Barnstaple
Encyclopedia
Barnstaple is a town and civil parish in the local government district of North Devon
in the county of Devon
, England
, UK. It lies 68 miles (109 km) west southwest of Bristol
, 50 miles (80 km) north of Plymouth
and 34 miles (55 km) northwest of the county town
of Exeter
. The old spelling Barnstable is now obsolete.
It is the main town of the district and claims to be the oldest borough
in the United Kingdom. It was founded at the lowest crossing point of the River Taw
, about 3 miles (5 km) from the Taw's seafall at the Bristol Channel
. By the time of the Domesday Book
, Barnstaple had its own mint
. Its size and wealth in the Middle Ages
was based on it being within the staple
, a staple port licensed to export wool
, and its importance is still obvious in the town's name. The wool trade was further aided by the town's excellent port, with five ships being sent in 1588 to aid the fight against the Spanish Armada
.
It was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Reform Act 1835. Since 1974, it has been a civil parish with a town council. It has a population of 34,000 (approx.)(conurbation not just parish).
St.Anne's Chapel in the central churchyard is probably the best of the ancient buildings to survive. Queen Anne's walk and the Georgian Guildhall remain. The Museum has tessellated floors, locally made staircase and decorative fireplaces . (from "Some Men who Made Barnstaple..." 2010 by Pauline Brain).
Barnstaple's population in the 1801 census
was 3,748, in the 1901 census 9,698, and in the 2001 census
, the population was 20,724. The town has swallowed the villages of Pilton
, Newport, and Roundswell through ribbon development
between the 1930s and the 1950s.
In 1989, the A361
North Devon Link Road was constructed, linking Barnstaple with the M5 motorway
, approximately 40 miles (65 km) to the east. Because Barnstaple is the main shopping area for North Devon, retail work is a contributor to the economy. Many generic chain stores are located in the town centre which is very typical of the area and on the Roundswell Business Park located on the western fringe of the town.
Traffic congestion
in the town used to be quite severe, but in May 2007, the Barnstaple Western Bypass
was opened so traffic heading towards Braunton
and Ilfracombe
avoids travelling through the town centre. The bypass consists of 1.6 miles (2.6 km) of new road and a 447 yards (408.7 m) long, five-span bridge. It was expected to have cost £42 million.
As part of this work, the town's main square is receiving a facelift as the entrance to the town centre, and it is planned to pedestrianise The Strand .
times and is probably of Roman
origin. Mentioned by Shakespeare, the name Barum was revived and popularised in Victorian
times, featuring in several novels of the time. The name is retained in the names of a football team, brewery
, and several other local businesses.
The former Brannam's pottery which was sited in Litchdon Street was known for its use of "Barum" scratched beneath its interesting local pottery products.
(See main article: Barnstaple Castle
)
A wooden castle was built by Geoffrey de Mowbray
, Bishop of Coutances in the 11th century, clearing houses to make room for it. Juhel of Totnes
(Judhael) later lived in the castle and established a priory
just outside its walls. The castle's first stone buildings were probably erected by Henry de Tracey, a strong supporter of King Stephen
. In 1228, the Sheriff
of Devon had the walls of the castle reduced to a height of 10 feet (3 m). By the time of the death of the last Henry de Tracey in 1274, the castle was beginning to decay. The fabric of the castle was used in the construction of other buildings and by 1326 the castle was a ruin. The remaining walls blew down in a storm in 1601. Now only the tree covered motte remains.
s of Bath Stone
, and wrought iron supports to an overhanging roof. Only two of the shops remain as butchers although the new shops still sell local agricultural goods. There is one baker
, one delicatessen
, two Fishmonger
s, a florist and a greengrocer
.
Barnstaple has been the major market for North Devon since Saxon times. Demands for health regulation of its food market in Victorian times saw the construction in 1855 to 1856 of the town's Pannier Market, originally known as the Vegetable Market and designed by R D Gould. The building has a high glass and timber roof on iron columns. At 107 yards (97.8 m) long, it runs the length of Butchers Row. Market days are Monday - Crafts and General (April to December), Tuesday - General and Produce (all year), Wednesday - Arts Collectables and Books (all year), Thursday - Crafts and General (all year), Friday - General and Produce (all year) and Saturday - General and Produce (all year).
is near the end of the Long Bridge but on the opposite bank of the River Taw to the town centre. The town used to have several other stations but these have all closed since the publication of the Reshaping of British Railways
report in the 1960s.
