Misplaced Pages

#855144

84-528: Marstons Mills (sometimes spelled Marston's Mills ) is a village in the town of Barnstable, Massachusetts , United States. It is primarily residential, located on Massachusetts Route 28 , and rural in nature. Main roads also include Massachusetts Route 149 , Race Lane, River Road, Osterville-West Barnstable Road, and Santuit-Newtown Road. The village was first settled by Roger Goodspeed before 1653. His granddaughter Lydia married Benjamin Marston, who developed

168-496: A tertiary college in Barnstaple. In 2012, 58 per cent of Devon students achieved 5 GCSEs grade A* to C. The UK average is 59 per cent. Petroc (formerly North Devon College ) is a tertiary college offering a wide range of vocational and academic further education to more than 3,000 young people over 16. It was due to spend £100 million on a new campus to be opened on Seven Brethren in 2011, but this fell through when

252-414: A Northeastern Oak / Pine ( 110 ) vegetation type with a Southern Mixed Forest ( 26 ) vegetation form. As of the census of 2000, there were 47,821 people, 19,626 households, and 13,012 families residing in the town. The population density was 796.5 inhabitants per square mile (307.5/km ). There were 25,018 housing units at an average density of 416.7 per square mile (160.9/km ). The racial makeup of

336-484: A charter of incorporation from Mary I in 1557. The council built the Guildhall on High Street in 1828 to serve as its meeting place. It was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1836, governed by a corporate body officially called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Barnstaple", but generally known as the corporation or town council. The borough boundaries, which had previously been identical to

420-659: A conservation area near the River Taw, hundreds of new homes, a retail area of shops, restaurants and leisure facilities. By far the largest employer in the region is local and central government, particularly the Royal Marines Base Chivenor , 3 miles (5 km) west of the town, and North Devon District Hospital , 1 mile (1.6 km) to the north. In 2005 unemployment in North Devon was 1.8–2.4 per cent, while median per capita wage for North Devon

504-529: A ditch outside the town walls. The area of medieval shipbuilding and repair is still called The Strand, an early word for shore. Barnstaple has cool wet winters and mild wet summers. Mean high temperatures range from 9 C (48 F) in January to 21 C (70 F) in July. The record high is 34 C (94 F) and the record low −9 C (16 F). October is the wettest month with 103 mm (4.1 in) of rain. The mean annual rainfall

588-421: A guild which appointed a mayor. The claim in 1340 was made as part of a petition to Edward III seeking a new charter with additional powers. This was resisted by the lord of the feudal barony of Barnstaple . Following an inquisition ad quod damnum it was ruled that the town was in fact a lower status mesne borough answerable to the lord, rather than a free borough responsible directly to the monarch. The mayor

672-462: A high glass and timber roof on iron columns. The name is first recorded in the 10th century and is thought to derive from the Early English bearde , meaning "battle-axe", and stapol , meaning "pillar", i.e. a post or pillar to mark a religious or administrative meeting place. The derivation from staple meaning "market", indicating a market from its foundation, is likely to be incorrect, as

756-649: A majority of the Barnstable City Council. He was succeeded by the executive director of the Barnstable Housing Authority, Thomas K. Lynch . Mark Ells has served as the Town Manager since 2016. The town hall is located in the village of Hyannis, and the police station is located on Route 132, closer to the geographic center of the town. There are eight fire stations, seven libraries, and ten post offices located throughout

840-528: A need removed when travelling time to the M5 motorway was roughly halved. With Barnstaple as the main shopping area for North Devon, retail work contributes to the economy. There are chain stores in the town centre and in the Roundswell Business Park, on the western fringe of the town. Multi-million pound redevelopment round the former Leaderflush Shapland works at Anchorwood Bank is creating

924-445: A notable broach spire , claimed by W. G. Hoskins to be the best of its kind in the country. Inside the church are many mural monuments to 17th-century merchants, such as Raleigh Clapham (died 1636), George Peard (died 1644) and Thomas Horwood (died 1658), reflecting the prosperity of the town at that time. The interior of the church was heavily restored by George Gilbert Scott from 1866, and then by his son John Oldrid Scott into

SECTION 10

#1732780824856

1008-763: A payment from the Corporation of Barnstaple in 1630 for "riding to Exeter about the Spanish Company." in St Peter's Church, and on the decorated plaster ceiling of the old Golden Lion Inn , Boutport Street, now a restaurant beside the Royal and Fortescue Hotel. The town benefited from rising trade with America in the 16th and 17th centuries, for the benefit of wealthy merchants who built impressive town houses. Some of these survive behind more recent frontages, for instance No. 62 Boutport Street, said to have one of

1092-477: A site in Brighton , Sussex. A lasting effect on the town has been the development and expansion of industrial estates at Seven Brethren, Whiddon Valley and Pottington. Whilst the 1989 opening of the improved A361 connection to the motorway network assisted trade in ways such as weekend tourism, it was detrimental to some distribution businesses. These had previously seen the town as a base for local distribution,

