John was formed in 1836. Ivybridge became a civil parish in 1894 and a town in 1977.
The early urbanisation and development of Ivybridge largely coincided with the Industrial Revolution
. When the South Devon Railway Company
built its train route through Ivybridge in the 19th century a paper mill
was constructed alongside it and this led to an increase in housing nearby. The paper mill, now French owned, still provides local jobs. Although occasionally referred to as a dormitory town, many people work in the town itself, and agriculture
continues to play an economic role for Ivybridge's hinterland. The area surrounding Ivybridge is almost completely farmland.
When heavy industry diminished during the latter half of the 20th century, the population has boomed (400% in 30 years) from 1,574 people in 1921 to 12,056 in 2001.
The name Ivybridge is derived from a small 13th-century hump-backed bridge of the same name. Apart from swimming, it was the only means of crossing the river until 1819. "Ivy" was used to describe the bridge, because there was ivy
growing on the bridge. As the bridge was the centre of the village and important to its very existence, it was named the "parish of Ivybridge" in 1894. Edmund Barron Hartley
was born in Ivybridge on 6 May 1847. He was awarded the Victoria Cross
in Moirosi's Mountain, Basuto War, 5 June 1879.
The first mention of settlement in Ivybridge was the manor of Stowford in the Domesday Book
of 1086. Although the first mention of Ivybridge came in 1280 when it was described as "dowry of land on the west side of the River Erme, by the Ivy Bridge." There was a chapel, that was on the site of Saint John's church, since 1402. From the 16th century onwards mills were built in the town, harnessing the power of the river. Records show that in the 16th century there was a corn mill, a tin mill and an edge mill
. One of the mills, 'Glanville's Mill' (a corn mill), was situated where many of the town's shops are today and gives its name to the shopping centre. The first church (Saint John's) was built in 1790 as a chapel of ease
, but 45 years later in 1835 it was consecrated as a district church. In 1819 the Ivy Bridge lost its position as the only means of crossing the river when the 'New Bridge' was built joining Fore Street and Exeter Road.
In 1977 Ivybridge became a town. Throughout the 1980s and 90s it underwent a period of rapid growth, perhaps due to the A38 road
by-pass. Between the censuses in 1981 and 2001 the population more than doubled from 5,106 to 12,056.
Ivybridge is represented by five tiers of elected government.
5 Ivybridge Town Council
forms the lowest tier of governance whose statutory role is to communicate local opinion to local and central government.
4 The next tier is the district council — South Hams
District Council. They take care of matters such as local planning
and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health, markets and fairs, refuse collection and recycling, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism
.
3 The next tier is Devon County Council, who take care of much larger matter such as: education, social services, libraries, main roads, public transport, policing and fire service trading standards, waste disposal and strategic planning.
2 The Parliament of the United Kingdom
is responsible for matters such as education, health and justice.
1 The highest elected authority is the European Parliament
in Brussels.
It is a town and parish divided into three wards: Ivybridge Filham (the east of the town), Ivybridge Central (the central area of the town) and Ivybridge Woodlands (the west of the town). The current mayor is Councillor Trevor Parsons who was appointed in 2011. In 2007 Ivybridge town council won the Aon/NALC (National Association of Local Councils) Council of the Year. Its town hall is located close to the centre of the town and the previous town hall - Chapel Place is still in existence and located in the centre of the town close to the Ivy Bridge.
Before 1894 Ivybridge was made up of four neighbouring parishes: Harford
- 2 miles (3.2 km) north; Ugborough
- 2.5 miles (4 km) east; Ermington
- 2 miles (3.2 km) south and Cornwood
- 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest. All the parishes’ boundaries met at the Ivy Bridge. In 1836 the Parish of Saint John
was formed (the name of the church at the time, which was named after John the Evangelist
). The parish represented the small central area of Ivybridge known at present. In 1894 St John's
parish became a parish church
for the newly created parish of Ivybridge. 83 years later the village and civil parish of Ivybridge became a town in 1977. Its local government district has been the South Hams
since 1 April 1974 and its county constituency has been South West Devon
since 1997.
The town forms part of the county constituency of South West Devon
. Its Member of Parliament
is Gary Streeter
formely an SDP
politian, but now a member of the Conservative party
who held 56% of the votes at the last election. The town’s three wards are each used for voting at the local elections and general elections.
in 1972 before Ivybridge became a town. Since then it has developed unofficial town twinnings (exchanges) and Friendship Treaties. Shown below is a table of all the towns that Ivybridge holds international links
with:
, Ivybridge is 182 miles (292.9 km) from London
, 10 miles (16.1 km) from Totnes
and 28 miles (45.1 km) from Exeter
. The main road in and out of the town (the A38) allows fast access to its nearby city Plymouth
for many of Ivybridge’s commuters.
The topography
of Ivybridge is generally hilly. This is because of the River Erme
which flows right through the centre of town. To the east and to the west of the river the land is elevated forming a valley. The river first enters the town at 90 metres (295.3 ft) metres above sea level and leaves the town at 40 metres (131.2 ft) metres above sea level. At its height the top of the east and west of the valley is 80 metres (262.5 ft) metres above sea level. The western beacon is a hill that overlooks the town; its peak can be seen from almost anywhere in the town. It's 328 metres (1,076.1 ft) metres above sea level and 278 metres (912.1 ft) metres above the town. There is also an area of woodland called Longtimber woods to the north of the town, which attracts many walkers along its riverside path.
The geology
of Ivybridge is varied. Throughout most of the town the rock is Old Red Sandstone
(sedimentary
) from the Devonian period. To the north of the town Granite
can be found as it is situated on the slopes of Dartmoor
– a large pre-volcanic area of Granite
. Along the River Erme
large boulders and rocks can be found deposited on its meandering path brought all the way from Dartmoor; the Ivy Bridge itself is made out of Granite
.
