An ancient New Year's Eve tradition was to try to run across the Long Bridge during the time taken for the bells of St. Mary's parish church, near the west end, to chime midnight.

The Devon historian William George Hoskins (1959) stated that the first bridge was built in the last quarter of the 13th century, and made from oak wood.

[17] The Devon historian Risdon, Tristram (d.1640) claimed to have seen "a large catalogue containing the names of the bridge's benefactors wherein few families of any eminence in these western parts were omitted to be registered".

[19] On 5 December 1396 Bishop of Exeter Edmund Stafford (ruled 1395–1419) granted an indulgence to all true penitents who should assist "ad constructionem seu reparacionem longi pontis de Bydeford" ("towards the construction or repair of the long bridge of Bideford").

Later in 1437 and 1444 two further indulgences "ad novam constructionem sustentationem seu reparacionem pontis de Bydeford" ("to the new-building, sustaining or repair of Bideford Bridge") were granted by Bishop of Exeter Edmund Lacey (reigned 1420–1455).

[21] Tradition states that, like London Bridge,[22] its piers were built on wool bales,[23] an allusion to the great wealth generated by the wool-trade to the economy of England in the Middle Ages.

[26] Prince relates that before the building of the bridge the crossing over the broad and at times rough river was a dangerous action and frequently resulted in deaths from drowning.

The parish priest of Bideford, Richard Gornard (or Gurney), "was admonished by a vision in his sleep to set on the foundation of a bridge near a rock which he should find rolled from the higher grounds upon the strand".

He thus was incited to set forward the charitable work of founding a bridge, and gained to his cause the lord of the manor of Bideford Sir Theobald Grenville.

The appeal for funds was cheerfully received and "the greater personages allowed a certain number of workmen and some lands towards it, the common people some weeks, others a month's work, all striving...according to their utmost abilities for the furtherance of so charitable a design".