Barnstaple has always been the principal market town for a large part of the North Devon area. For today’s visitors it offers excellent opportunities to go shopping in an interesting and historic setting. Originally a walled town, it was built around its castle alongside an original wooden bridge across the River Taw. All that remains of the castle is the mound on which the castle was built - out of place in the midst of more modern development.

The name of Barnstaple probably derives from the Old English ‘Beardan Stapol’ meaning the post (perhaps literally trading post) of a man called Bearda. The town that that grew up here in the 9th and 10th centuries, on a ford of the river, gradually became more important than the original hilltop settlement at Pilton.
The bridge, built in the 14th century, has 16 equally spaced arches. It has been widened many times to take modern traffic. Interestingly, in 1905 there was a 2m.p.h. speed limit on the bridge.

Much of the centre of Barnstaple has been pedestrianised for main shopping hours - so you can step back to admire the old buildings in the High Street without being knocked off your feet by a passing bus.

From Barnstaple station it is possible to follow the track of the disused railway line on foot or by cycling to Bideford and beyond or along the northern estuary toward Braunton.

Cycle hire is available from the station, where Tarka Trail Cycle Hire has bicycles and trailers of all types and sizes, so that virtually every member of the family can enjoy the beautiful scenery. Cycling is perhaps the best way to enjoy the beauty and solitude of Tarka Country.

Across the bridge is the Victorian Athenaeum, open to the public as an exciting new regional museum for North Devon. Be sure to visit the new Tarka Gallery which, with its many interactive displays, forms an excellent introduction to Tarka Country.

Although Barnstaple has its share of modern High Street shops it is still very much a town of small traders and craftsmen. The large old Pannier Market in the centre of town is busy with stalls on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays; local-produce and other items of all sorts are sold. On Wednesdays the market concentrates on antiques, collectables and books. From May to Christmas there are markets on Mondays and Thursdays when there is an emphasis on crafts as well as general market stalls.

The present building was planned after the completion of the Guildhall in 1827 and was finished in 1855. This was a time of development for the town under the guiding hand of R.D.Gould, the Borough Surveyor. As well as designing the Pannier Market and Butchers Row, he was also responsible for the design of the Albert Clock, Bridge Buildings and Bridge Chambers.

Barnstaple’s most notable merchant, Delbridge, traded wool, pottery and assisted emigrants to the ‘New World’ of the Americas. Towns to this day in and around Virginia and the Bahamas are named after Devon places and the colonists’ descendants bear Devon family names.

Alongside the Pannier Market is Butcher’s Row - literally a row of small independent butchers’ shops. In medieval times it was customary to have the shops selling the same goods side by side; Barnstaple is one of the few towns which continues this tradition.