Bideford: Charles Kingsley

Charles Kingsley was born in Holne, Devon and was named after his father. His family moved to Clovelly, where he spent most of his childhood and where his father was the curator and rector. Unveiled in 1910, his statue stands at the end of the Quay in Bideford (the opposite end to Tarka the Otter), reminding visitors of his connection with the town.

In 1855, Kingsley was living at Northdown Hall in Bideford when he wrote Westward Ho! One of his favourite haunts was the beach and the pebble ridge found there, yet he never visited the resort which took its name from his novel which used the cry to recruit sailors for the Elizabethan adventurer, Sir Walter Raleigh, as its title. Although the beach is lovely, I found the place too brash for my taste with its amusement arcades and flashing lights!

‘The Rose Salterne’ in Bideford is named after one of the main characters of ‘Westward Ho! Now (sadly!) a Wetherspoons, a somewhat neglected plaque on the wall commemorates the connection; however, I was not tempted to go in!

Although he became the rector of the parish of Eversley in Hampshire, Charles Kingsley would regularly stay in Clovelly, staying at what is now Kingsley Cottage. It was here that he wrote his most famous book, ‘The Water Babies’.

Charles Kingsley statue

Kingsley Rd,

Bideford

EX39 2LH

You can read about the statue of ‘Tarka the Otter’ here.