The surviving station was opened on 1 August 1854 by the North Devon Railway
(later the London and South Western Railway
), although a service had operated from Fremington
since 1848 for goods traffic only. The station became "Barnstaple Junction" on 20 July 1874 when the railway opened the branch line
through to , reverting to just plain "Barnstaple" again when this was closed on 5 October 1970. It is now a terminus and much reduced in size as part of the site is now used for the Barnstaple Western Bypass
.
The Ilfracombe branch line brought the railway across the river into the town centre. was situated close by the Castle Mound. It was closed in 1898 and replaced by a nearby station at North Walk which was also the terminus of the narrow gauge
Lynton and Barnstaple Railway
until this closed in 1935. The narrow gauge line's main depot and operating centre was at nearby . The station building still exists, and can be viewed on-line from a webcam
mounted on Barnstaple Civic Centre.
A separate "Barnstaple" station, renamed Barnstaple (Victoria Road)
in 1949, was opened to the east of the town in 1873 as the terminus of the Devon and Somerset Railway
, eventually a part of the Great Western Railway
. A junction was later provided to allow trains access to Barnstaple Junction and these ran through to Ilfracombe. It was closed in 1970.
also run services from here.
. 35 miles (56.3 km) away along the A361.
On the reading of the Proclamation a large stuffed gloved hand garlanded with flowers is hung from a window of the Guildhall. The gloved hand represents the hand of friendship and the hand of welcome to the thousands that come to the fair. At 12 o'clock, a civic procession forms at the entrance to the Guildhall and the proclamation is read.
The fair begins on the Wednesday before 20 September each year.
Today the fair consists of rides and amusements located in the car park of the leisure centre.
in the USA, Uelzen
in Germany, Trouville-sur-Mer
in France, and Susa
in Italy.
is situated at a distance from the UK's traditional areas of industrial activity and population. Whilst the 1989 opening of the improved A361
(then "trunk"
) road connection to the motorway network has helped in some ways (notably weekend tourism), it had a detrimental effect on a number of distribution businesses. The latter previously viewed the town as a base for local distribution networks, a need that was removed with an approximate halving of travelling time to the M5
.
Barnstaple gained a number of industrial companies in the late 1970s due to the availability of central government grants for the construction of factories and their operation on low or zero levels of local taxation. This was only partially successful, with few of these lasting more than the few years that grants were available. One success was the manufacturing of generic medicines by Cox Pharmaceuticals (now branded Actavis), who moved in 1980 from their traditional site in Brighton
, Sussex
. The most lasting consequence for the town was the development of, or increase to, the industrial estates at Seven Brethren, Whiddon Valley and Pottington.
Unemployment
in North Devon is 1.8–2.4%, and the median per capita wage for North Devon is 73% of the UK national average (2005 data). The level of work in the informal/casual sector is high, partly due to the impact of seasonal tourism like much of the South West of England.
The largest employer in the region by far is local and central Government
. The two main central government-owned employers in the area are the Royal Marines Base Chivenor
, 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the town, and North Devon District Hospital
, 1 miles (1.6 km) to the north.
Barnstaple is well served by all types of education. There are a selection of well-regarded primary and secondary state schools, independent school
s and a tertiary college
in the Barnstaple area.
46.6% of students achieved 5 GCSEs grade A* to C.
The UK average is 46.7%.
) is a large tertiary college providing a wide range of vocational and academic further education for more than 3,000 young people over 16.
The college was due to spend £100 million on a new campus, to be opened on Seven Brethren in 2011, but this fell through when the LSC removed its £75 million funding in January 2009.
Petroc was launched in September 2009 - a year after NDC merged with Tiverton's East Devon College
.
is available in the town at Barnstaple RFC whose first team play in the National 3 South West league. This is sixth tier of rugby union in England
Club.
There are numerous bowling greens and tennis courts.
In February 2010 a Cornish Pilot Gig
Rowing Club was established, bringing this sport to Castle Quay in the centre of Barnstaple.
