Bridgerule

Bridgerule is a village in Devon, situated near the town of Holsworthy and the Cornish border. Historically, the River Tamar divided the parish between the counties of Devon and Cornwall, giving it a unique dual character. The village retains a quiet, rural quality, with stone cottages, a parish church, and a landscape of farmland and wooded valleys. The area has a sense of being on a boundary, both geographically and historically.

History: The village name derives from the Norman manor holder Ruald Adobed and the local bridge over the Tamar, with the Cornish name being Ponsrowald, meaning "Rowald's Bridge." Bridgerule was mentioned in the Domesday Book as Brige in 1086. Until 1844, the Tamar formed the border between Devon and Cornwall, and the western part of the parish was in Cornwall. West Bridgerule was transferred to Devon by the Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844. The two parts were managed as separate civil parishes until their reunification in 1950. The parish church, St Bridget, was restored in 1878 and features a tower of Ashlar granite, a wagon roof, and a Norman font. The Norman manor of Tackbear, with plaster overmantels and woodwork dated 1693, remains in the parish. Bridgerule has no major industrial history, with the economy based on agriculture and small-scale trade. Today, the village functions as a quiet rural community, with a mix of longtime residents and newcomers.