A NEW exhibition, created by the Bude Canal and Harbour Society to coincide with the bi-centenary of the start of construction of the Bude Canal, is now on view in the Willoughby Room in the Heritage Centre until February 28, writes Christine Williams.

On Friday, July 23, 1819, Lord Stanhope laid the first stone on the site for the breakwater and after a speech, well received by a large crowd including many notaries, the party proceeded to a site amongst the sand dunes, where he cut the first sod.

After much applause bands played ‘God Save the King’ and ‘Rule Britannia’ after which the crowd, estimated to be 12,000, made their way to Summerleaze Downs where a great celebration took place with dancing, entertainment, displays of wrestling, running and gymnastic exercises. There were refreshments including gallons of cider and thousands of cakes.

After the frivolities construction began and the route of the canal became the scene of much activity by hundreds of navvies.

The exhibition consists of 14 display panels on which the text accompanied by photos, pictures and diagrams tells the story of Bude as a port to the ancient town of Stratton. It relates various schemes put forward to find ways of transporting lime rich sand from Bude’s beaches to farmers inland for use as fertiliser and the construction and subsequent development of the canal and harbour.

Details are given of the inclined planes used to haul tub boats, the locks and bridges, the building of the breakwater as well as the shipbuilding activity, the railway track and ships bringing coal from South Wales.

At the launch of the exhibition last Saturday morning, February 16, Chris Jewell, chairman of the Bude Canal and Harbour Society, thanked the many people who had made the exhibition possible.

Among them were Cllr Peter La Broy who had helped to obtain grants from Cornwall Council, Bude-Stratton Town Council and the Castle archive team. He was also grateful to the Old Cornwall Society, the Bude Canal Trust, his fellow trustees for allowing him to collate the text and images on display and David Martin of MGS for putting everything together.

He expressed the hope that the public would find the exhibition interesting and informative and learn how the port and canal became the catalyst that changed the area and created the town of Bude.

The mayor, Bob Willingham, said people should not take for granted the huge amount of work done by the Bude Harbour and Canal Society.

Throughout the year further commemorative events are planned including a play entitled ‘Hidden Depths’ to be performed by Bude Youth Theatre from March 27 to 30, several guided walks and a buffet at the Falcon Hotel on July 23, the very date when work on the canal began. A commemorative booklet, available from the BC&H Society and the Bude Canal Trust, is now on sale, price £1.