History - Barnstaple

experienceDevon’s customised itinerary plans can show you Barnstaple’s rich maritime history; learn about shipbuilding, trade with America, the English Civil War and discover historic pubs, the Church, Castle and the Long Bridge.

More than 1,000 years of history, from the Saxons to the present day, can be found in Barnstaple, or Barum - England’s oldest borough and Devon’s largest town. The Castle Mound, built by the Normans around 1100 AD is all that remains of the ancient defences of the Borough. Barnstaple played some part in the Civil War in the mid 17th century and bullet holes can be seen today in the Penrose Almshouses and oaken doors of the Meeting Rooms.

The town prospered due to its links with the river Taw, and historically it rivalled Liverpool and Bristol for its trade with America. The trade was in cloth, wool, fish, wine, pottery and tobacco.  The town once had 2 quays, Little and Great Quay, which were later replaced by Castle Quay. The first two were swept away when the railway crossed the river in 1872.

Barnstaple’s trade had shrunk by the 1860’s and most cargoes were of lime, fertiliser and grain, delivered by auxiliary-engined sailing ketches and schooners. Other industries include shipbuilding - from small barges to fully-rigged 500 ton ships; leather; sawmills and net and glove manufacturing. The town also had flour and woollen mills. Due to the silting of the estuary and changes to the industry, the trade declined and other ports took the trade away.

More recently Barnstaple has moved away from maritime activity to agriculture. The farmers made Barnstaple one of the South West’s most important market towns. The river today is a leisure and tourism attraction, with the Tarka trail leading towards Braunton and Saunton to the North, and Instow and Bideford to the West.