BRIDGWATER  , a

market town, port and municipal borough in the Bridgwater parliamentary division of Somerset, England, on the river Parret, .10 m. from its mouth, and 1513 ! M. by the Great Western railway W. by S. of London . Pop . (Igor) 15,209 . It is pleasantly situated in a level and well-wooded country, having on the east the Mendip range and on the west the Quantock hills . The town lies along both sides of the river, here crossed by a handsome iron bridge . Among several places of worship the chief is St Mary Magdalene's church; this has a north porch and windows dating from the 14th century, besides a lofty and slender spire; but it has been much altered by restoration . It possesses a fine painted reredos . A house in Blake Street, largely restored, was the birthplace of Admiral Blake in 1598 . Near the town are the three fine old churches of Weston Zoyland, Chedzoy and Middlezoy, containing some good brasses and carved woodwork . The battlefield of Sedge-moor, where the Monmouth rebellion was finally crushed in 1685, is within 3 m.; while not far off is Charlinch, the home of the Agapemonites (q.v.) . Bridgwater has a considerable coasting trade, importing grain, coal, wine, hemp, tallow and timber, and exporting Bath brick, farm produce, earthenware, cement and plaster of Paris .

The river is navigable by vessels of 700 tons, though liable, when

spring-tides are flowing, to a bore which rises, in rough weather, to a height of 9 ft . Bath. brick, manufactured only here, and made of the mingled sand and clay deposited by every tide, is the staple article of commerce; iron-founding is also carried on . The town is governed by a mayor, 6 aldermen and 18 councillors . Area, 1)26 acres . A settlement probably grew up in Saxon times at Bridgwater (Briges, Briggewalteri, Brigewauter), owing its origin as a trade centre to its position at the mouth of the chief river in Somerset . It became a mesne borough by the charter granted by John in 1201, which provided that the town should be a free borough, the burgesses to be free and quit of all tolls, and made William de Briwere overlord . Other charters were granted by Henry III. in 1227 (confirmed in 1318, 1370, 1380), which gave Bridgwater a gild merchant . It was incorporated by charter of Edward IV . (1468), confirmed in 1554• 1586, 1629 and 1684 . Parliamentary representation began in 1295 and continued until the Reform Act of 187o . A Saturday market and a fair on the 24th of June were granted by the charter of 1201 . Another fair at the beginning of Lent was added in 1468, and a second market on Thursday, and fairs at Midsummer and on the 21st of September were added in 1554 .

Charles II. granted another fair on the 29th of December . The medieval importance of these markets and fairs for the sale of wool and wine and later of cloth has gone . The shipping trade of the port revived after the construction of the new dock in 1841, and corn and timber have been imported for centuries . See S . G . Jarman, " History of Bridgwater," Historical MSS . Commission, Report 9, Appendix; Victoria County History: Somerset, vol. ii .