Editing Bideford (section)

===1500–1700===
[[File:Sir Richard Grenville from NPG.jpg|thumb|A portrait of Sir [[Richard Grenville]] (1542–1591) heroic captain of the ''Revenge'']]
The Grenville family were for many centuries lords of the manor of Bideford and played a major role in the town's development. The monument with an effigy of [[Thomas Grenville (died 1513)|Sir Thomas Grenville]] (died 1513) exists in [[Church of St Mary, Bideford|St Mary's Church]]. His great-great-grandson [[Sir Richard Grenville]] (1542–1591), the captain of the ''Revenge'', was born in the [[manor house]] in Bideford, formerly situated on the site of numbers 1–3 Bridge Street. He built himself a new mansion on the quayside in 1585.<ref name="nimrodresearch">{{cite web |url=http://www.nimrodresearch.co.uk/grenville/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622105534/http://www.nimrodresearch.co.uk/grenville/ |archive-date=22 June 2012 |url-status=dead |title=Nimrod Research – The Grenville Reports |author=Carter, David |access-date=31 March 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The family had another seat at [[Stowe, Kilkhampton|Stow House]], [[Kilkhampton]], near [[Bude]] in Cornwall. Grenville played a major role in the transformation of the small fishing port of Bideford in North Devon into what became a significant trading port with the new American colonies, later specialising in tobacco importation. In 1575 he created the Port of Bideford. Grenville was never elected as Mayor of Bideford, preferring instead to support John Salterne in that role, but he was Lord of the Manor, a title held by the Grenvilles since 1126 and finally ceded by his descendants in 1711 to the Town Council he established. On his return from [[Roanoke Colony]] Grenville's ship ''Tiger'' [[Action off Bermuda (1585)|captured a Spanish galleon]] the ''Santa Maria de San Vicente'' off [[Bermuda]] in late August 1585. The Spanish prize was brought into Bideford with riches valued at around 15,000 pounds.<ref name="Hakluyt169">{{cite book|last1=Hakluyt Society|title=Works, Volumes 104-105|year=1967|pages=169 & 786|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vHngAAAAMAAJ|author1-link=Hakluyt Society|access-date=21 September 2020|archive-date=20 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020224336/https://books.google.com/books?id=vHngAAAAMAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> Grenville also brought a Native American "Wynganditoian"<ref>As he is described in the baptismal register of Bideford Church</ref> from [[Roanoke Island]] with him after returning from a voyage to America in 1586. Grenville named this Native American tribesman [[Raleigh (Native American)|Raleigh]] after his cousin Sir [[Walter Raleigh]].<ref>[[#Watkins|Watkins]], p. 57</ref> Raleigh converted to Christianity and was [[Baptism|baptised]] at [[Church of St Mary, Bideford|Saint Mary's Church]] on 27 March 1588, but died from influenza during his residence in Grenville's house on 2 April 1589.<ref name="ancestry">{{cite web|url=http://rootsweb.ancestry.com/~molcgdrg/nl/nl-12/nl02-12f.htm|title=Lost Colony Research Group|publisher=rootsweb.ancestry.com|access-date=31 March 2015|archive-date=25 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925231044/http://rootsweb.ancestry.com/~molcgdrg/nl/nl-12/nl02-12f.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> His interment was at the same church five days later.<ref name="nativeheritageproject">{{cite web|url=http://nativeheritageproject.com/2012/07/02/raleigh-a-wynganditoian/|title=Raleigh, a Wynganditoian &#124; Native Heritage Project|publisher=nativeheritageproject.com|access-date=31 March 2015|archive-date=19 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150619230725/http://nativeheritageproject.com/2012/07/02/raleigh-a-wynganditoian/|url-status=live}}</ref> Sir Richard Grenville's great-grandson, Sir John Granville, helped restore [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] to the throne, and in 1661 Charles made Sir John Granville Baron Granville of Bideford and [[Earl of Bath]].

During the [[English Civil War]], Bideford stood with the [[Roundheads|Parliamentarians]] against the [[Cavalier|Royalist]] forces of [[Charles I of England|Charles I]]. Following a series of Royalist successes in the South West during 1643, the Parliamentarians withdrew into Bideford and its two small fortresses, one of which was [[Chudleigh Fort]]. Here they were besieged. After further Royalist victories it became clear that Bideford would not be relieved, and in August 1643 it was stormed by Royalist forces. Following fierce fighting around the two forts, the town fell.<ref name=History>{{cite web|url=http://www.castlesfortsbattles.co.uk/south_west/chudleigh_fort.html|title=Chudleigh Fort – South West – Castles, Forts and Battles|website=www.castlesfortsbattles.co.uk|access-date=3 April 2018|archive-date=4 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804034742/http://www.castlesfortsbattles.co.uk/south_west/chudleigh_fort.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1646, 229 people in the town were killed by the plague.<ref name="british-history1">{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=50569#s2 |title=Parishes – Bickton – Bridford &#124; Magna Britannia: volume 6 (pp. 47–69) |publisher=British-history.ac.uk |date=22 June 2003 |access-date=26 June 2013 |archive-date=19 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130919090126/http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=50569#s2 |url-status=live }}</ref> It was suggested that a Spanish vessel laden with wool which docked at the quay may have brought this plague to Bideford, and that it was children playing with the wool who first got infected with the plague. Victims were buried from 8 June 1646 to 18 January the next year.<ref>[[#Watkins|Watkins]], p. 43</ref> After the revocation of the [[Edict of Nantes]] and the expulsion of French Protestants from France a considerable number of them immigrated to Bideford, and they brought a lot of new trades to the town, including silk weaving.<ref>[[#Watkins|Watkins]], p. 58</ref>

In the 16th century the merchant and ship owner John Strange was born in the town. When he was in his youth, he fell from a cliff yet did not suffer any injury, then later on in his life someone fired an arrow at his forehead, but it did not penetrate his skull, and the only lasting damage was a scar. Once a malicious person tried to throw him over the Long Bridge, the walls of the bridge being very low, but was unexpectedly and luckily interrupted.<ref>[[#Watkins|Watkins]], p. 226</ref>

====Witch trial====
The [[Bideford witch trial]] in 1682 involved three women, Temperance Lloyd, Mary Trembles and Susannah Edwards, accused of [[witchcraft]] and which resulted in one of the last [[hangings]] for witchcraft in England.