Bude’s Tide Mill and Bridge – A New Book by Nick Cole

This book is an account of an 18-month long piece of historical detective work.

At the centre of town is an iconic bridge named, “Nanny Moore’s Bridge”. Nanny Moore lived in a cottage by the bridge, and it was known that the cottage had been a mill. How the mill was powered, and the history of the bridge was not known.

Painstaking piecing together of early newspaper content, very early photographs plus the discovery of pieces of wood found in the riverbed all contributed to a fuller picture of how the mill was driven.

As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the building of the mill and its power source, changed the geography of the town forever and lay the foundations for the small hamlet of Bede’s Haven growing to become the modern town of Bude, usurping its parent town of Stratton.

The text and graphics do include some calculations, diagrams of mill mechanisms and power types, which were an essential part of determining the water needed to power the mill. This book was a revelation for the residents of town, and it will add extra knowledge and appreciation for all those who love Bude. 

To buy a copy of this book at £13 including postage contact Nick on his website https://www.pathwaysofdiscovery.co.uk/