The north Cornwall seaside resort town of Bude has undergone quite a transformation since its humble beginnings as Stratton's unremarkable neighbour. As one local candidly put it, 'Stratton was a market town when Bude was just a furzy down.' Initially known for its beach sand properties, which worked wonders on soil and proved favourable with many Cornish farmers, Bude expanded rapidly following the construction of the sea canal in the early nineteenth century. The Victorians sought it out as the ideal holiday resort.