The Mayor of Barnstaple together with the Corporation long governed the historic Borough of Barnstaple, in North Devon, England. The seat of government was the Barnstaple Guildhall.See further: Oliver, W. Bruce, Barnstaple Borough, Transactions of the Devon Association, vol. 62, (1930) pp.269–273 The mayor served a term of one year. He was elected annually on the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin (15 August) by a jury of twelve.History of Parliament, Barnstaple
Barnstaple was a mesne boroughHistory of Parliament, Barnstaple and was held by the Mayor and Corporation in chief not from the king but from the feudal baron of Barnstaple, later known as the lord of the "Castle Manor" or "Castle Court". The Corporation tried on several occasions to claim the status of a "free borough" which answered directly to the monarch and to divest itself of this overlordship, but without success. The mayor was not recognised as such by the monarch, but merely as the bailiff of the feudal baron. The powers of the borough were highly restricted, as was determined by an inquisition ad quod damnum during the reign of King Edward III (1327–1377), which from an inspection of evidence found that members of the corporation elected their mayor only by permission of the lord, legal pleas were held in a court at which the lord's steward, not the mayor, presided, that the borough was taxed by the county assessors, and that the lord held the various assizes which the burgesses claimed. Indeed, the purported ancient royal charter supposedly granted by the Anglo-Saxon King Æthelstan (d.939) (King of the Anglo-Saxons from 924 to 927 and King of the English from 927 to 939) and held by the corporation, from which it claimed its borough status, was suspected to be a forgery.
Since 1974 Barnstaple has been a civil parish governed by a town council.
List of mayors An incomplete list of the mayors of Barnstaple between 1303 and 1793, was compiled by Benjamin Incledon (1730–1796) of Pilton House, Pilton, near Barnstaple in North Devon, an antiquarian and genealogist, and was published in 1830 within Joseph Besly Gribble's work "Memorials of Barnstaple".Gribble, Joseph Besly, Memorials of Barnstaple: Being an Attempt to Supply the Want of A History of that Ancient Borough, Barnstaple, 1830, pp. 197–205, 219–25 (Gribble established the "Barnstaple Iron Foundry" in 1822 (p.546)) A list of mayors from 1301 to 2002 was more recently published in Lois Lamplugh's 2002 work Barnstaple: Town on the Taw, which is based on the complete list which hangs in the Mayor's Parlour of Barnstaple's Guildhall.Lamplugh, Lois, Barnstaple: Town on the Taw, South Molton, 2002, p.153-160, List of Mayors The following were mayors of Barnstaple, Devon, England, ordered by monarch: Edward IIStart of termEnd of termNameNotes13011303Simon de la BarreFirst recorded Mayor of Barnstaple, although we know that many came before.13031310Ralph Wynemore13101314Simon de la Barre13141316John Pollard13161318John Collacott M.P.13181322John Pollard13221323Thomas de la Barre M.P.13231324John Collacott13241326Bernard de la Bow M.P.13261327John Collacott M.P.
Edward IIIStart of termEnd of termNameNotes13271330Geoffrey Dyer13301331John Collacott13311332Gemian Dirna13321333Thomas de la Barre M.P.In 1332, a writ was issued by Edward III to inquire into an alleged indictment for burglary at the Priory in which the Mayor and twenty six burgesses were involved.13331334John Pollard13341335Galfridus de Fremington13351336Thomas de la Barre13361339Ralph Smallcombe13391347Roger Molland M.P.Molland holds the record for longest consecutive terms served as Barnstaple's Mayor (8 years). Thomas Holman (Mayor for various terms between 1400 and 1415) also served 8 years in total. Only one Mayor has served for longer (Charles F. Dart, 1932-1935, then 1938-1945).13471348Arnulf Stone13481349John Collin13491350Bernard Molland13501351Robert Dirna13511352Thomas Widger13521353John Boughdon13531354John Squire13541355Adam Polman13551356John Pugsley13561357John Widger13571358Simon de la Barre13581359Walter Ford13591360Simon de la Barre13601361Simon Bade M.P.13611362Adam Polman13621363John Webber13631364Walter Yeo13641365Richard Dulverton13651369William Gibbs13691370Simon Bade M.P.13701372Richard Dulverton13721373William Webber13731374William Gibbs13741375Richard Dulverton13751376Simon Base M.P.13761378John Neele
Richard IIStart of termEnd of termNameNotes13781379Simon Bade13791380Thomas Lely13801381Joyce Anthony13811382Thomas Lely13821384John Bidwell M.P.13841385Thomas Lely13851387Joyce AntonyBy Antony's second term (1386) he was listed as an M.P. for the borough.13871388Simon Bade13881390John Pitman13901393Thomas Hurscott13931395Walter SpencerBy Spencer's second term, he was now listed as an M.P. for the borough.13951397John Bidwell M.P.13971398Thomas Hooper M.P.13981399William Fulke13991400John Bidwell14001403Thomas Holman M.P.
