To commemorate the achievements
of the inventor Sir Goldsworthy Gurney a light sculpture known as the
'Bude Light' has been erected in Bude.
Gurney was educated for a medical career and practiced
as a surgeon in Wadebridge and London but soon turned his attention to solving
practical scientific problems; he invented a steam jet, an oxyhydrogen blowpipe,
and a musical instrument consisting of glasses played as a piano. He
also improved the lighting in the House of Commons by replacing the 280 candles
with three Bude Lights. They were used for sixty years until the arrival of
electricity. Gurney adapted it for use in lighthouses by placing the light
in a revolving frame. As the frame turned it made a flashing beam. Each lighthouse
had its own sequence of flashes - a principle still in use today.
The light sculpture has been erected
near the castle in Bude (seen here in the background). The sculpture
is illuminated at night time to reveal the constellations, light shines
from the top of the cone and the stars twinkle in the Zodiac circle beneath,
lights are also placed around the seating area.
A few minutes walk from the town centre
and you can be exploring the dramatic scenery of the coast path. Discovering
the famous Bude Canal or
walking in some of the most unspoilt rural areas to be found in the Westcountry.
Bude has many local attractions nearby
or a short drive away.
Use the buttons below to search for
accommodation or businesses.
Bude once had a thriving railway which went from Bude to Okehampton.
The station was closed in the late 1960's the official reason was 'due to falling passenger numbers'.
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Bude Railway |
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Bude Station |
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Click here to view the Bude to Okehampton map |
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