North Devon
North Devon is the northern part of the English county of Devon. It is also the name of a local government district in Devon. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth...
in the county of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, UK. It lies 68 miles (109 km) west southwest of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, 50 miles (80 km) north of Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
and 34 miles (55 km) northwest of the county town
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
of Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
. The old spelling Barnstable is now obsolete.
It is the main town of the district and claims to be the oldest borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
in the United Kingdom. It was founded at the lowest crossing point of the River Taw
River Taw
The River Taw rises at Taw Head, a spring on the central northern flanks of Dartmoor. It reaches the Bristol Channel away on the north coast of Devon at a joint estuary mouth which it shares with the River Torridge.-Watercourse:...
, about 3 miles (5 km) from the Taw's seafall at the Bristol Channel
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...
. By the time of the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, Barnstaple had its own mint
Mint (coin)
A mint is an industrial facility which manufactures coins for currency.The history of mints correlates closely with the history of coins. One difference is that the history of the mint is usually closely tied to the political situation of an era...
. Its size and wealth in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
was based on it being within the staple
The staple
The Staple in English historiography, refers to the entire medieval system of trade and its taxation. Under this system, the government or King required that all overseas trade in certain goods be transacted at specific designated market towns or ports, referred to as the 'staple ports'...
, a staple port licensed to export wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
, and its importance is still obvious in the town's name. The wool trade was further aided by the town's excellent port, with five ships being sent in 1588 to aid the fight against the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
.
It was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Reform Act 1835. Since 1974, it has been a civil parish with a town council. It has a population of 34,000 (approx.)(conurbation not just parish).
History
Barnstaple has an eclectic and somewhat haphazard mix of buildings developed over hundreds of years with the 19th century probably now predominant. There are some remnants of early buildings as well as several early plaster ceilings.St.Anne's Chapel in the central churchyard is probably the best of the ancient buildings to survive. Queen Anne's walk and the Georgian Guildhall remain. The Museum has tessellated floors, locally made staircase and decorative fireplaces . (from "Some Men who Made Barnstaple..." 2010 by Pauline Brain).
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
was 3,748, in the 1901 census 9,698, and in the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, the population was 20,724. The town has swallowed the villages of Pilton
Pilton, Devon
Pilton is a suburb of Barnstaple. It is located about half a mile north on the outskirts of Barnstaple in Devon, England. It is home to about 2000 residents, and has its own primary and secondary school...
, Newport, and Roundswell through ribbon development
Ribbon development
Ribbon development means building houses along the routes of communications radiating from a human settlement. Such development generated great concern in the United Kingdom during the 1920s and the 1930s, as well as in numerous other countries....
between the 1930s and the 1950s.
In 1989, the A361
A361 road
The A361 is a major road in England and at is the longest 3 digit A road in the UK. It runs south from Ilfracombe on the north Devon coast to Barnstaple, turning south-east to Tiverton then, after a break , north east from Taunton in Somerset through Street and Glastonbury, past Frome and then...
North Devon Link Road was constructed, linking Barnstaple with the M5 motorway
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
, approximately 40 miles (65 km) to the east. Because Barnstaple is the main shopping area for North Devon, retail work is a contributor to the economy. Many generic chain stores are located in the town centre which is very typical of the area and on the Roundswell Business Park located on the western fringe of the town.
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
in the town used to be quite severe, but in May 2007, the Barnstaple Western Bypass
Barnstaple Western Bypass
The Barnstaple Western Bypass is a congestion-relief scheme designed to take road traffic away from the town centre of Barnstaple, a market town in Devon, South West England...
was opened so traffic heading towards Braunton
Braunton
Braunton is situated west of Barnstaple, Devon, England and is claimed to be the largest village in England, with a population in 2001 of 7,510. It is home to the nearby Braunton Great Field and Braunton Burrows, a National Nature and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve....
and Ilfracombe
Ilfracombe
Ilfracombe is a seaside resort and civil parish on the North Devon coast, England with a small harbour, surrounded by cliffs.The parish stretches along the coast from 'The Coastguard Cottages' in Hele Bay toward the east and 4 miles along The Torrs to Lee Bay toward the west...
avoids travelling through the town centre. The bypass consists of 1.6 miles (2.6 km) of new road and a 447 yards (408.7 m) long, five-span bridge. It was expected to have cost £42 million.
