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Summary

Building works on the corner of Holland Street and Castle Street in 1926 revealed several rough mooring posts within an old thick wall. These probably mark the location of the original Castle Quay.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS53SE/167

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• QUAY (Early Medieval to XVIII - 1066 AD to 1800 AD (Between))

Full description

Miles, T., 07/03/1978, Old Police Station Site, Barnstaple (Personal Comment). SDV350924.

Watching brief undertaken on 6th March. No evidence for a wharf was seen and no building remains were found. Stratigraphy comprised 1.5 - 2.0 metres depth of make up running back from the river, a turf line looking a bit like soil over the Saxon graves [at the Castle], 1.0 metres of drift deposits. Solid rock was encountered at a depth of 3.0 metres. Finds comprised 17th century pottery and floor tiles and a ?17th century well that was capped in the 19th century.

Oliver, B. W., 1928, The Castle of Barnstaple, 220 (Article in Serial). SDV73002.

Building works in 1926 on the site of the police headquarters on the corner of Holland Street and Castle Street revealed an old thick wall, within which were several rough mooring posts. This was probably the original Castle Quay.

Loomie, A. J., 1963, An Armada Pilot's Survey of the English Coastline, October 1597, 288-300 (Article in Serial). SDV23874.

A survey of 1597 described the 'good harbour' at Barnstaple.

Timms, S. C., 1976, The Devon Urban Survey, 1976. First Draft, 72-3 (Report - Survey). SDV341346.

The derivation of the place name 'Bardanstapol' suggests that the town was an important mooring point in the 10th century. It is suggested that the earliest moorings may have been located in the sheltered waters of the Yeo, outside the north gate. The main medieval quay, however, lay along the east bank of the Taw with access to the town through the west gate. Traces of the early quay structure have been observed along Castle Street. The quayside was progressively improved and widened. Its width in the early 18th century can be ascertained from the position of the Exchange which was built in 1708. On the quay were the fish market, the tomestone (on which bargains were struck) and Quay Hall, adjacent to the west gate. All these structures are documented in the 16th century.

Markuson, K. W., 1980, Barnstaple Survey (Un-published). SDV356766.

The remains of either the castle ramparts of the town quay were found during excavations on Castle Street, between the castle and Holland Street in 1978.

Exeter Archaeology, 1997, North Devon District Council Barnstaple Quay Project: Archaeological Assessment, 2 (Report - Assessment). SDV73005.

The Barnstaple Bridge Trust map of 1772 shows 4 quays in Barnstaple; Millend Quay on the River Yeo and Great Quay, Little Quay and Prideaux Quay which was later known as Castle Quay on the River Taw.

Exeter Archaeology, 1998, North Devon District Council Barnstaple Quay Project: Archaeological Assessment and Evaluation, 3 (Report - Evaluation). SDV85921.

Exeter Archaeology, 2001, Archaeological Assessment and Building Recording at Commercial Road, Barnstaple, 9, Fig. 2 (Report - Assessment). SDV73888.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, Barnstaple Castle Car Park Scheme: Phase 1: Archaeological Assessment, 20 (Report - Assessment). SDV319631.

Timms, S. C., 24/11/1982, Quay (Worksheet). SDV73003.

No evidence for a quay was recorded during a watching brief undertaken in 1977/78 on the foundation works to an extension to the old police station on the corner of Castle Street and Holland Street. However, a day book for GPO underground work in the Strand in 1936 refers to 51 feet of extra work on the north side of the carriageway between Cross Street and the Norfolk Hotel caused by the discovery of an old quay wall.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV1378 - Barnstaple Castle Car Park Scheme Archaeological Assessment

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