The built environment
in and around Ivybridge is mainly characterised by its suburban streets plans and houses, although in the centre of Ivybridge it’s mainly characterised by Victorian buildings
. From the centre of the town most buildings are terraced
and now many of these buildings have been converted into retail outlets along Fore Street – the town’s central business district
. In the middle layer of the town most buildings are semi-detached
and built on quite steep roads. More detached houses are found on the outer layers of the city on the east and on the west of the town. Over the past decades the town has been shaped by its two most essential pieces of infrastructure
: the railway line to the north and the A38
dual carriageway
to the south. No large scaling housing has been built on either side of these boundaries. Due to this Ivybridge has been forced to grow east and west rather than north and south; it stretches approximately 1.76 miles (2.8 km) from east to west and 1 miles (1.6 km) from north to south.
, Ivybridge has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than the rest of the British Isles
. The annual mean temperature is approximately 11 °C (52 °F) and shows a seasonal and a diurnal
variation, but due to the modifying effect of the sea the range is less than in most other parts of the British Isles. February is the coldest month with mean minimum temperatures between 3 °C (37 °F) and 4 °C (39 °F). July and August are the warmest months with mean daily maxima over 19 °C (66 °F).
The climate of South West England has a favoured location with respect to the Azores
high pressure when it extends its influence north-eastwards towards the British Isles, particularly in summer. Coastal areas have average annual sunshine totals over 1,600 hours.
Rainfall tends to be associated with Atlantic depressions
or with convection. The Atlantic depressions are more vigorous in autumn and winter and most of the rain which falls in those seasons in the south-west is from this source. Average annual rainfall is around 980 millimetres (39 in). The number of days with snow falling is typically less than ten per winter. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, with June to August having the lightest winds. The predominant wind direction is from the south-west and, as a result, the air quality in Ivybridge may be reduced by the (proposed) construction of an incinerator southwest of the town (at the New England Quarry) with possible implications for health.
Ivybridge’s most recent census indicates that Ivybridge had a population of 12,056. The United Kingdom Census 2001
was carried out by the Office for National Statistics
in England and Wales
, on Sunday, 29 April 2001. The next census to take place will be on 27 March. To put that figure into comparison with the area surrounding Ivybridge: it accounts for about 15% of the South Hams
' total population (83,200) and it accounts for about 1% of Devon
’s total population (1,122,100). The town has a median age of 36, which is below the national average of 39.9.
The ethnicity of Ivybridge is predominately white with 99.4% of the population identifying themselves as white. According to the 2001 census, there were 78 people in Ivybridge who identify themselves as belonging to a black and/or minority ethnic group (0.65%). This is slightly lower than the local averages of the South Hams
(0.9%) and Devon
(1.1%), and much lower than the national average for England
(9.1%).
Ivybridge's earliest known economy relied on the River Erme
with a corn mill, tin mill and an edge mill in existence in the town. Later development of the town relied on both the River Erme
and the railway, which was part of the Industrial Revolution
of the United Kingdom
. The largest employer to the town during the Industrial Revolution was Stowford Paper Mill
, which led to population growth in the town. The paper mill is still in use today providing jobs for the town. With the expansion of the town in the late 20th century much of the new jobs are in the service sector of industry. Due to the A38
Ivybridge's transport to nearby city Plymouth
was made possible as a commuter route. As a result a lot of Ivybridge's work or "economy" is made in Plymouth and nearby towns. Ivybridge does still have some of its own industry with a small industrial estate at the south of the town and very nearby an industrial estate just to the east at Lee Mill. There have been attempts to brand the town as a walking centre for southern Dartmoor
. There is good access to Dartmoor from the town. For example, one route follows the route of the old china clay railway to Redlake in the heart of the moor, another glides delightfully by the Erme through Longtimber Woods. There are other accesses to the Moor. The Two Moors Way
, which crosses Dartmoor and Exmoor
starts in Ivybridge and finishes in Lynmouth
on the North Devon
coast.
The shopping area is mainly along Fore Street and Glanvilles Mill and provides many jobs and services for the town, although the local schools combine to be biggest employers. There are some out of town jobs at the Tesco Extra superstore at Lee Mill and Endsleigh Garden & Leisure. The town has six traditional public houses: The Sportsmans, The Bridge, The Exchange, The Old Smithy, The Duke of Cornwall and The Imperial.
The town's natural landmark is Western Beacon; a hill that overlooks the town. People walk up there for the views of Ivybridge and the South Hams
. The town's first manmade landmark is the Ivy Bridge; a 13th century hump-backed bridge covered in Ivy. It is still in use today and gives the name of the town – Ivybridge. The two remaining industrial landmarks of the town are the Viaduct over the River Erme
and the Paper Mill. The original viaduct was built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel
(not personally) in 1848, only the granite piers remain. The operational line along side, was built by Sir James Charles Inglis
in 1893 for the Great Western Railway
. It still carries the main line trains. They were key to the town's initial growth in the Industrial Revolution
and are still importance to the town today. In the centre of the town a war memorial was constructed and each year on Remembrance Day
the town holds a ceremony to those who lost their lives, in recent years another memorial has also been built nearby commemorating the lives of American servicemen stationed in and near the town in 1944.
The modern landmark of the town (The Watermark) began construction in 2007 and was completed in March 2008 at a cost of £1.4 million. The building is town located opposite the town hall and houses an Information Centre, Library, Coffee Shop, IT Training facility, a Cinema and a Innovation Centre for new start-up businesses.
Ivybridge has long been a staging post on the Exeter
to Plymouth road dating back to the 13th century and the “Ivy Bridge” was the only way over the River Erme
at the time. The bridge itself is still in use to this day taking cars (one-way) and pedestrians across the river. In 1819 a new bridge was built at the top of fore street (approximately 120 metres down the river). It is now used as a 1-way road across the river for vehicles and a separate pedestrian bridge lies alongside it. Another bridge (Marjorie Kelly Way/B3213
) is situated at the bottom of Fore street. In 1974 the A38 road was opened linking Ivybridge to Plymouth
and Exeter. It was the first major trunk road for Ivybridge and was bypassed at the B3213
. The B3213 runs through the centre of Ivybridge and connects it to the nearby villages of Bittaford and Wrangaton.
