| Ivybridge | |
|---|---|
 Fore Street, Ivybridge | |
  Ivybridge Location within Devon | |
| Population | 11,851 (2011)[1] |
| OS grid reference | SX635560 |
| • London | 182 mi (293 km) |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | IVYBRIDGE |
| Postcode district | PL21 |
| Dialling code | 01752 |
| Police | Devon and Cornwall |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | ivybridge |
Ivybridge /ˈaɪvibrɪdʒ/ is a town and civil parish in the South Hams, in Devon, England. It lies about thirteen miles (twenty-one kilometres) east of Plymouth. It is at the southern extremity of Dartmoor, a National Park of England and Wales and lies along the A38 "Devon Expressway" road. There are two electoral wards in Ivybridge East and Ivybridge West with a total population of 11,851.
Mentioned in documents as early as the 13th century, Ivybridge's early history is marked by its status as an important crossing-point over the River Erme on the road from Exeter to Plymouth. In the 16th century mills were built using the River Erme's power. The parish of Saint John was formed in 1836.[2] Ivybridge became a civil parish in 1894 and a town in 1977.
The early urbanisation and development of Ivybridge largely coincided with the Industrial Revolution. Stowford Paper Mill was built in 1787 and rebuilt again in the 1860s with extensive investment. In 1848 the South Devon Railway arrived on the northern edge of the village. The paper mill closed in 2013 after 226 years in Ivybridge and the buildings are being converted to homes and shops.[3] Ivybridge is often referred to as a commuter town, although a small proportion of people work in the town itself, and agriculture continues to play an economic role for the surrounding area. The area surrounding Ivybridge is varied and complex, including river valleys, farmland and dense woodland.
While heavy industry diminished during the latter half of the 20th century, the population grew significantly from 1,574 people in 1921 to 12,056 in 2001.[4]
- ^ "Key Figures for 2011 Census: Key Statistics". Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
- ^ "Ivybridge". Morris and Co.'s Commercial Directory and Gazetteer 1870. Archived from the original on 13 September 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2008.
- ^ Ivybridge Heritage
- ^ "Census statistics 1801–2001". Devon County Council. Archived from the original on 27 February 2006. Retrieved 26 April 2008.