BUDE

bude, a small seaport and watering-place in the launceston parliamentary division of cornwall, england, on the north coast at the mouth of the river bude. with the market town of stratton, 11⁄2 m. inland to the east, it forms the urban district of stratton and bude, with a population (1901) of 2308. bude is served by a branch of the london & south-western railway. its only notable building is the early english parish church of st michael and all angels. the climate is healthy and the coast scenery in the neighbourhood fine, especially towards the south. there the gigantic cliffs, with their banded strata, have been broken into fantastic forms by the waves. many ships have been wrecked on the jagged reefs which fringe their base. the figure-head of one of these, the "bencellon," lost in 1862, is preserved in the churchyard. the harbour, sheltered by a breakwater, will admit vessels of 300 tons at high water; and the river has been dammed to form a basin for the canal which runs to launceston. some fishing is carried on: but the staple trade is the export of sand, which, being highly charged with carbonate of lime, is much used for manure. there are golf links near the town. the currents in the bay make bathing dangerous.