| Horrabridge | |
|---|---|
 The packhorse bridge over the River Walkham | |
  Horrabridge Location within Devon | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | YELVERTON |
| Postcode district | PL20 |
| Police | Devon and Cornwall |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
Horrabridge is a village in West Devon, England with a population of 2,115 people in 2006, down from 2,204 in 1991.[1] It is located approximately 12 miles (19 km) north of the city of Plymouth and 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Tavistock and is within the Dartmoor National Park. Horrabridge is a major part of Walkham electoral ward. The population at the 2011 census was 3,115.[2]
It sits on the River Walkham, a fishing river famous for its salmon. The village's name may have been taken from the 15th century pack-horse bridge which remains the only vehicular route from one side of the village to the other, and featured in the children's television programme Bagpuss.[3][4] The bridge is a Grade I listed building.[5]
Horrabridge has two pubs the London Inn and The Leaping Salmon but has lost many of its shops over the last 20 years including a draper, television shop and a general store. The village does however retain its post office, family bakery, hairdresser, florist and newsagent.
Until the beginning of the 20th century, the main industry was the mining of copper and tin. This industry has completely disappeared, leaving a legacy of unmapped mineshafts in the village and the surrounding area. It is a popular starting point for walks on Dartmoor and has become a dormitory village for the adjoining towns.
- ^ "Dartmoor Baseline Profile (p.10)" (PDF). Devon County Council. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
- ^ "Walkham ward 2011". Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
- ^ Photo by Francis Frith: "Photo of Horrabridge, the Bridge 1898". Retrieved 26 November 2011.
- ^ "Bagpuss Opening credits". Retrieved 12 November 2006.
- ^ Historic England. "Horrabridge Bridge (1105769)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 16 June 2015.