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Summary

Castle Quay became the town quay in the late 19th century when the railway was built. Most of the warehouses that formerly lined the quay have now gone.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1385085: WITH 12 BOLLARDS FROM AND INCLUDING STEPS TO SLIPWAY AT CIVIC CENTRE END

Other References/Statuses

• North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit Site Code: ND73
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS53SE/35

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• QUAY (XVIII to XXI - 1751 AD to 2009 AD)

Full description

Wood, J., 1843, Plan of the Town of Barnstaple from Actual Survey (Cartographic). SDV91852.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Castle Quay marked on 1880s-1890s 25 inch Ordnance Survey map.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Castle Quay marked on 1904-1906 25 inch Ordnance Survey map.

Ordnance Survey, 1930 - 1939, Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV336668.

Castle Quay marked on 1930s 25 inch Ordnance Survey map. A Crane and Mooring Posts are shown.

Bone, M., 1973, Barnstaple's Industrial Archaeology, 13-14 (Monograph). SDV78228.

The Town Quay was constructed by the Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway Company on the site of the Old Castle Quay when the town's main quays were closed by their construction schemes. The quays were made free by 1886, coal then being the major import and making up most of the quay dues. Other imports in the 1890s were timber, iron, groceries, spirits, porter, freestone etc. Exports at the time consisted of grain, wool, bark (for tanning) and leather. As well as the coasting trade, trade was carried out with the Baltic, France, Spain, Portugal and North America. The quay is now used for unloading sand dredgers.

North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit, 1991, North Devon Archaeological Site Code Index, Site Code ND73 (Report - non-specific). SDV63429.

Service trenches on the line of the former quay were recorded in 1986 at SS55533324.

Exeter Archaeology, 1997, North Devon District Council Barnstaple Quay Project: Archaeological Assessment, 2-3 (Report - Assessment). SDV73005.

The Barnstaple Bridge Trust Map of 1772 shows 4 quays in Barnstaple. Millend Quay was on the River Yeo and Prideaux (later castle) Quay, Great Quay and Little Quay were on the River Taw separated by blocks of buildings. A section of wall containing mooring posts was excavated during construction of the police station on the corner of Castle Street and Holland Street during the inter war years which may have been the original Castle Quay.

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

ASI Heritage Consultants, 2000, Leaderflush and Shapland Site, Barnstaple: Archaeological Assessment (Report - Assessment). SDV70999.

Exeter Archaeology, 2001, Archaeological Assessment and Building Recording at Commercial Road, Barnstaple, 3-4, 8, Figs 2-4 (Report - Assessment). SDV73888.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

Castle Quay marked on modern mapping.

English Heritage, 2012, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV348729.

Castle Quay fronting River Taw. Probably late 19th century. Stone rubble with kerb of squared granite blocks secured by iron ties; some blocks have been replaced in concrete, mainly opposite the old Town Station where the sand dredgers unload. At south-east end a flight of granite steps leads down to the water. Surface of quay at north-west end asphalted; south-east end tiled in 1986. 12 cast-iron bollards, spaced out along whole length of quay, all but the 9th from the south-east with shaped tops; 6 of the bollards have the numbers 1, 7, 2, 5, 4, and 6 moulded on the top (in that order). The warehouses that formerly lined the quay on the far side of Commercial Road have mostly disappeared, but a range of former bonded warehouses at the SE end are listed as part of Queen Anne's Court in Castle Street. Date listed: 31st August 1988.

Southwest Archaeology, 2013, Greater Barnstaple Area Project Database, Mapping Area 1077 (Un-published). SDV351581.

Timms, S. C., 24/11/1982, Cattle Market (Personal Comment). SDV72969.

The layout of the Barnstaple Quay prior to the construction of the quay by the railway company in 1870s is shown on Wood's town plan of 1843. Bone implies that the railway company erected a station on the new quay.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV325644	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1904 - 1906. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV336668	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1930 - 1939. Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV348725	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2012. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey. Map (Digital). [Mapped feature: #108810 ]
SDV348729	National Heritage List for England: English Heritage. 2012. National Heritage List for England. Website.
SDV351581	Un-published: Southwest Archaeology. 2013. Greater Barnstaple Area Project Database. Greater Barnstaple Area Project. Digital. Mapping Area 1077.
SDV63429	Report - non-specific: North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit. 1991. North Devon Archaeological Site Code Index. North Devon District Council Report. A4 Stapled + Digital. Site Code ND73.
SDV70999	Report - Assessment: ASI Heritage Consultants. 2000. Leaderflush and Shapland Site, Barnstaple: Archaeological Assessment. ASI Heritage Consultants Report. A4 Stapled + Digital.
SDV72969	Personal Comment: Timms, S. C.. 24/11/1982. Cattle Market. Not Applicable.
SDV73005	Report - Assessment: Exeter Archaeology. 1997. North Devon District Council Barnstaple Quay Project: Archaeological Assessment. Exeter Archaeology Report. 97.80. A4 Stapled + Digital. 2-3.
SDV73888	Report - Assessment: Exeter Archaeology. 2001. Archaeological Assessment and Building Recording at Commercial Road, Barnstaple. Exeter Archaeology Report. 01.28. A4 Stapled + Digital. 3-4, 8, Figs 2-4.
SDV78228	Monograph: Bone, M.. 1973. Barnstaple's Industrial Archaeology. Barnstaple's Industrial Archaeology. A5 Paperback. 13-14.
SDV85921	Report - Evaluation: Exeter Archaeology. 1998. North Devon District Council Barnstaple Quay Project: Archaeological Assessment and Evaluation. Exeter Archaeology Report. 98.44. A4 stapled + Digital. 3.
SDV91852	Cartographic: Wood, J.. 1843. Plan of the Town of Barnstaple from Actual Survey. Unknown.
	Linked images:1

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV1339 - Site 73
• EDV1340 - Archaeological Assessment and Building Recording at Commercial Road, Barnstaple
• EDV1341 - Leaderflush and Shapland Site, Barnstaple: Archaeological Assessment
• EDV1342 - North Devon District Council Barnstaple Quay Project: Archaeological Assessment

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