Highbridge is a small market town situated on the edge of the Somerset Levels near the mouth of the River Brue. It is in the County of Somersetand is approximately 20 miles Highbridge is in the District of Sedgemoorbeing situated approximately 7 miles Highbridge closely neighbours Burnham-on-Seaforming part of the combined parish of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge and shares a town council with the resort town.

In the census the population was 5, In the census the population of the town was included in the ward of Highbridge and Burnham Marine, which totalled 7, There is archaeological evidence of occupation around the Highbridge area at least as far back as the Roman period.

A bridged crossing over the River Brue at this location has existed since the 14th century and it has always been an important crossing on the route from Bristol to the South West.

The town that sprung up around this crossing takes it name from the bridge.

An older name for the local manor was "Huish" a contraction of the phrase "Huish jaxta altum pontem" next to a high bridge. There are historical references to a wharf at this site and to usage of the river as part of the drainage plan for the Somerset Levels by the Monks of Glastonbury. Highbridge grew in importance as a regional market and industrial town during the latter half of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century. Heavy industry and transport declined in Highbridge after the Second World War as the Wharf proved too small for the newer generation of ships, with the last cargo of timber arriving in and the wharf was closed to shipping the following year, [2] and commercial freight moved away from the railways.

Since the s close proximity to the M5 motorway has driven a growth in light industry and in the town's commuter population. Highbridge was historically a hamlet and chapelry in the large ancient parish of Burnham.

Highbridge, Somerset - Wikipedia

The town had by then expanded south of the River Brue into the parish of Huntspilland in the new parish of South Highbridge was carved out of Huntspill parish. North Highbridge and South Highbridge together formed the Highbrige Urban District. In the Urban District was abolished and merged into Burnham-on-Sea Urban District.

In the local government reforms, this became a civil parish within the new District of Sedgemoor. The civil parish is now known as Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge, with a single town council. The joining of the two towns remains a contentious issue. A independence referendum was unsuccessful, but there remains strong feeling among some sections of the community, as evidenced by a number of incidents of vandalism involving signs on the approach to the town. In a community group, the Highbridge History Project, commemorated the th anniversary of opening of the town's station by publishing the results of their own five-year-long study into the town's history Weston Mercury "A Glimpse into the past".

Highbridge is within the Sedgemoor Non-metropolitan district which has traditionally been Conservative run since its creation in There is one electoral ward named 'Highbridge and Burnham Marine'.

The population taken at the census is identical to that shown above. Liberal Democrats fared well in Burnham and Highbridge areas untilwhen the Conservatives re-took Sedgemoor, with the Liberal Democrats losing the seat of Highbridge to Labour. It has since returned Liberal Democrats with a substantial majority.

Nationally, Highbridge falls within the Wells county constituency which elects one Member of Parliament MP to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdomby the first past the post voting system.

Between andTessa Munt of the Liberal Democrats was the elected MP for the constituency. She lost her seat in the General Election to the Conservative candidate James Heappeywho was elected with a vote majority.

Work to build 59 homes starts at former Highbridge cattle market site

It is also within the South West England European Parliament constituency. Highbridge was originally the seaward terminus of the Glastonbury Canal and the Somerset Central Railway.

The Canal was established first and was designed to improve drainage along the River Brue. It was also exchange rate pak rupees to saudi riyals to create a trade link between Glastonbury and the sea.

A new straight channel, with a clyce the local name for a sluice[7] which runs from the present day tidal gates to the location of the current station, was cut in and the original course of the river was as the site for of Highbridge Wharf. The Canal opened in and while initially successful it later suffered from financial and engineering problems.

Inthe Bristol and Exeter Railway a future component of the Great Western Railway opened a station at Highbridge on what is now the Great Western Main Line. Ten years later the railway companies realised the potential of the route of the failing Glastonbury Canal and it was bought out by the Somerset Central Railway a component of the Somerset and Dorset How to buy emaar shares. Shortly afterwards local branch lines to Burnham-on-Sea and to the Wharf were added.

These lines crossed the Great Western lines at grade, and crossed Church Street the A38and at that time the main road route to Devon and Cornwall at a notorious level crossing which led to long tailbacks in the summer months. At its height Highbridge Station had five platforms and a carriage works. The decline of the British railway network hit the Highbridge Station hard and today there remain only two unmanned platforms, following the closure of two branch lines in the s. The official name of the station is now Highbridge and Burnham.

