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Template:GBthumb Ivybridge is a town in the South Hams area of Devon, England. It gained its name from a 13th century hump-backed bridge over the River Erme and is on the southern extremity of Dartmoor, overlooked by Western Beacon. In the 2001 census Ivybridge had a population of over 12,000.^[1] Ivybridge and its surrounding area lie within the South West Devon parliamentary constituency.

History

The Ivy Bridge as painted by J. M. W. Turner in 1813

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." ^[2] 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, an edge mill and a tin mill. One of the mills, 'Glanville's Mill' (corn mill), was situated where the many of the towns shops are today and gives its name to the shopping centre.^[3] Until 1819 the 'Ivy Bridge' was the only means of crossing the River Erme before the road was straightened and the 'New Bridge' was built joining Fore Street and Exeter Road. In 1894 St John's church became a Parish Church for the newly created parish of Ivybridge. ^[4] Before this the 'Ivy Bridge' had been the boundary between the four parishes of Ugborough, Ermington, Cornwood, and Harford.^[5] The village became a town in 1977 and throughout the 1980's and 90's undertook a period of rapid growth (between the censuses in 1981 and 2001 the population more than doubled from 5,106 to 12,056 ^[6])

The town today

There have been attempts to brand the town as a walking centre for southern Dartmoor. There is good access to Dartmoor from the town — one route follows the route of the old china clay railway to Redlake in the heart of the moor. The Two Moors Way which crosses Dartmoor and Exmoor starts in Ivybridge and finishes in Lynmouth on the North Devon coast.

There are various leisure facilities in the town: the South Dartmoor Leisure Centre features a swimming pool and gymnasium facilities, and the South Devon Tennis Centre has indoor and outdoor courts; there is also a skatepark, a youth centre and a library. In 2007 construction began on a new library on a new site close to the town hall, this new library and Community Resource Centre is due for completion in March 2008. ^[7]

Transport

Ivybridge has long been a staging post on the Exeter to Plymouth road which passed over the 13th century bridge. This road became the A38, though this now bypasses the town to the south as a dual carriageway trunk road. Ivybridge's railway station was reopened (on a new site) in the 1990s, and provides fast and economical commuter links to Plymouth and the west as well as Totnes, Exeter and the east and even has direct trains to London, Waterloo.

Education

The town has four Primary schools and one Secondary school. Ivybridge Community College [1], the town's secondary school, has achieved notable successes in both academic and sporting performance. It has specialist school status as a sports college. The school has recently been given awards in science and mathematics as well as languages making it a triple specialist school.^[8] The headmaster of Ivybridge Community College, Geoffrey Rees, was created a CBE in the 2003 New Year's Honours List in recognition of his work at the school.

Twin town

Ivybridge was twinned with the Normandy town St Pierre sur Dives on June 26, 1972.^[9]

Ivybridge in Art

The bridge was the subject of a watercolour painting by J. M. W. Turner in 1813 entitled simply 'Ivy Bridge'. ^[10]

References

External links

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[1] ttp://www.devon.gov.uk/etched?_IXP_=1&_IXR=111879

[2] ttp://www.ivybridge.gov.uk/tourism/past.htm

[3] ttp://www.ivybridge.gov.uk/tourism/past.htm

[4] ttp://www.devon.gov.uk/etched?_IXP_=1&_IXR=111879

[5] ttp://www.ivybridge.gov.uk/tourism/past.htm

[6] ttp://www.devon.gov.uk/etched?_IXP_=1&_IXR=111879

[7] ttp://www.devon.gov.uk/index/community/libraries/your_local_library/south_hams_libraries/ivybridge_library.htm

[8] ttp://www.ivybridge.devon.sch.uk/aboutus/aboutus.htm

[9] ttp://www.ivybridge.gov.uk/tourism/Twinning.htm

[10] ttp://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?workid=45512

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 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, an edge mill and a tin mill. One of the mills, 'Glanville's Mill' (corn mill), was situated where the many of the towns shops are today and gives its name to the shopping centre.<ref>http://www.ivybridge.gov.uk/tourism/past.htm</ref>
 Until [[1819]] the 'Ivy Bridge' was the only means of crossing the River Erme before the road was straightened and the 'New Bridge' was built joining Fore Street and Exeter Road.
-In [[1894]] [[St John|St John's]] church became a [[Church of England parish church|Parish Church]] for the newly created parish of Ivybridge. <ref>http://www.devon.gov.uk/etched?_IXP_=1&_IXR=111879</ref> Before this the 'Ivy Bridge' had been the boundary between the four parishes of [[Ugborough]], [[Ermington]], [[Cornwood]], and Harford.<ref>http://www.ivybridge.gov.uk/tourism/past.htm</ref>
+In [[1894]] [[St John|St John's]] church became a [[Church of England parish church|Parish Church]] for the newly created parish of Ivybridge. <ref>http://www.devon.gov.uk/etched?_IXP_=1&_IXR=111879</ref> Before this the 'Ivy Bridge' had been the boundary between the four parishes of [[Ugborough]], [[Ermington, Devon|Ermington]], [[Cornwood]], and Harford.<ref>http://www.ivybridge.gov.uk/tourism/past.htm</ref>
 The village became a town in [[1977]] and throughout the 1980's and 90's undertook a period of rapid growth (between the censuses in [[1981]] and [[2001]] the population more than doubled from 5,106 to 12,056 <ref>http://www.devon.gov.uk/etched?_IXP_=1&_IXR=111879</ref>)