BRIDGENVATER, a borough and market town in England, in the hundred of North Petherton, and coun ty of Somerset, is situated in a flat and rather woody country, on the river Parrot, 12 miles from the sea, and nearly 128 west from London. Over the Parrot is a stone bridge, which connects Bridgewater with the sub urb of Eastover ; and also an iron bridge lately erected.
The streets are very irregular, but wide and well built ; and the church of St Mary is a large and handsome building, with one of the largest spires in the kingdom. It has a spacious town-hall, and a high cross, with a cis tern over it, to which water is conveyed by an engine from a neighbouring rivulet, and thence carried to the different streets It has also several meeting-houses for Presbyterians, Baptists, and Quakers ; and, it is wor thy of notice, that in one of these there is a pew appro priated for the mayor and aldermen, should they happen to be of that persuasion. Bridgewater was formerly the private estate of William de Brewere, but was erected into a free borough by King John, and afterwards made a mayor-town by Henry IV. Its corporation consists of a mayor, a recorder, two aldermen, 24 common-council men, and a town clerk ; and it sends two members to par liament, who are chosen by the inhabitant householders, who pay scot and lot. The authority of the magistrates extends throughout the parish; and the recorder, with the mayor and aldermen, are empowered to hold four sessions annually, for trying all crimes and misde meanors, not capital, committed within their jurisdic tion. A court of record is also held every Monday, for the cognizance of all debts. The midsummer county sessions are held at Bridgewater, and the assizes every other year. As this town was made a distinct county by Henry VIII. the sheriff of Somerset cannot send any process into the borough ; and its burgesses are free in every town of England and Ireland, except London and Dublin. The revenue is valued at 50001. per annum ;
and the corporation are conservators of the navigation of the river Parrot, which is navigable at Bridgewater for vessels of 200 tons, and for large barges as far as Taun ton and Langport. Bridgewater has very little foreign trade, but a great deal of coasting. A large and com modious quay receives the manufactures of Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Sze. which are conveyed by wag gons to the internal parts of Devon and Cornwall ; and about forty vessels from 30 to 100 tons are employed at this port for bringing coals from Wales ; by which means, the neighbourhood are supplied with this article at a moderate rate. The duties paid on imports amount to about 2500/. a year; and the duty on coal alone, for seven years, was estimated at 16,000/. or 17,0001. Its fairs, of which there are four in the year, are well suppli ed with cattle, horses, and sheep ; and also with cloths and linen. Its markets are on Thursday and Saturday. The tide rises here six fathoms at high water,and some times flows with such impetuosity, that it rises at once nearly two fathoms. This sudden flow, from its impe tuosity and noise, is called the boar. It is frequent in all the rivers of the Channel, particularly in the Severn, and often occasions considerable damage to the ship ping, by driving them foul of each other, and upsetting the small craft. Bridgewater was formerly a place of much greater importance than it is at present. It was regularly fortified during the civil wars, and protected by a castle, but since that time it has suffered greatly from conflagrations, and the various vicissitudes of war. In 1645, it was besieged by the parliament army under Sir Thomas Fairfax, who committed great devastations ; and it was here that the duke of Monmouth encamped his undisciplined army previous to his defeat on Sedge moor. Population, 3634; of whom 986 are engaged in trade and manufactures. W. Long. 59', N. Lat. (1')