See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Shipyard at Upper Cleave Houses. Warships were built here during the Napoleonic War and the yard continued to thrive in the 1840s and 1850s.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS42NE/222

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SHIPYARD (XVIII to XX - 1751 AD to 1983 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1884, Untitled Source, 19NW (Cartographic). SDV336661.

Slip and boathouse shown at SS45652735 on the Ordnance Survey 6 inch (1884) map.

Farr, G. E., 1976, Untitled Source, 2 (Article in Serial). SDV336442.

Grant, A. + Christie, P., 1987, Untitled Source, 40 (Monograph). SDV339388.

Pye, A. R. + Simpson, S. J., 1991, Bideford Waterfront NRA Tidal Defence Scheme: Historical Survey and Part 1 Archaeological Survey (Report - Survey). SDV15240.

Site of a shipyard. Warships were built here during the Napoleonic War and the yard continued to thrive in the 1840s and 1850s. There was a slump in the local shipbuilding industry during the late 19th century, although small boats continued to be built here until 1924, and it was then called "Bank End". It was taken over in 1956 by Blackmore and Sons, and sold in 1963 to Bideford Shipyard Limited. It was closed in 1983. A housing estate now stands on the site.

Turton, S. D. + Weddell, P. J., 1992, Preliminary Archaeological Assessment, Taw-Torridge Tidal Waters Improvements, 3 (Report - Assessment). SDV18873.

Turton, S. D. + Weddell, P. J., 1993, Archaeological Assessment of SWW Taw-Torridge Tidal Waters Improvements, 2 (Report - Assessment). SDV4711.

The larger of the two principal shipyards in Bideford. Later known as “Bank End” and “Riverside Works”. It has a recorded history dating over 200 years. The original site may have been at SS45552765 (in a 'v' formed by 2 roads and now the site of cottages which can be seen on the First Edition Ordnance Survey map) and this was presumably where Napoleonic naval vessels were built. Early Ordnance Survey maps show that land immediately to the east was reclaimed in the late 19th century and the shipyard encroached onto the foreshore. Small boats continued to be built here, despite a slump in local industry. Between the wars, steel ships were built by Hansen Brothers and in the post-war period this was continued by Bideford Shipbuilders until they failed in 1983. The buildings were standing until relatively recently.

Turton, S. D. + Weddell, P. J., 1993, Archaeological Assessment of SWW Taw-Torridge Tidal Waters Improvements, Part 1: Southern Routes, 3 (Report - Assessment). SDV4712.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.