The first railway station at Ivybridge was not complete when the South Devon Railway
was opened, but was brought into use six weeks later on 15 June 1848. The building was situated on the north side of the track, immediately to the west of Ivybridge Viaduct. Passenger trains were withdrawn on 2 March 1965. On 15 July 1994 a new station
was opened on a new site costing £380,000 to the far east of the town. It is operated by First Great Western
who run links to London Paddington, and from Exeter
to Cornwall
. It also has several trains that go to London Waterloo run by South West Trains
.
The town has a bus service (X80) to Plymouth, Totnes
and Torquay
run by first First Devon and Cornwall. Stagecoach
operates an hourly route between Plymouth and Paignton, which includes Ivybridge as a primary stop.
The town has six schools: Four state primary schools, the Dame Hannah Roger's special school, and Ivybridge Community College
, the town's secondary
state school, which has a sixth form
. It has specialist status as a sports college and has recently been given awards in science and mathematics as well as languages. The school has a very large catchment area which stretches from Shaugh Prior
on Dartmoor, to Bigbury
on the coast and covers many of the villages in the South Hams
such as Ugborough
, Modbury
and Yealmpton
. There are no independent schools in Ivybridge, but Dame Hannah Rogers School provides a boarding education for children with disabilities and communication needs. The nearest university is the University of Plymouth
. The town also has a youth centre. In 2008 a new library and resource centre called the Watermark was opened, replacing the small library on Keaton Road . There are two notable people from the community college
. One being sports teacher Michaela Breeze
who won a gold medal weightlifting
in the 2002 Commonwealth Games
for Wales
and won another gold medal in the 2006 Commonwealth Games
. The other being the school
's principal - Geoffrey Rees
now retired, who was given a CBE
at Buckingham Palace
, London
for his services to education
.
Ivybridge has six churches. St John's Church (Anglican) is the parish church situated near the Ivy Bridge. There is also a Baptist church, a Methodist church, and Ivybridge Congregational Church
. On the western outskirts of the town is a Roman Catholic church and school — St Austin's Priory. The Salvation Army
church is held in Chapel Place — the former town hall of Ivybridge.
In 2001, 78.55% of the population stated that they were Christian
, 14.73% stated as no religion and 6.33% did not state their religion. Furthermore there were a few people stating other religions: 0.07 (9 people) as Muslim
, 0.07% (8 people) stated as Buddhist, 0.05% (6 people) as Jewish, 0.02% (3 people) as Hindu
, 0 as Sikh
and 0.17 (21 people) as other religions.
Each April the Ivybridge walking and outdoor festival takes place. There are various leisure facilities in the town: the South Dartmoor Leisure Centre features an indoor swimming pool, an outdoor swimming pool
, an indoor sports hall, squash courts and gymnasium facilities. The South Devon Tennis Centre has four indoor and four outdoor courts. Next to the South Devon Tennis Centre are the Erme playing fields (Erme Valley) which hold a cricket field (with a practice net) and two football pitches. There is also a skatepark
in the centre of the town and rugby pitches on the eastern outskirts of town at Ivybridge Rugby Football Club, a cricket team, and the Erme Valley Harriers (athletics and road running). The town's football team, called Ivybridge Town F.C.
, was founded in 1925 and play at region level in the South West Peninsula League
.
The town's flat green bowls club is situated at the end of Bridge Park.
South West Water
supply the town with water and sewage services. South Hams
District Council is responsible for waste management. The town's Distribution Network Operator is Western Power Distribution. Currently the town along with the rest of Devon relies on electricity generated further north from the national grid, although Langage Power Station
in Plympton
is due to start generating electricity for the town as early as December 2008. The town has two health centres: Ivybridge Health Centre and Highlands health centre, both located near the centre of the town. It also has three dentist surgeries: Victoria House Dental Surgery, M L Brown and Highland Street Dental Practice. Ivybridge is served by Plymouth
Hospitals NHS Trust
and the nearest hospital is Derriford Hospital
in Plymouth. South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust operates in Ivybridge and the rest of the south west; its headquarters are in Exeter
. Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
serve the town's policing matters and there is a small police station in the centre of the town. Ivybridge has one retained fire station (number 53) on the southern outskirts of town, which is in the west division of Devon
as part of Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
. It has a Water Tender Ladder, Prime Mover, Environmental Pod and an Incident Support Unit. The fire station used to be closer to the centre of the town. There is also a youth centre in the centre of the town which has just recently been was opened in 2007.
South Hams
South Hams is a local government district on the south coast of Devon, England with its headquarters in the town of Totnes. It contains the towns of Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Ivybridge, Salcombe — the largest of which is Ivybridge with a population of 16,056....
, in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It lies about 9 miles (14.5 km) east of Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
. It is at the southern extremity of Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
, a National Park of England and Wales
National parks of England and Wales
The national parks of England and Wales are areas of relatively undeveloped and scenic landscape that are designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949...
and lies along the A38 "Devon Expressway" road
A38 road
The A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
. Ivybridge has a population of 12,056.
Mentioned in documents as early as the 13th century, Ivybridge's early history is marked by its status as an important crossing-point over the River Erme
River Erme
The Erme is a river in south Devon, England. From its source on Dartmoor it flows in a generally southerly direction past some of the best-preserved archaeological remains on the moor. It leaves the moor at the town of Ivybridge and continues southward, passing the settlements of Ermington, Modbury...
on the Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
-to-Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
route. In the 16th century mills were built using the River Erme's power. The parish of Saint John was formed in 1836. Ivybridge became a civil parish in 1894 and a town in 1977.
The early urbanisation and development of Ivybridge largely coincided with the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
. When the South Devon Railway Company
South Devon Railway Company
The South Devon Railway Company built and operated the railway from Exeter to Plymouth and Torquay in Devon, England. It was a broad gauge railway built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel-Chronology:* 1844 South Devon Railway Act passed by parliament...
built its train route through Ivybridge in the 19th century a paper mill
Paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
was constructed alongside it and this led to an increase in housing nearby. The paper mill, now French owned, still provides local jobs. Although occasionally referred to as a dormitory town, many people work in the town itself, and agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
continues to play an economic role for Ivybridge's hinterland. The area surrounding Ivybridge is almost completely farmland.