Toponymy
Barnstaple is still sometimes referred to as Barum. The origin of this name is obscure, but has been in use since pre-SaxonAnglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
times and is probably of Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
origin. Mentioned by Shakespeare, the name Barum was revived and popularised in Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
times, featuring in several novels of the time. The name is retained in the names of a football team, brewery
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
, and several other local businesses.
The former Brannam's pottery which was sited in Litchdon Street was known for its use of "Barum" scratched beneath its interesting local pottery products.
Barnstaple Castle
Barnstaple Castle
Barnstaple Castle stood near what is now the centre of the town of Barnstaple, Devon later lived in the castle and established a priory just outside its walls. The castle's first stone buildings were probably erected by Henry de Tracey, a strong supporter of King Stephen. In 1228, the Sheriff of...
)
A wooden castle was built by Geoffrey de Mowbray
Geoffrey de Montbray
Geoffrey de Montbray , bishop of Coutances , a right-hand man of William the Conqueror, was a type of the great feudal prelate, warrior and administrator at need....
, Bishop of Coutances in the 11th century, clearing houses to make room for it. Juhel of Totnes
Juhel of Totnes
Juhel of Totnes was a Breton nobleman and supporter of William I of England of the eleventh century.-Life:He was in 1069 one of the leaders of Breton forces on the Norman side, fighting against the remaining forces that had been loyal to Harold II of England He was Lord of Totnes, and holder of...
(Judhael) later lived in the castle and established a priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
just outside its walls. The castle's first stone buildings were probably erected by Henry de Tracey, a strong supporter of King Stephen
Stephen of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
. In 1228, the Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Devon had the walls of the castle reduced to a height of 10 feet (3 m). By the time of the death of the last Henry de Tracey in 1274, the castle was beginning to decay. The fabric of the castle was used in the construction of other buildings and by 1326 the castle was a ruin. The remaining walls blew down in a storm in 1601. Now only the tree covered motte remains.
Butchers Row
Built in 1855, Butchers Row consists of ten shops with pilasterPilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s of Bath Stone
Bath Stone
Bath Stone is an Oolitic Limestone comprising granular fragments of calcium carbonate. Originally obtained from the Combe Down and Bathampton Down Mines under Combe Down, Somerset, England, its warm, honey colouring gives the World Heritage City of Bath, England its distinctive appearance...
, and wrought iron supports to an overhanging roof. Only two of the shops remain as butchers although the new shops still sell local agricultural goods. There is one baker
Baker
A baker is someone who bakes and sells bread, Cakes and similar foods may also be produced, as the traditional boundaries between what is produced by a baker as opposed to a pastry chef have blurred in recent decades...
, one delicatessen
Delicatessen
Delicatessen is a term meaning "delicacies" or "fine foods". The word entered English via German,with the old German spelling , plural of Delikatesse "delicacy", ultimately from Latin delicatus....
, two Fishmonger
Fishmonger
A fishmonger is someone who sells fish and seafood...
s, a florist and a greengrocer
Greengrocer
A greengrocer or fruiterer is a retail trader in fruit and vegetables; that is, in green groceries. Greengrocer is primarily a British and Australian term, and greengrocers' shops were once common in suburbs, towns and villages...
.
Pannier Market
Railway
Barnstaple railway stationBarnstaple railway station
Barnstaple railway station is the terminus of a long branch line, known as the Tarka Line, north west of Exeter St Davids, in Devon.It was known as Barnstaple Junction from 1874 to 1970 as it was the junction between lines to , , and Exeter-History:...
is near the end of the Long Bridge but on the opposite bank of the River Taw to the town centre. The town used to have several other stations but these have all closed since the publication of the Reshaping of British Railways
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
report in the 1960s.
North Devon Railway
The North Devon Railway was a British railway company which operated a line from Cowley Bridge Junction, near Exeter, to Bideford in Devon, later becoming part of the London and South Western Railway's system...
