Ivybridge
Gateway to the moors
Gateway to the moors
Possibly the first recorded reference to Ivybridge was in 1280, it was simply noted as a place to cross the River Erme. The town gradually grew into a lively coaching station along the Exeter to Plymouth road and by the 1700s was thriving. A hotel and other facilities for travellers appeared and the bridge was widened to allow heavier traffic, until in 1819 a new bridge was constructed.
Apart from the old bridge from which the town derives its name, there were several other bridges built over the River Erme during the development of Ivybridge but not all remain today.
The first train station in Ivybridge which opened in 1844 remained in service until 1959 when passenger services at Ivybridge ceased, along with a number of other local stations on the main line. More recently a new station was constructed on the main London to Penzance line.
Paper making in Ivybridge began in 1787. Paper at this time was made from rags which required a mechanical process to break down the fabrics into the discrete fibres necessary to form paper. Water from the River Erme would be used to turn water wheels to generate the necessary power for these processes.