When heavy industry diminished during the latter half of the 20th century, the population has boomed (400% in 30 years) from 1,574 people in 1921 to 12,056 in 2001.
History
Ivy
Ivy, plural ivies is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe, Macaronesia, northwestern Africa and across central-southern Asia east to Japan and Taiwan.-Description:On level ground they...
growing on the bridge. As the bridge was the centre of the village and important to its very existence, it was named the "parish of Ivybridge" in 1894. Edmund Barron Hartley
Edmund Barron Hartley
Colonel Edmund Barron Hartley VC CMG was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-The deed:...
was born in Ivybridge on 6 May 1847. He was awarded the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
in Moirosi's Mountain, Basuto War, 5 June 1879.
The first mention of settlement in Ivybridge was the manor of Stowford in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086. Although the first mention of Ivybridge came in 1280 when it was described as "dowry of land on the west side of the River Erme, by the Ivy Bridge." There was a chapel, that was on the site of Saint John's church, since 1402. From the 16th century onwards mills were built in the town, harnessing the power of the river. Records show that in the 16th century there was a corn mill, a tin mill and an edge mill
Edge mill
An edge mill or a chilian mill is a mill used for crushing or grinding in which stones roll around on their edges, on a level circular bed. It is used for milling ore and as an oil mill. Horse or oxen-driven versions were used in pre-industrial revolution America as tan bark mills to shred tree...
. One of the mills, 'Glanville's Mill' (a corn mill), was situated where many of the town's shops are today and gives its name to the shopping centre. The first church (Saint John's) was built in 1790 as a chapel of ease
Chapel of ease
A chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently....
, but 45 years later in 1835 it was consecrated as a district church. In 1819 the Ivy Bridge lost its position as the only means of crossing the river when the 'New Bridge' was built joining Fore Street and Exeter Road.
In 1977 Ivybridge became a town. Throughout the 1980s and 90s it underwent a period of rapid growth, perhaps due to the A38 road
A38 road
The A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
by-pass. Between the censuses in 1981 and 2001 the population more than doubled from 5,106 to 12,056.
Governance
5 Ivybridge Town Council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
forms the lowest tier of governance whose statutory role is to communicate local opinion to local and central government.
4 The next tier is the district council — South Hams
South Hams
South Hams is a local government district on the south coast of Devon, England with its headquarters in the town of Totnes. It contains the towns of Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Ivybridge, Salcombe — the largest of which is Ivybridge with a population of 16,056....
District Council. They take care of matters such as local planning
Planning permission
Planning permission or planning consent is the permission required in the United Kingdom in order to be allowed to build on land, or change the use of land or buildings. Within the UK the occupier of any land or building will need title to that land or building , but will also need "planning...
and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health, markets and fairs, refuse collection and recycling, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
.
3 The next tier is Devon County Council, who take care of much larger matter such as: education, social services, libraries, main roads, public transport, policing and fire service trading standards, waste disposal and strategic planning.
2 The Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
is responsible for matters such as education, health and justice.
1 The highest elected authority is the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
in Brussels.
It is a town and parish divided into three wards: Ivybridge Filham (the east of the town), Ivybridge Central (the central area of the town) and Ivybridge Woodlands (the west of the town). The current mayor is Councillor Trevor Parsons who was appointed in 2011. In 2007 Ivybridge town council won the Aon/NALC (National Association of Local Councils) Council of the Year. Its town hall is located close to the centre of the town and the previous town hall - Chapel Place is still in existence and located in the centre of the town close to the Ivy Bridge.
Before 1894 Ivybridge was made up of four neighbouring parishes: Harford
Harford, Devon
Harford is a hamlet and civil parish located approximately north of the town of Ivybridge in the county of Devon, England. The parish lies in the local government district of the South Hams, which is a localised, second-tier governmental division of the non-metropolitan county of Devon,...
- 2 miles (3.2 km) north; Ugborough
Ugborough
Ugborough is a village and civil parish in South Hams in the English county of Devon. It has a large church with a history going back to 1121. It also contains a Post Office, a small junior school and pre-school, a village hall and a central square. A public bus service runs through Ugborough, as...
- 2.5 miles (4 km) east; Ermington
Ermington, Devon
Ermington is a village and civil parish located approximately south of the town of Ivybridge in the county of Devon, England. The village is in the South Hams district and is twinned with the commune of Clécy, in Normandy, France. It is known well for its crooked church spire, which a pub has been...
- 2 miles (3.2 km) south and Cornwood
Cornwood
Cornwood is a village and civil parish in the South Hams in Devon, England. It has a population of 988.- Religion :The Church of St Michael's is Cornwood's parish church....
- 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest. All the parishes’ boundaries met at the Ivy Bridge. In 1836 the Parish of Saint John
John the Evangelist
Saint John the Evangelist is the conventional name for the author of the Gospel of John...
was formed (the name of the church at the time, which was named after John the Evangelist
John the Evangelist
Saint John the Evangelist is the conventional name for the author of the Gospel of John...
). The parish represented the small central area of Ivybridge known at present. In 1894 St John's
John the Evangelist
Saint John the Evangelist is the conventional name for the author of the Gospel of John...
parish became a parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
for the newly created parish of Ivybridge. 83 years later the village and civil parish of Ivybridge became a town in 1977. Its local government district has been the South Hams
South Hams
South Hams is a local government district on the south coast of Devon, England with its headquarters in the town of Totnes. It contains the towns of Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Ivybridge, Salcombe — the largest of which is Ivybridge with a population of 16,056....
since 1 April 1974 and its county constituency has been South West Devon
South West Devon
South West Devon is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
since 1997.