(later the London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
), although a service had operated from Fremington
Fremington, Devon
Fremington is a village and civil parish in North Devon three miles west of Barnstaple. It was formerly a borough that sent members to Parliament in the reign of Edward III. The parish includes the neighbouring villages of Bickington and Yelland, the latter only asserting its identity as separate...
since 1848 for goods traffic only. The station became "Barnstaple Junction" on 20 July 1874 when the railway opened the branch line
Ilfracombe Branch Line
The Ilfracombe Branch of the London & South Western Railway , ran between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe in North Devon. The branch opened as a single-track line in 1874, but was sufficiently popular that it needed to be upgraded to double-track in 1889....
through to , reverting to just plain "Barnstaple" again when this was closed on 5 October 1970. It is now a terminus and much reduced in size as part of the site is now used for the Barnstaple Western Bypass
Barnstaple Western Bypass
The Barnstaple Western Bypass is a congestion-relief scheme designed to take road traffic away from the town centre of Barnstaple, a market town in Devon, South West England...
.
The Ilfracombe branch line brought the railway across the river into the town centre. was situated close by the Castle Mound. It was closed in 1898 and replaced by a nearby station at North Walk which was also the terminus of the narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
Lynton and Barnstaple Railway
Lynton and Barnstaple Railway
The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway opened as an independent railway in May 1898. It was a single track narrow gauge railway slightly over long running through the rugged and picturesque area bordering Exmoor in North Devon, England. Although opened after the 1896 Light Railways Act came into force,...
until this closed in 1935. The narrow gauge line's main depot and operating centre was at nearby . The station building still exists, and can be viewed on-line from a webcam
Webcam
A webcam is a video camera that feeds its images in real time to a computer or computer network, often via USB, ethernet, or Wi-Fi.Their most popular use is the establishment of video links, permitting computers to act as videophones or videoconference stations. This common use as a video camera...
mounted on Barnstaple Civic Centre.
A separate "Barnstaple" station, renamed Barnstaple (Victoria Road)
Barnstaple Victoria Road railway station
Barnstaple Victoria Road railway station was the terminus of the Devon and Somerset Railway line from Taunton railway station. It served the town of Barnstaple in Devon, England and was opened when the Devon and Somerset line was extended from Wiveliscombe to Barnstaple on 1 November...
in 1949, was opened to the east of the town in 1873 as the terminus of the Devon and Somerset Railway
Devon and Somerset Railway
The Devon and Somerset Railway was a branch line from near in Somerset to in North Devon. It was operated from the outset by the Bristol and Exeter Railway which became part of the Great Western Railway on 1 January 1876.-History:...
, eventually a part of the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
. A junction was later provided to allow trains access to Barnstaple Junction and these ran through to Ilfracombe. It was closed in 1970.
Buses & Coaches
The Barnstaple bus network is privatised and run by many bus operators including FirstGroup and the Stagecoach Bus Group. The main bus station is located on the junction with Summerland Street and Silver Street. National ExpressNational Express
National Express Coaches, more commonly known as National Express, is a brand and company, owned by the National Express Group, under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are operated,...
also run services from here.
Road
Barnstaple's nearest motorway is Junction 27 of the M5M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
. 35 miles (56.3 km) away along the A361.
Barnstaple Fair
The ceremonial opening of the fair survives from ancient times. The town council meets in the Guildhall, where various toasts are honoured with a spiced ale which, according to tradition, is made from a jealously guarded recipe handed on from generation to generation. Whilst the toasts are being honoured, "fairings", (a form of sweetmeat) are handed around.On the reading of the Proclamation a large stuffed gloved hand garlanded with flowers is hung from a window of the Guildhall. The gloved hand represents the hand of friendship and the hand of welcome to the thousands that come to the fair. At 12 o'clock, a civic procession forms at the entrance to the Guildhall and the proclamation is read.
The fair begins on the Wednesday before 20 September each year.
Today the fair consists of rides and amusements located in the car park of the leisure centre.
Twin towns
Barnstaple is twinned with Barnstable, MassachusettsBarnstable, Massachusetts
Barnstable is a city, referred to as the Town of Barnstable, in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the county seat of Barnstable County. Barnstable is the largest community, both in land area and population, on Cape Cod. The town contains seven villages within its boundaries...
in the USA, Uelzen
Uelzen
Uelzen is a town in northeast Lower Saxony, Germany, and capital of the county of Uelzen. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, a Hanseatic town and an independent municipality....
in Germany, Trouville-sur-Mer
Trouville-sur-Mer
Trouville-sur-Mer, commonly referred to as Trouville, is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.Trouville-sur-Mer borders Deauville...
in France, and Susa
Susa
Susa was an ancient city of the Elamite, Persian and Parthian empires of Iran. It is located in the lower Zagros Mountains about east of the Tigris River, between the Karkheh and Dez Rivers....
in Italy.