The old Highbridge Station, which was a Brunel original, was demolished in the s. The Victorian former Station Master's house was also demolished. A housing estate now stands on much of the old railway lands. Highbridge town centre clusters around the crossroads formed by Church Street and Market Street. At their meeting point is a roundabout which marks the location of the town's original highbridge livestock market town clock.

A modern concrete replacement clock, also with three faces and topped with the town's coat of arms stood in nearby Jubilee Are binary option trading a scam hedging until its replacement with a more traditional four-faced clock in NatWestthe last remaining bank in the town, finally closed its doors for the svr 08 earning money time on 25 July The former wharf area is occupied by recently built new housing, which stretches alongside the river from the town centre to the railway.

Along with the rest of South West EnglandHighbridge has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than the rest of the country. Seasonal temperature variation is less extreme than most of the United Kingdom because of the adjacent sea temperatures. Most the rainfall in the south-west is caused by Atlantic depressions or by convection. Most of the rainfall in autumn and winter is caused by the Atlantic depressions, which is when they are most active.

In summer, a large proportion of the rainfall is caused by sun volatility in emerging stock markets aggarwal the ground leading to convection and to showers and thunderstorms. About 8—15 days of snowfall is typical.

November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, and June to August have the lightest winds.

The predominant wind direction is from the south-west. Recently there has been a rapid expansion of flats and social housing in the town centre, and many new takeaway outlets which have led to concerns about antisocial behaviour and the long-term viability of remaining businesses. The town had an independent livestock market on the same site from until It was previously run by J.

Palmer and Sons and met weekly on Monday. The market closed briefly during the UK foot and mouth crisisand in moved to a purpose built site at Huntworth near Bridgwater which also replaced the livestock market at Taunton.

In FebruaryAmerican computing giant IBM announced that it would be creating dozens of jobs in a new service centre in Highbridge [17] as part of the Into Somerset inward investment programme for Somerset.

The Community Hall opened in stands on the site of the former Town Hall built indemolished in and Railway Hotel, and incorporates a large function room and associated meeting rooms, a small volunteer-operated public library and offices for Homes in Sedgemoorthe local Housing Authority.

Like most British towns Highbridge has had its ample share of alehouses and inns. Many of these depended on trade from the wharf and livestock market and numerous public houses existed close to these facilities along Newtown Road. Now only The Globe remains in this area.

The Cooper's Arms, once recognised by the Campaign for Real Ale CAMRA as one of the best pubs in the region has declined in popularity in recent times. Since the freehold was sold it has had various tenants, none of which have been successful. The town is also served by The George Hotel, The Bristol Bridge Inn and a thriving social club.

This decline in the number of public houses has also affected local skittles leagues who are facing a reduction in the number of venues in which this locally very popular pub game can be played. The town is served by the newly amalgamated Churchfield Primary School formerly Beechfield Infant School and St. John's CofE Junior School. The local coeducational comprehensive school is The King Alfred Schoolwhich sits in Highbridge near the border with Burnham-on-Sea, which it also serves.

It was founded in and is now a specialist Sports College. The majority of students continuing study travel to Bridgwater College. Highbridge is served by St John's Church and Hope Baptist Churchboth located in Church Street. Money for the building of St John's was given by Mary Ann Ruscombe Poole who laid the foundation stone in and opened in Structural damage was identified during a survey in Statue of Frank Foley in Highbridge.

Highbridge was the birthplace of noted British spy Frank Foleythe "British Schindler", who saved thousands of Jews in World War IIwho is honoured by a statue near the Community Hall in the town centre. Edward Higgins General of the Salvation Army in the early s was born in Church Street, and lends his name to a development of elderly persons dwellings near the town centre.

Colonel, the biggest bull in Britain, [21] was resident at the Alstone Wildlife Park on the outskirts of Highbridge. FANDOM Skip to Content Skip to Wiki Navigation Skip to Site Navigation. Games Movies TV Wikis. Explore Wikis Community Central Fandom University. Sign In Don't have an account? Create or edit article. Improve article; tree, bdm, etc Form: Person Semi-manual method Advanced form rarely used. Surnames People by decade Birth decade Death decade. Wiki Activity Random page Community Videos Images.

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