The town forms part of the county constituency of South West Devon
South West Devon
South West Devon is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
. Its Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
is Gary Streeter
Gary Streeter
Gary Nicholas Streeter is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. From 1997 he was Member of Parliament for South West Devon, having previously been the Member of Parliament for Plymouth Sutton between 1992 and 1997...
formely an SDP
Social Democratic Party (UK)
The Social Democratic Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was created on 26 March 1981 and existed until 1988. It was founded by four senior Labour Party 'moderates', dubbed the 'Gang of Four': Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams...
politian, but now a member of the Conservative party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
who held 56% of the votes at the last election. The town’s three wards are each used for voting at the local elections and general elections.
International links
Ivybridge's first official twinning was with Saint-Pierre-sur-DivesSaint-Pierre-sur-Dives
Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.The Abbey Church, was rebuilt in the 12th century and 13th centuries and restored and modified in the 16th and 17th centuries, replacing the former abbey church built in 1011 by...
in 1972 before Ivybridge became a town. Since then it has developed unofficial town twinnings (exchanges) and Friendship Treaties. Shown below is a table of all the towns that Ivybridge holds international links
Town twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
| Flag | Country | own | egion / State | ate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.The Abbey Church, was rebuilt in the 12th century and 13th centuries and restored and modified in the 16th and 17th centuries, replacing the former abbey church built in 1011 by... |
Basse-Normandie Basse-Normandie Lower Normandy is an administrative region of France. It was created in 1956, when the Normandy region was divided into Lower Normandy and Upper Normandy... |
1972 |
 |
Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
Beverungen Beverungen Beverungen is a town in Höxter district in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.- Location :Beverungen lies in the Weser Uplands on the side of the Weser opposite Solling roughly 10 km south of Höxter. In parts of the eastern municipal area near the river, the town has a share of the Weser Valley,... |
North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the... |
1975 |
 |
United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Bedford Bedford, Virginia Bedford is an independent city located within the confines of Bedford County in the U.S. state of Virginia. It serves as the county seat of Bedford County. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 6,222. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Bedford with surrounding Bedford... |
Virginia Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there... |
2004 |
Geography
At coordinates 50°23′28″N 3°55′12″W (50.233, -3.551) Ivybridge is situated deep in the south western peninsula of EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Ivybridge is 182 miles (292.9 km) from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 10 miles (16.1 km) from Totnes
Totnes
Totnes is a market town and civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
and 28 miles (45.1 km) from Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
. The main road in and out of the town (the A38) allows fast access to its nearby city Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
for many of Ivybridge’s commuters.
The topography
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
of Ivybridge is generally hilly. This is because of the River Erme
River Erme
The Erme is a river in south Devon, England. From its source on Dartmoor it flows in a generally southerly direction past some of the best-preserved archaeological remains on the moor. It leaves the moor at the town of Ivybridge and continues southward, passing the settlements of Ermington, Modbury...
which flows right through the centre of town. To the east and to the west of the river the land is elevated forming a valley. The river first enters the town at 90 metres (295.3 ft) metres above sea level and leaves the town at 40 metres (131.2 ft) metres above sea level. At its height the top of the east and west of the valley is 80 metres (262.5 ft) metres above sea level. The western beacon is a hill that overlooks the town; its peak can be seen from almost anywhere in the town. It's 328 metres (1,076.1 ft) metres above sea level and 278 metres (912.1 ft) metres above the town. There is also an area of woodland called Longtimber woods to the north of the town, which attracts many walkers along its riverside path.
The geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
of Ivybridge is varied. Throughout most of the town the rock is Old Red Sandstone
Old Red Sandstone
The Old Red Sandstone is a British rock formation of considerable importance to early paleontology. For convenience the short version of the term, 'ORS' is often used in literature on the subject.-Sedimentology:...
(sedimentary
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock are types of rock that are formed by the deposition of material at the Earth's surface and within bodies of water. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles to settle and accumulate or minerals to precipitate from a solution....
) from the Devonian period. To the north of the town Granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
can be found as it is situated on the slopes of Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
– a large pre-volcanic area of Granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
. Along the River Erme
River Erme
The Erme is a river in south Devon, England. From its source on Dartmoor it flows in a generally southerly direction past some of the best-preserved archaeological remains on the moor. It leaves the moor at the town of Ivybridge and continues southward, passing the settlements of Ermington, Modbury...
large boulders and rocks can be found deposited on its meandering path brought all the way from Dartmoor; the Ivy Bridge itself is made out of Granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
.
Built environment
The term built environment refers to the human-made surroundings that provide the setting for human activity, ranging in scale from personal shelter and buildings to neighborhoods and cities that can often include their supporting infrastructure, such as water supply or energy networks.The built...
in and around Ivybridge is mainly characterised by its suburban streets plans and houses, although in the centre of Ivybridge it’s mainly characterised by Victorian buildings
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
. From the centre of the town most buildings are terraced
Terraced house
In architecture and city planning, a terrace house, terrace, row house, linked house or townhouse is a style of medium-density housing that originated in Great Britain in the late 17th century, where a row of identical or mirror-image houses share side walls...
and now many of these buildings have been converted into retail outlets along Fore Street – the town’s central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
. In the middle layer of the town most buildings are semi-detached
Semi-detached
Semi-detached housing consists of pairs of houses built side by side as units sharing a party wall and usually in such a way that each house's layout is a mirror image of its twin...
and built on quite steep roads. More detached houses are found on the outer layers of the city on the east and on the west of the town. Over the past decades the town has been shaped by its two most essential pieces of infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
: the railway line to the north and the A38
A38 road
The A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
to the south. No large scaling housing has been built on either side of these boundaries. Due to this Ivybridge has been forced to grow east and west rather than north and south; it stretches approximately 1.76 miles (2.8 km) from east to west and 1 miles (1.6 km) from north to south.
Climate
Along with the rest of South West EnglandSouth West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
, Ivybridge has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than the rest of the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
. The annual mean temperature is approximately 11 °C (52 °F) and shows a seasonal and a diurnal
Diurnal motion
Diurnal motion is an astronomical term referring to the apparent daily motion of stars around the Earth, or more precisely around the two celestial poles. It is caused by the Earth's rotation on its axis, so every star apparently moves on a circle, that is called the diurnal circle. The time for...
variation, but due to the modifying effect of the sea the range is less than in most other parts of the British Isles. February is the coldest month with mean minimum temperatures between 3 °C (37 °F) and 4 °C (39 °F). July and August are the warmest months with mean daily maxima over 19 °C (66 °F).