Demographics
Barnstaple, as of 2005 estimates has grown little since the 2001 census. The estimated racial makeup of the town is as follows:- White British 98.7%
- White Irish 0.2%
- Mixed race 0.2%
- Chinese 0.4%
- Other 0.5%
Economy
North DevonNorth Devon
North Devon is the northern part of the English county of Devon. It is also the name of a local government district in Devon. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth...
is situated at a distance from the UK's traditional areas of industrial activity and population. Whilst the 1989 opening of the improved A361
A361 road
The A361 is a major road in England and at is the longest 3 digit A road in the UK. It runs south from Ilfracombe on the north Devon coast to Barnstaple, turning south-east to Tiverton then, after a break , north east from Taunton in Somerset through Street and Glastonbury, past Frome and then...
(then "trunk"
Trunk road
A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
) road connection to the motorway network has helped in some ways (notably weekend tourism), it had a detrimental effect on a number of distribution businesses. The latter previously viewed the town as a base for local distribution networks, a need that was removed with an approximate halving of travelling time to the M5
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
.
Barnstaple gained a number of industrial companies in the late 1970s due to the availability of central government grants for the construction of factories and their operation on low or zero levels of local taxation. This was only partially successful, with few of these lasting more than the few years that grants were available. One success was the manufacturing of generic medicines by Cox Pharmaceuticals (now branded Actavis), who moved in 1980 from their traditional site in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
. The most lasting consequence for the town was the development of, or increase to, the industrial estates at Seven Brethren, Whiddon Valley and Pottington.
Unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
in North Devon is 1.8–2.4%, and the median per capita wage for North Devon is 73% of the UK national average (2005 data). The level of work in the informal/casual sector is high, partly due to the impact of seasonal tourism like much of the South West of England.
The largest employer in the region by far is local and central Government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
. The two main central government-owned employers in the area are the Royal Marines Base Chivenor
Royal Marines Base Chivenor
Royal Marines Base Chivenor is a British military base used primarily by the Royal Marines. It is situated on the northern shore of the Taw estuary, adjacent to the South West Coast Path, on the north coast of Devon, England....
, 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the town, and North Devon District Hospital
North Devon District Hospital
North Devon District Hospital is an NHS district general hospital in the town of Barnstaple, North Devon, England. It has an Accident & Emergency department, an intensive care unit and a day case unit, and is operated by Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust. The hospital has 423 beds.-External...
, 1 miles (1.6 km) to the north.
Education
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
s and a tertiary college
Tertiary education
Tertiary education, also referred to as third stage, third level, and post-secondary education, is the educational level following the completion of a school providing a secondary education, such as a high school, secondary school, university-preparatory school...
in the Barnstaple area.
Secondary education
In 2007 the county of DevonDevon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
46.6% of students achieved 5 GCSEs grade A* to C.
The UK average is 46.7%.
| School Name | Type | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Park Community School The Park Community School The Park Community School is a mixed 11-16 state comprehensive school in Barnstaple, North Devon, England. It is maintained by Devon County Council. Most of the school's 1,440 pupils progress to further study at Petroc.-History:... |
State | 37% | 38% | 44% | 41% | 38% | |
| Pilton Community College http://www.piltoncollege.devon.sch.uk | State | 50% | 50% | 48% | 46% | 47% | |
| West Buckland School West Buckland School West Buckland School is an English public school located on the outskirts of the village of West Buckland on the edge of Exmoor, 9 miles east of Barnstaple, Devon. It comprises a senior school , preparatory school and a nursery... , 8 miles (12.9 km) |
Independent | 75% | 84% | 89% | 78% | 87% | |
| Grenville College Grenville College Grenville College was an independent boarding and day school situated in Bideford, Devon, England. In 2009 the school merged with neighbouring Edgehill College to become the Kingsley School.-History:... , 9 miles (14.5 km) |
Independent | 48% | 63% | 59% | 66% | 54% |
Tertiary education
Petroc (formerly North Devon CollegeNorth Devon College
North Devon College was a further education college in Barnstaple, North Devon. It is now part of Petroc.-History:North Devon College first opened in 1952....