1176-563: A summary of the Pannier Market: "Largely unchanged in over 150 years, Barnstaple's historic Pannier Market has a wide range of stalls, with everything from fresh local produce, flowers and crafts, to prints and pictures, fashion and... two cafés." The Pannier Market, Butchers Row, has been a Grade II listed building since 1951. In Barnstaple Around Barnstaple In 1989, the A361 North Devon Link Road

1260-548: A supporter of his. In the 12th century, stone buildings were built over the motte, possibly during Henry de Tracy's tenure. The castle descended through his family to another Henry de Tracy, who held the castle in 1228 when Henry III ordered the Sheriff of Devon to make sure its walls did not exceed 10 feet (3.0 m) in height. By the death of the last Henry de Tracey in 1274, the castle had begun to decay. An inquisition of 1281 found that building materials had been removed from

1344-792: Is Exeter Airport . Barnstaple railway station is the terminus of a branch line from Exeter known as the Tarka Line after a local connection with Tarka the Otter . The station is near the end of the Long Bridge, on the opposite bank of the Taw to the town centre. Several other stations closed with the publication of the Reshaping of British Railways (the Beeching Axe) report in the 1960s. The surviving one had been opened on 1 August 1854 by

1428-499: Is 862 mm (33.9 in), with rain on 138 days. Barnstaple parish population in the 1801 census was 3,748, in 1901 9,698, and in 2001 22,497. In 2011 the racial make-up was: As a major town, Barnstaple has a similar ethnic make-up to other south-west towns such as Truro and Cullompton . It is more diverse than the North Devon district (95.9% White British ) and Devon as a whole (94.2% White British). North Devon

1512-592: Is a historical name, which was revived in the Victorian era in several novels. It remains in the names of a football team, a brewery and several businesses, and on numerous milestones. The former Brannam Pottery in Litchdon Street was known for its trademark "Barum" etched on the base of its products. The earliest local settlement was probably at Pilton by the River Yeo , now a northern suburb. Pilton

1596-560: Is a river-port 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, it was licensed to export wool from which it earned great wealth. Later it imported Irish wool, but its harbour silted up and other trades developed such as shipbuilding, foundries and sawmills. A Victorian market building survives, with

1680-694: Is also home to the Academy of Early Learning (Pre-K–6), Veritas Academy (K–8), and the Cape Cod Academy , a private K–12 school. There are also two special education schools (Southeast Alternative & Beacon Point), as well as the Sturgis Charter School , which serves high school-aged students. Additionally, high school students have the option of attending Cape Cod Regional Technical High School in Harwich free of charge. Barnstable

1764-464: Is also of interest, as is the Pannier Market beneath it. The museum has an "arts and crafts" appearance with tessellated floors and locally made staircase and decorative fireplaces. Barnstaple Castle, founded in the 11th or 12th century and first mentioned the 12th century, may derive from Juhel (Joel) of Totnes in the early 12th century. King Stephen granted the castle to Henry de Tracy,

SECTION 20

#1732780824856

1848-531: Is approximately 30 inches (76 cm). The average snowiest month is February, which corresponds with the annual peak in nor'easter activity. According to the United States Department of Agriculture , the plant hardiness zone is 7a, with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 0.3 °F (-17.6 °C). According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. Potential natural vegetation Types, Barnstable, Massachusetts would primarily contain

1932-467: Is approximately 70 miles (110 km) southeast of Boston . The Town of Barnstable contains several villages, which are not legally defined entities. Between seven and eleven are commonly enumerated, listed below with ZIP codes: To the north of Barnstable lie the dunes of Sandy Neck along Barnstable Harbor , tipped by the Sandy Neck Light . The central part of the town is dominated by

2016-537: Is less prevalent than fishing in Marstons Mills; the only hunting area is on conservation land in northwestern Marstons Mills, called West Barnstable Conservation. Hunting includes rabbit, deer, and wild turkey. Barnstable, Massachusetts Barnstable takes its name from the English town of Barnstaple , in the county of Devon . The first European to explore the area was Bartholomew Gosnold in 1602. It

2100-483: Is mostly residential, with Liberty Hall and the Marstons Mills Public Library located on the road. Marstons Mills Community Church is located near the former Marstons Mills Elementary School and across from Liberty Hall. Marstons Mills has two elementary schools, West Villages Elementary and Barnstable United Elementary School. West Villages Elementary School houses students grades K-3. From

2184-485: Is on the site of the old fairgrounds. Although Cape Cod is known for its fishing industry, Marstons Mills' fishing is for recreation only, aside from Prince Cove which is the only gateway to the ocean. All but two bodies of water in the village are considered lakes for depth and water surface area. Fishing in the smaller ponds include mainly small perch and bass. Mercury in the fish is a concern in Mystic Lake. Hunting