The climate of South West England has a favoured location with respect to the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
high pressure when it extends its influence north-eastwards towards the British Isles, particularly in summer. Coastal areas have average annual sunshine totals over 1,600 hours.
Rainfall tends to be associated with Atlantic depressions
Low pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
or with convection. The Atlantic depressions are more vigorous in autumn and winter and most of the rain which falls in those seasons in the south-west is from this source. Average annual rainfall is around 980 millimetres (39 in). The number of days with snow falling is typically less than ten per winter. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, with June to August having the lightest winds. The predominant wind direction is from the south-west and, as a result, the air quality in Ivybridge may be reduced by the (proposed) construction of an incinerator southwest of the town (at the New England Quarry) with possible implications for health.
Demography
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
was carried out by the Office for National Statistics
Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Overview :...
in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
, on Sunday, 29 April 2001. The next census to take place will be on 27 March. To put that figure into comparison with the area surrounding Ivybridge: it accounts for about 15% of the South Hams
South Hams
South Hams is a local government district on the south coast of Devon, England with its headquarters in the town of Totnes. It contains the towns of Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Ivybridge, Salcombe — the largest of which is Ivybridge with a population of 16,056....
' total population (83,200) and it accounts for about 1% of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
’s total population (1,122,100). The town has a median age of 36, which is below the national average of 39.9.
The ethnicity of Ivybridge is predominately white with 99.4% of the population identifying themselves as white. According to the 2001 census, there were 78 people in Ivybridge who identify themselves as belonging to a black and/or minority ethnic group (0.65%). This is slightly lower than the local averages of the South Hams
South Hams
South Hams is a local government district on the south coast of Devon, England with its headquarters in the town of Totnes. It contains the towns of Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Ivybridge, Salcombe — the largest of which is Ivybridge with a population of 16,056....
(0.9%) and Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
(1.1%), and much lower than the national average for England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(9.1%).
Economy
River Erme
The Erme is a river in south Devon, England. From its source on Dartmoor it flows in a generally southerly direction past some of the best-preserved archaeological remains on the moor. It leaves the moor at the town of Ivybridge and continues southward, passing the settlements of Ermington, Modbury...
with a corn mill, tin mill and an edge mill in existence in the town. Later development of the town relied on both the River Erme
River Erme
The Erme is a river in south Devon, England. From its source on Dartmoor it flows in a generally southerly direction past some of the best-preserved archaeological remains on the moor. It leaves the moor at the town of Ivybridge and continues southward, passing the settlements of Ermington, Modbury...
and the railway, which was part of the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The largest employer to the town during the Industrial Revolution was Stowford Paper Mill
Paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
, which led to population growth in the town. The paper mill is still in use today providing jobs for the town. With the expansion of the town in the late 20th century much of the new jobs are in the service sector of industry. Due to the A38
A38 road
The A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
Ivybridge's transport to nearby city Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
was made possible as a commuter route. As a result a lot of Ivybridge's work or "economy" is made in Plymouth and nearby towns. Ivybridge does still have some of its own industry with a small industrial estate at the south of the town and very nearby an industrial estate just to the east at Lee Mill. There have been attempts to brand the town as a walking centre for southern Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
. There is good access to Dartmoor from the town. For example, one route follows the route of the old china clay railway to Redlake in the heart of the moor, another glides delightfully by the Erme through Longtimber Woods. There are other accesses to the Moor. The Two Moors Way
Two Moors Way
The Two Moors Way is a long-distance path that runs from Ivybridge in South Devon to Lynmouth on the coast of North Devon, crossing parts of both Dartmoor and Exmoor along the way...
, which crosses Dartmoor and Exmoor
Exmoor
Exmoor is an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England, named after the main river that flows out of the district, the River Exe. The moor has given its name to a National Park, which includes the Brendon Hills, the East Lyn Valley, the Vale of Porlock and ...
starts in Ivybridge and finishes in Lynmouth
Lynmouth
Lynmouth is a village in Devon, England, on the north edge of Exmoor.The village straddles the confluence of the West Lyn and East Lyn rivers, in a gorge below Lynton, to which it is connected by the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway....
on the North Devon
North Devon
North Devon is the northern part of the English county of Devon. It is also the name of a local government district in Devon. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth...
coast.
The shopping area is mainly along Fore Street and Glanvilles Mill and provides many jobs and services for the town, although the local schools combine to be biggest employers. There are some out of town jobs at the Tesco Extra superstore at Lee Mill and Endsleigh Garden & Leisure. The town has six traditional public houses: The Sportsmans, The Bridge, The Exchange, The Old Smithy, The Duke of Cornwall and The Imperial.
Landmarks
South Hams
South Hams is a local government district on the south coast of Devon, England with its headquarters in the town of Totnes. It contains the towns of Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Ivybridge, Salcombe — the largest of which is Ivybridge with a population of 16,056....
. The town's first manmade landmark is the Ivy Bridge; a 13th century hump-backed bridge covered in Ivy. It is still in use today and gives the name of the town – Ivybridge. The two remaining industrial landmarks of the town are the Viaduct over the River Erme
River Erme
The Erme is a river in south Devon, England. From its source on Dartmoor it flows in a generally southerly direction past some of the best-preserved archaeological remains on the moor. It leaves the moor at the town of Ivybridge and continues southward, passing the settlements of Ermington, Modbury...
and the Paper Mill. The original viaduct was built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
(not personally) in 1848, only the granite piers remain. The operational line along side, was built by Sir James Charles Inglis
James Charles Inglis
Sir James Charles Inglis was a British civil engineer.Inglis was born in Aberdeen in 1851. He served in the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps, an unpaid volunteer unit of the Volunteer Force which provided technical advise to the British Army...
in 1893 for the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
. It still carries the main line trains. They were key to the town's initial growth in the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
and are still importance to the town today. In the centre of the town a war memorial was constructed and each year on Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. This day, or alternative dates, are also recognized as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth...
the town holds a ceremony to those who lost their lives, in recent years another memorial has also been built nearby commemorating the lives of American servicemen stationed in and near the town in 1944.
