Hill forts · South West England
Barnstaple Castle
In or near Braunton.
Barnstaple Castle — castle in Devon, England, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1 h–2 h
- Nearest railway station
- Barnstaple · 0.8 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
Barnstaple Castle is located in North Devon, with the nearest railway station being Barnstaple, approximately 0.8 km away. Admission is free, and the postcode for sat-nav is EX31 1EL.
About
Barnstaple Castle is a hill fort in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1100. Constructed primarily of stone. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Owned by Juhel de Totnes. Wikidata describes it as: "castle in Devon, England, UK". Coordinates: 51.0811°, -4.0632°.
Photo gallery
Official information
Barnstaple Pannier Market is a vibrant indoor market located in North Devon. It features a variety of stalls offering local produce, crafts, gifts, and food, creating a lively community atmosphere for visitors.
Protected designations
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: North Devon
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Barnstaple Castle stood near what is now the centre of the town of Barnstaple, Devon (grid reference SS557332). When it was built, it was on the western side of the fortified town and commanded a good view of both the town and its important river crossings. The castle was built on top of an early medieval cemetery.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
Barnstaple Castle was founded in the 11th or 12th century; it was first mentioned in a 12th-century document. It is uncertain who founded the castle: if it was early it could have been built on the instruction of William the Conqueror as he subdued south-west England or if it was a later construction it could have been built for Juhel (Joel) of Totnes, who held the castle in the early 12th century. Juhel also established Barnstaple Priory around 1107. King Stephen granted the castle to Henry de Tracy, one of his supporters. In the 12th century, stone buildings were erected on top of the motte, possibly during Henry de Tracy's tenure. The castle descended through his family to another Henry…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.0811, -4.0632
- County
- Devon
- District
- North Devon
- Parish
- Barnstaple
- Postcode
- EX31 1EL
- Parliamentary constituency
- North Devon
- Phone
- 01271 379084
- Established
- 1100
- Nearest railway station
- Barnstaple — 0.8 km
- Opening
- Tuesday to Saturday 9am-4pm
- Official site
- www.northdevon.gov.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q808516 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Barnstaple Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Barnstaple Castle 2018.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Cork and Bottle
Historic pubs · 0.2 km
Blue Plaque: John Gay
Memorials & monuments · 0.2 km
Three Tuns Inn
Historic pubs · 0.2 km
Queen Anne's Walk
Gardens · 0.3 km
Barnstaple
Museums · 0.3 km
%2C_Pannier_Market_--_2013_--_1.jpg?width=1200)
Pannier Market
National landscapes (AONB) · 0.3 km
Baptist Chapel
Chapels · 0.3 km
Church of Saints Peter and Paul
Abbeys & priories · 0.3 km
Church of Saints Peter and Paul
Cathedrals · 0.3 km
Dodderidgian Library
Historic libraries · 0.3 km
Royal Exchange Public House
Historic pubs · 0.3 km
St Anne's Chapel
Museums · 0.3 km
Nearby
📷 5Historic pubs · South West England
Cork and Bottle
Cork and Bottle in England South West, United Kingdom.
📷 3Memorials & monuments · South West England
Blue Plaque: John Gay
Blue Plaque: John Gay — a memorial in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
📷 6Historic pubs · South West England
Three Tuns Inn
Three Tuns Inn in England South West, United Kingdom.
📷 4Gardens · South West England
Queen Anne's Walk
Queen Anne's Walk — a garden in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
📷 5Museums · South West England
Barnstaple
Barnstaple ( or ) is a town and civil parish in the North Devon district of Devon, England. The town lies at the River Taw's lowest crossing point before the Bristol Channel. From the 14th century, i
📷 5National landscapes (AONB) · South West England
Pannier Market
Pannier Market is a place of interest in the United Kingdom.
Where to eat & stay near Barnstaple Castle
Places to stay
📷 5Hotels · South West England
The Royal and Fortescue Hotel
The Royal and Fortescue Hotel — a hotel in england south west.
📷 7Hotels · South West England
Imperial Hotel
Imperial Hotel — a hotel in england south west.
📷 5Hotels · South West England
Tawstock Castle
Tawstock Castle — a hotel in england south west.
📷 5Campsites · South West England
Tarka Holiday Park
Tarka Holiday Park — a campsite in england south west.
📷 5
📷 5Caravan parks · South West England
Chivenor Caravan Park
Chivenor Caravan Park — a caravan park in england south west.
Places to eat & drink
📷 5Historic pubs · South West England
Cork and Bottle
Cork and Bottle in England South West, United Kingdom.
📷 6Historic pubs · South West England
Three Tuns Inn
Three Tuns Inn in England South West, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · South West England
Royal Exchange Public House
Royal Exchange Public House in England South West, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · South West England
Marshals Public House
Marshals Public House in England South West, United Kingdom.
📷 5
📷 5Restaurants · South West England
Barum Gate
Barum Gate — a restaurant in england south west. Cuisine: british. Brand: Table Table.
Other places from this era
📷 5Hill forts · South East England
Ankerwycke Priory
Ankerwycke Priory — Benedictine nunnery with associated moat and fishponds.
📷 5Hill forts · South East England
Bramber Castle
Bramber Castle — Norman castle in Bamber, West Sussex, England, UK.
📷 3Hill forts · South East England
Ascot d'Oilly Castle
Ascot d'Oilly Castle — castle in Oxfordshire, England, UK.
📷 5Hill forts · South West England
Corfe Castle
Corfe Castle — fortification in Dorset, England, UK.
More places in this region
Flagship📷 10Hill forts · South West England
Maiden Castle
Maiden Castle — Iron Age hill fort in Dorset, England, UK.
📷 5Hill forts · South West England
All Cannings Cross
All Cannings Cross — archaeological site in All Cannings, Wiltshire, England, UK.
📷 5Hill forts · South West England
Aquae Sulis
Aquae Sulis — town in Roman Britain on the site of Bath, England.
📷 5Hill forts · South West England
Aston Valley Barrow Cemetery
Aston Valley Barrow Cemetery — group of Bronze Age burial mounds in England.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Barnstaple Castle?
- Barnstaple Castle is in Devon, South-West England, United Kingdom (postcode EX31 1EL), in the parish of Barnstaple.
- What is Barnstaple Castle?
- Barnstaple Castle — castle in Devon, England, UK.
- How do I get to Barnstaple Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Barnstaple, about 0.8 km away. Drivers can use postcode EX31 1EL.
- When was Barnstaple Castle built?
- Built or established in 1100.
- Who owns Barnstaple Castle?
- Barnstaple Castle is owned by Juhel de Totnes.
- Is Barnstaple Castle a listed building?
- Barnstaple Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- Is Barnstaple Castle a protected site?
- Yes — Barnstaple Castle is part of the North Devon National Landscape (AONB).
- Is Barnstaple Castle free to visit?
- Yes, Barnstaple Castle is free to enter.