Henry IVStart of termEnd of termName14031404Thomas Hurtescott14041405John Pitman14051407Thomas Holman14071411Thomas Hooper14111413Thomas Holman14131414Thomas Walsh
Henry VStart of termEnd of termNameNotes14141415Thomas HolmanAt the end of Holman's last term, he had served eight years (not consecutively) as Mayor of Barnstaple, which makes him joint second for longest time in office.14151416William Hertescott14161417Thomas Hooper14171418Thomas Walsh14181419Henry Redwin M.P.14191423Thomas Hooper
Henry VIStart of termEnd of termNameNotes14231424William Hertescott14241425Thomas Hooper14251426John Cokeworth and John MoreCould be John Cokeworthy I, a local politician. Presumably John Cokeworth died while in office, but this is not known for certain.14261427John Goldsmith14271428Thomas HooperServed seven years total as Mayor, making him the fourth longest serving Mayor of Barnstaple.14281432John Goldsmith14321433William Hertescott14331434William Bedwin14341435Richard Bowden14351437William Hertescott14371438William Bowden14381439William Rowe14391441Richard Bowden14411442John Mules14421443Richard Norris14431444William Bedwin14441445John Mules14451446Walter Hay14461447Richard Rowe14471448Walter Hayman14481449William Hertescott14491451Richard Newcombe14511452Nichola Bovey14521453William Upcott14531454Richard Pickard14541455John Widger14551456Walter Gaynock14561457William Charnier14571358Walter Gaynock14581459Richard Newcombe14591460John WidgerThe start of an 18 year stint of only Mayors named John.14601461John Bowden14611462John Smith
Edward IVStart of termEnd of termNameNotes14621463John Collins14631464John Widger14641465John Collins14651466John Widger14661467John Bowden14671468John Widger14681469John Pugsley14691470John Bowden14701471John Widger14711472John Squire14721473John Widger14731474John Bowden14741475John Pugsley14751476John Collins14761477John Hart14771478Philip StiganAnd with the swearing in of Philip Stigan comes the end of the 18-year stint of Johns.14781479John Branton14791480John Bowden14801481Thomas White14811482John Bowden14821483Richard Crews14831484Robert Symons
Richard IIStart of termEnd of termName14841485John Smith14851486Walter Nicholls
Henry VIIStart of termEnd of termName14861487William Dallington14871488William Hart14881489Philip Warington14891490Robert Symons14901491John Salisbury14911492William Dallington14921493Roger Colmer14931494Richard Parminter14941495Robert Symons14951496Arthur Merryfield14961497John Salisbury14971498Roger Colmer14981499Richard Parminter14991500William Cosby15001501John Salisbury15011502Richard Dobyn15021503Richard Symons15031504Philip Warington15041505Arthur Merryfield15051506John Upcott15061507John Smith15071508William Dolyn15081509Thomas Story15091510Robert Colmer
Henry VIIIStart of termEnd of termNameNotes15101511John Godsland15111512Thomas Story15121513William Dobney15131514John Godsland15141515Thomas Beck15151516Thomas FerryeProbably a misspelling of the later Mayor Thomas Ferry (1519-1520).15161517Thomas Alec15171518Robert Colmer15181519Thomas Alec15191520Thomas Ferry15201521Robert Cockram15211522Paul Smith15221523John Upcott15231524John Merryfield15241525Arthur Merryfield15251526John Godsland15261527Philip Colman15271529Richard Haydon15291530Thomas Beck15301531Walter Salisbury15311532Paul Smith15321533John Manyng15331534Richard GayBelongs to a family that is represented on the Mayors Chain of 1911.15341535David Philips15351536John Manyng15361537Philip Colmer15371538Baldwin PeardBelongs to a family that is represented on the Mayors Chain of 1911.15381539Richard Skinner15391540Walter Salisbury15401541Henry Drewe15411542John Manyng15421543Richard Gay15431544Thomas Jeffries15441545John Godsland15451546John Holland15461547William Canford15471548Thomas Davy
Edward VIStart of termEnd of termName15481549Henry Cade15491550Roger Worth15501551James Godsland15511552Richard Skinner15521553Thomas Davy15531554John Smith
MaryStart of termEnd of TermNameNotes15541555Robert Apley15551556Robert Cade15561557George StapletonStapleton was the first officially chartered Mayor of the Borough.15571558John Dart15581559William SalusburyMisspelled as 'Salisbury' on Barnstaple's official List of Mayors. Salusbury was also M.P. for Barnstaple between 1554 and 1558.
ElizabethStart of termEnd of termNameNotes15591560John BeapleBelongs to a family that is represented on the Mayors Chain of 1911.15601561Edward Colscott15611562John Daymond15621563Nicholas Whichalse15631564William Dawkins15641565Hugh Brazier15651566Oliver Peard15661567John Daymond15671568John Arscott15681569John Dart15691570Robert Apley15701571Robert Cade15711572Thomas BeapleBelongs to a family that is represented on the Mayors Chain of 1911.15721573Philip Holland15731574Hugh Brazier15741575William Dawkins15751576John Barrett15761577William Collibear15771578Paul Worth15781579John Harris15791580John DodderidgeWas M.P. for Barnstaple between 1646 and 1654. John Dodderidge was the grandfather of Pentecost Dodderidge, the original owner of the Dodderidge Fireplace which now resides in the Dodderidge room in Barnstaple's Guildhall. Belongs to a family that is represented on the Mayors Chain of 1911.15801581John Welsh15811582John Daymond15821583Robert Apley15831584Richard Apley15841585William Collibear15851586William Palmer15861587George Pyne15871587Richard PeardDied while in office, was succeeded by John Harris. Belongs to a family that is represented on the Mayors Chain of 1911.15871588John Harris15881589Robert Prowse15891590Richard DodderidgeBelongs to a family that is represented on the Mayors Chain of 1911. Father of Pentecost Dodderidge, original owner of the Dodderidge Fireplace which now resides in the Dodderidge room in Barnstaple's Guildhall.15901591Roger Beaple15911592Roger Cade15921593Paul Worth15931594James BeapleBelongs to a family that is represented on the Mayors Chain of 1911.15941595William Collibear15951596George Pyne15961597John Harris15971598Robert Apley Jr15981599Nicholas Down15991600Roger Beaple16001601John Delbridge16011602George Stanbury16021603Bartholemew Harris16031604Paul Worth