The modern landmark of the town (The Watermark) began construction in 2007 and was completed in March 2008 at a cost of £1.4 million. The building is town located opposite the town hall and houses an Information Centre, Library, Coffee Shop, IT Training facility, a Cinema and a Innovation Centre for new start-up businesses.
Transport
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
to Plymouth road dating back to the 13th century and the “Ivy Bridge” was the only way over the River Erme
River Erme
The Erme is a river in south Devon, England. From its source on Dartmoor it flows in a generally southerly direction past some of the best-preserved archaeological remains on the moor. It leaves the moor at the town of Ivybridge and continues southward, passing the settlements of Ermington, Modbury...
at the time. The bridge itself is still in use to this day taking cars (one-way) and pedestrians across the river. In 1819 a new bridge was built at the top of fore street (approximately 120 metres down the river). It is now used as a 1-way road across the river for vehicles and a separate pedestrian bridge lies alongside it. Another bridge (Marjorie Kelly Way/B3213
B roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme
B roads are numbered routes in Great Britain of lesser importance than A roads. See the article Great Britain road numbering scheme for the rationale behind the numbers allocated.-B300 to B399:-B3000 - B3099:-B3100 - B3199:-B3200 - B3299:...
) is situated at the bottom of Fore street. In 1974 the A38 road was opened linking Ivybridge to Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
and Exeter. It was the first major trunk road for Ivybridge and was bypassed at the B3213
B roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme
B roads are numbered routes in Great Britain of lesser importance than A roads. See the article Great Britain road numbering scheme for the rationale behind the numbers allocated.-B300 to B399:-B3000 - B3099:-B3100 - B3199:-B3200 - B3299:...
. The B3213 runs through the centre of Ivybridge and connects it to the nearby villages of Bittaford and Wrangaton.
The first railway station at Ivybridge was not complete when the South Devon Railway
South Devon Railway Company
The South Devon Railway Company built and operated the railway from Exeter to Plymouth and Torquay in Devon, England. It was a broad gauge railway built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel-Chronology:* 1844 South Devon Railway Act passed by parliament...
was opened, but was brought into use six weeks later on 15 June 1848. The building was situated on the north side of the track, immediately to the west of Ivybridge Viaduct. Passenger trains were withdrawn on 2 March 1965. On 15 July 1994 a new station
Ivybridge railway station
Ivybridge railway station is situated on the Exeter to Plymouth line and serves the town of Ivybridge in Devon, England. The station re-opened in 1994 to the east of the original station, which had been closed in 1965. The new station is located in the civil parish of Ugborough, and is operated by...
was opened on a new site costing £380,000 to the far east of the town. It is operated by First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
who run links to London Paddington, and from Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
to Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. It also has several trains that go to London Waterloo run by South West Trains
South West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
.
The town has a bus service (X80) to Plymouth, Totnes
Totnes
Totnes is a market town and civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
and Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
run by first First Devon and Cornwall. Stagecoach
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
operates an hourly route between Plymouth and Paignton, which includes Ivybridge as a primary stop.
Education
Ivybridge Community College
Ivybridge Community College is a state funded secondary school in Ivybridge, Devon, England. It is apparently the second-largest secondary school in Devon. Since 2010, Rob Haring has been the principal. It was awarded a sports specialism in 1997, a specialism in Science in 2004 and a third...
, the town's secondary
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
state school, which has a sixth form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
. It has specialist status as a sports college and has recently been given awards in science and mathematics as well as languages. The school has a very large catchment area which stretches from Shaugh Prior
Shaugh Prior
Shaugh Prior is a village and civil parish on the south-western side of Dartmoor in the county of Devon, England. In 2001 its population was 751. The parish stretches from the edge of Plymouth to the high moorland of Dartmoor. The River Plym forms its western and northern boundaries up to the...
on Dartmoor, to Bigbury
Bigbury
Bigbury is a village and civil parish in the South Hams district of Devon, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 582.The parish council meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 7.30pm in Bigbury Memorial Hall...
on the coast and covers many of the villages in the South Hams
South Hams
South Hams is a local government district on the south coast of Devon, England with its headquarters in the town of Totnes. It contains the towns of Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Ivybridge, Salcombe — the largest of which is Ivybridge with a population of 16,056....
such as Ugborough
Ugborough
Ugborough is a village and civil parish in South Hams in the English county of Devon. It has a large church with a history going back to 1121. It also contains a Post Office, a small junior school and pre-school, a village hall and a central square. A public bus service runs through Ugborough, as...
, Modbury
Modbury
Modbury is a town and parish in the South Hams region of the English county of Devon. It is situated on the A379 road, which links it to Plymouth and Kingsbridge...
and Yealmpton
Yealmpton
Yealmpton is a village in the English county of Devon. It is located on the A379 Plymouth to Kingsbridge road and is about from Plymouth. It derives its name from the River Yealm that flows through the village. Yealmpton is home to a 400 year-old stone cottage, where it is said, a version of the...
. There are no independent schools in Ivybridge, but Dame Hannah Rogers School provides a boarding education for children with disabilities and communication needs. The nearest university is the University of Plymouth
University of Plymouth
Plymouth University is the largest university in the South West of England, with over 30,000 students and is 9th largest in the United Kingdom by total number of students . It has almost 3,000 staff...
. The town also has a youth centre. In 2008 a new library and resource centre called the Watermark was opened, replacing the small library on Keaton Road . There are two notable people from the community college
Ivybridge Community College
Ivybridge Community College is a state funded secondary school in Ivybridge, Devon, England. It is apparently the second-largest secondary school in Devon. Since 2010, Rob Haring has been the principal. It was awarded a sports specialism in 1997, a specialism in Science in 2004 and a third...
