Bude in a seashell

Bude's life in short

Although Stratton is by far the older town, Bude’s history is rich and colourful. The nameitself is a distant reminder of the Middle Ages, when Bude was nothing more than a chapel on a rock, and referred to by Richard Carew as ‘Bede’s Haven’.

The Bedes, meaning wise men, attended the church, which is believed to have been dedicated to St. Michael. The rock on which the chapel stood is now part of the breakwater and still carries the name ‘Chapel Rock’. The land to the south of the river was owned by Sir John Arundel, master of Trerice, whilst the land to the north was owned by Sir Richard Grenville of Stowe Barton. Bede Haven was herefore jointly owned and connected by a bridge over the river Neet, today called ‘Nanny  Moore’s’ Bridge. Both gentlemen proved highly entrepreneurial, and many a profitable business was started by them. These were the ‘prim’beginnings of Bude.

By the 18th century Bude was a thriving port with goods being shipped mainly to and from Ireland, Bristol and Wales. The land itself changed hands: Grenville's land passed on to the Carterets, whilst the south side of Bude passed to the Aclands.With the shipping trade expanding worldwide, the number of ships coming to grief on the Cornish Coast increased, especially along the coast of  North Cornwall. Over the centuries about a hundred ships met their fatal end on the treacherous shores around Bude. Truly the saying was: ‘From Padstow Point to Lundy Light, is a watery grave by day or night.’

With trade growing fast during the mid-18th century, so did the port of Bude grow. Warehouses were built to hold cargo, and many cottages sprung up to house tradesmen,workers and captains. Over the next 80 years Bude flourished, but with the turn of the century trade started diminishing. The invention of steam-engines and the coming of the World Wars proved fatal. The small fishing fleet wasn't enough to keep all men at work and Bude was forced to find a new future.

The railway came to the rescue. Bude was connected to the national railway grid and with that,  thousands of well to-do holiday makers arrived for their summer holidays. The prestigious Grenville Hotel was built, and with it many a guesthouse opened its doors to the influx of people.

Today, tourism is still Bude's main employer and although the railway line is now long gone, Bude's tourism trade is going from strength to strength.

Bude Today

Today, this charming sea-side town with its friendly and welcoming atmosphere provides everything the locals and visitors need.

The main shopping streets and the inter-connecting alleyways play host to a wide range of unique, locally owned shops and an excellent range of pubs and restaurants. From surf and clothes boutiques, shoes, furniture and decorating, office needs and computer shops, right through to arts and crafts, jewellery, hand-made gifts and souvenirs, Bude really caters for everyone and every wish.

Although you will find some high-street names, it really is the absence of these that make our town look that bit different and special. As the town centre of Bude has evolved over a couple of centuries, you will find a rather interesting mix of buildings, some dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, whilst others have a Georgian, Edwardian or Victorian character. Of course, all of this is mingled with the occasional ‘modern’ building. Bude has grown quite substantially from the original chapel on the rock, but never really lost its charm and soul. As it is still compact, exploring Bude is quite manageable on foot.