) is a large tertiary college providing a wide range of vocational and academic further education for more than 3,000 young people over 16.
The college was due to spend £100 million on a new campus, to be opened on Seven Brethren in 2011, but this fell through when the LSC removed its £75 million funding in January 2009.
Petroc was launched in September 2009 - a year after NDC merged with Tiverton's East Devon College
East Devon College
East Devon College was a further education college situated in Tiverton, Devon, England. The college operated on four sites; the main campus being located in Tiverton, with three additional sites being located in Honiton, Exmouth and Tiverton. In 2005 the college enrolled 3,144 learners, of which...
.
Rugby
Senior rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
is available in the town at Barnstaple RFC whose first team play in the National 3 South West league. This is sixth tier of rugby union in England
Other
Many sports are available at the North Devon Leisure Centre. It is the home of Barnstaple SquashSquash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
Club.
There are numerous bowling greens and tennis courts.
In February 2010 a Cornish Pilot Gig
Cornish pilot gig
The Cornish pilot gig is a six-oared rowing boat, built of Cornish narrow leaf elm, long with a beam of four feet ten inches.It is recognised as one of the first shore-based lifeboats that went to vessels in distress, with recorded rescues going back as far as the late 17th century.The original...
Rowing Club was established, bringing this sport to Castle Quay in the centre of Barnstaple.
In Barnstaple
-
* Museum of Barnstaple & North Devon - Queen's Theatre
- Barnstaple Heritage Trail
- Pannier Market
- Barnstaple Town F.C.Barnstaple Town F.C.Barnstaple Town F.C. is a football club that play in Barnstaple, Devon, England. They are currently members of the Western League, a league covering south western England....
Around Barnstaple
-
Tarka TrailTarka TrailThe Tarka Trail is a series of footpaths and cyclepaths around north Devon, England that follow the route taken by Tarka the Otter in the book of that name. It is a figure-of-eight route, based on Barnstaple, and covers some of path....
– The cycling and walking trails were established by Devon County Council, to celebrate Henry Williamson'sHenry WilliamsonHenry William Williamson was an English naturalist, farmer and prolific author known for his natural and social history novels. He won the Hawthornden Prize for literature in 1928 with his book Tarka the Otter....
1927 novel Tarka the OtterTarka the OtterTarka the Otter: His Joyful Water-Life and Death in the Country of the Two Rivers is a novel by Henry Williamson. The book narrates the experience of an otter. It was first published in 1927 by G.P. Putnam's Sons, with an introduction by the Hon. Sir John Fortescue, K.C.V.O..-Plot summary:The plot...
. The book depicts Tarka's adventure travelling through North DevonNorth DevonNorth Devon is the northern part of the English county of Devon. It is also the name of a local government district in Devon. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth...
's countryside. -
Arlington CourtArlington CourtArlington Court is an English country house designed in a severe neoclassical style circa 1820, situated in Arlington, near Barnstaple, north Devon, England....
, 8 miles (13 km) - Lundy IslandLundyLundy is the largest island in the Bristol Channel, lying off the coast of Devon, England, approximately one third of the distance across the channel between England and Wales. It measures about at its widest. Lundy gives its name to a British sea area and is one of the islands of England.As of...
| Ferry sails from BidefordBidefordBideford is a small port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. It is also the main town of the Torridge local government district.-History:...
, 10 miles (16 km) - Watersmeet HouseWatersmeet HouseWatersmeet House is a former fishing lodge located in Lynmouth, Devon, England, and used today as an information centre, tea room and shop by the National Trust, who have owned it since 1996....
20 miles (32 km) - The South West Coast PathSouth West Coast PathThe South West Coast Path is Britain's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for , running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Since it rises and falls with every river mouth, it is also one of the more...
National Trail runs through the town, and gives access to walks along the spectacular North Devon coast. - Lynton & Barnstaple RailwayLynton and Barnstaple RailwayThe Lynton & Barnstaple Railway opened as an independent railway in May 1898. It was a single track narrow gauge railway slightly over long running through the rugged and picturesque area bordering Exmoor in North Devon, England. Although opened after the 1896 Light Railways Act came into force,...
, 15 miles (24 km)