. One being sports teacher Michaela Breeze
Michaela Breeze
Michaela Alica Breeze MBE is a British weightlifter. Breeze was born in Watford and raised in Cornwall and educated at Wadebridge School. She started weightlifting under the guidance of PE teacher Dave Allen...
who won a gold medal weightlifting
Powerlifting
Powerlifting is a strength sport. It resembles the sport of Olympic weightlifting, as both disciplines involve lifting weights in three attempts. Powerlifting evolved from a sport known as 'odd lifts' which followed the same three attempt format but used a wide variety of events akin to Strongman...
in the 2002 Commonwealth Games
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
for Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and won another gold medal in the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
. The other being the school
Ivybridge Community College
Ivybridge Community College is a state funded secondary school in Ivybridge, Devon, England. It is apparently the second-largest secondary school in Devon. Since 2010, Rob Haring has been the principal. It was awarded a sports specialism in 1997, a specialism in Science in 2004 and a third...
's principal - Geoffrey Rees
Geoffrey Rees
Geoffrey Rees, CBE, MA, FRSA was the Principal of Ivybridge Community College in Devon, England until early 2010. He is a Governor of both Plymouth University and a former Governor of the University College of St Mark & St John, Plymouth. He was a long serving member of the Devon & Cornwall LSE...
now retired, who was given a CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for his services to education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
.
Religion
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
. On the western outskirts of the town is a Roman Catholic church and school — St Austin's Priory. The Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
church is held in Chapel Place — the former town hall of Ivybridge.
In 2001, 78.55% of the population stated that they were Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, 14.73% stated as no religion and 6.33% did not state their religion. Furthermore there were a few people stating other religions: 0.07 (9 people) as Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
, 0.07% (8 people) stated as Buddhist, 0.05% (6 people) as Jewish, 0.02% (3 people) as Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
, 0 as Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
and 0.17 (21 people) as other religions.
Sports
Lido
The Lido is an 11 km long sandbar located in Venice, northern Italy, home to about 20,000 residents. The Venice Film Festival takes place at the Lido every September.-Geography:...
, an indoor sports hall, squash courts and gymnasium facilities. The South Devon Tennis Centre has four indoor and four outdoor courts. Next to the South Devon Tennis Centre are the Erme playing fields (Erme Valley) which hold a cricket field (with a practice net) and two football pitches. There is also a skatepark
Skatepark
A skatepark is a purpose-built recreational environment made for skateboarding, BMX, aggressive inline skating and scooters. A skatepark may contain half-pipes, quarter pipes, spine transfers, handrails, funboxes, vert ramps, pyramids, banked ramps, full pipes, pools, bowls, snake runs stairsets,...
in the centre of the town and rugby pitches on the eastern outskirts of town at Ivybridge Rugby Football Club, a cricket team, and the Erme Valley Harriers (athletics and road running). The town's football team, called Ivybridge Town F.C.
Ivybridge Town F.C.
Ivybridge Town Football Club is a football club based in Ivybridge, Devon, England. Established in 1925, the club was a founder member of the Devon County League in 1992....
, was founded in 1925 and play at region level in the South West Peninsula League
South West Peninsula League
The South West Peninsula League is a league of football clubs in England, which was formed in 2007 from the merger of the Devon County League and the South Western League...
.
The town's flat green bowls club is situated at the end of Bridge Park.
Public services
South West Water
South West Water provides drinking water and waste water services throughout Cornwall and Devon and in small areas of Dorset and Somerset. South West Water came into being in 1989 with the privatisation of the water industry...
supply the town with water and sewage services. South Hams
South Hams
South Hams is a local government district on the south coast of Devon, England with its headquarters in the town of Totnes. It contains the towns of Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Ivybridge, Salcombe — the largest of which is Ivybridge with a population of 16,056....
District Council is responsible for waste management. The town's Distribution Network Operator is Western Power Distribution. Currently the town along with the rest of Devon relies on electricity generated further north from the national grid, although Langage Power Station
Langage Power Station
Langage Power Station is to be constructed near the city of Plymouth in Devon, England.Centrica, owners of the site, announced on 16 June 2006 that the natural gas fired power station was to be constructed on their behalf by Alstom. Section 36 consent was granted in 2000 and Reserved Matters were...
in Plympton
Plympton
Plympton, or Plympton Maurice or Plympton St Maurice or Plympton St Mary or Plympton Erle, in south-western Devon, England is an ancient stannary town: an important trading centre in the past for locally mined tin, and a former seaport...
is due to start generating electricity for the town as early as December 2008. The town has two health centres: Ivybridge Health Centre and Highlands health centre, both located near the centre of the town. It also has three dentist surgeries: Victoria House Dental Surgery, M L Brown and Highland Street Dental Practice. Ivybridge is served by Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
Hospitals NHS Trust
NHS Trust
A National Health Service trust provides services on behalf of the National Health Service in England and NHS Wales.The trusts are not trusts in the legal sense but are in effect public sector corporations. Each trust is headed by a board consisting of executive and non-executive directors, and is...
and the nearest hospital is Derriford Hospital
Derriford Hospital
Derriford Hospital, is a large teaching hospital situated in Plymouth, England. The hospital serves Plymouth and nearby areas in Devon and Cornwall. It also provides tertiary Cardiothoracic surgery, Neurosurgery and Renal Transplant surgery for the whole of the South West Peninsula...
in Plymouth. South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust operates in Ivybridge and the rest of the south west; its headquarters are in Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
. Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
Devon and Cornwall Police, formerly Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, is the territorial police force responsible for policing the counties of Devon and Cornwall in England and the unitary authorities of Plymouth, Torbay and the Isles of Scilly....
serve the town's policing matters and there is a small police station in the centre of the town. Ivybridge has one retained fire station (number 53) on the southern outskirts of town, which is in the west division of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
as part of Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service covering the counties of Devon and Somerset, including the unitary authorities of Plymouth and Torbay, in South West England...
. It has a Water Tender Ladder, Prime Mover, Environmental Pod and an Incident Support Unit. The fire station used to be closer to the centre of the town. There is also a youth centre in the centre of the town which has just recently been was opened in 2007.
See also
- List of civil parishes in Devon
- List of schools in the South West of England
- United Kingdom Census 2001United Kingdom Census 2001A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....