2268-444: Is one of thirteen Massachusetts municipalities that have applied for, and been granted, city forms of government but wish to retain "the town of" in their official names. The first town manager , Warren Rutherford, held office from 1990 to 1997. His successor, James Tinsley, served from 1997 to 1999. He was succeeded by former state representative John C. Klimm . Klimm had his contract bought out in 2011 due to internal disputes among

2352-579: Is provided by the Massachusetts Coastal Railroad . The Cape Cod Central Railroad operates seasonal tourist excursions from Hyannis to Sandwich and Sagamore , with some scheduled weekend stops at the West Barnstable depot on Route 149 near Route 6A. The town is the site of two airports. Cape Cod Airfield is a smaller airfield, used primarily for private travel, and Barnstable Municipal Airport at Polando Field

2436-660: Is recorded in the Burghal Hidage (c. 917) as a burh founded by Alfred the Great , and may have undergone a Viking attack in 893, but by the later 10th-century Barnstaple had taken over its local defence. It had a mint before the Norman Conquest. The feudal barony of Barnstaple had its caput at Barnstaple Castle , granted by William the Conqueror to Geoffrey de Montbray , who appears as its holder in

2520-728: Is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Second, Third and Fifth Barnstable districts. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a part of the Cape and Islands district, which encompasses most of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. The town is patrolled by the Second (Yarmouth) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police . On

2604-501: Is some distance from Britain's traditional areas of industrial activity and population. In the late 1970s it gained several industrial firms due to the availability of central government grants for opening factories and operating them on low or zero levels of local taxation. This was scarcely successful, with few lasting beyond the few years that grants were available. One success was the manufacturing of generic medicines by Cox Pharmaceuticals (now branded Allergan ), which moved in 1980 from

Marstons Mills, Massachusetts - Misplaced Pages Continue

2688-494: Is the home of Cape Cod Community College , a two-year junior college affiliated with Suffolk University in Boston. Both U.S. Route 6 and Massachusetts Route 28 pass through the town from west to east, with Route 6 being a four-lane freeway through the town. Routes 6A , 132 , 149 and a brief, 1/10 mile portion of 130 are also located in town. Route 6A follows an east–west route to the north of Route 6, on its route between

2772-527: Is used for regional flights, especially between the Cape and the islands. Regional airline Cape Air is headquartered in Barnstable. The nearest national and international air service can be reached at Logan International Airport in Boston. Hyannis is also the site of the main ferry lines to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard . Barnstaple Barnstaple ( / ˈ b ɑːr n s t ə b əl / or / ˈ b ɑːr n s t ə p əl / )

2856-649: The Borough of Barnstaple had two members in the House of Commons until 1885, when this was reduced to one. The constituency was replaced for the 1950 general election by the large modern constituency of North Devon , held by Nick Harvey MP of the Liberal Democrats from 1992 until 2015, when Peter Heaton-Jones of the Conservative Party was elected and re-elected in 2017. Between 2019 and 2024

2940-525: The Bristol Channel . On the north side, the Taw is joined by the River Yeo, which rises on Berry Down near Combe Martin . Most of the town lies on the east bank of the estuary, connected to the west by the ancient Barnstaple Long Bridge , with 16 arches. The town's early medieval layout still appears from the street plan and street names, with Boutport Street ("About the Port") following the curved line of

3024-528: The Guildhall on High Street and has its offices at Barum House on The Square. Barnstaple was an ancient borough . Its early status as a borough was ambiguous; in 1340 the town's guild claimed it had been incorporated in 930 by King Athelstan in a charter which had since been lost. The town was described as a borough in the Domesday Book of 1086, and from at least 1210 the town was being run by

3108-585: The Learning and Skills Council withdrew £75 million in funding in January 2009. Petroc was launched in September 2009, a year after NDC merged with Tiverton's East Devon College . St Peter's Church is the parish church of Barnstaple. Its oldest parts probably date to the 13th century, though the nave, chancel and tower date from 1318, when three altars were dedicated by Bishop Stapledon . The north and south aisles were added in about 1670. The church has

3192-543: The National Register of Historic Places include the Ancient Burying Ground and Gideon Hawley House , representing the town's colonial history. The town's many beaches are popular tourist destinations as well. Barnstable is located at 41°39′33″N 70°21′11″W  /  41.65917°N 70.35306°W  / 41.65917; -70.35306 (41.659158, –70.353059), about halfway along

3276-527: The North Devon Railway (later the London and South Western Railway ), although a service had operated from Fremington since 1848 for goods traffic only. The station became "Barnstaple Junction" on 20 July 1874, when the railway opened the branch line to Ilfracombe , reverting to plain "Barnstaple" when this was closed on 5 October 1970. It is now a terminus and much reduced in size, as part of

3360-782: The Sagamore Bridge and the Orleans Rotary. Routes 132 and 149 are both entirely located within the town, and both begin at 6A and end at Route 28. Since 2013, the CapeFlyer passenger rail service has run on weekends between Memorial Day and Columbus Day. The Kingston/Route 3 and Middleborough/Lakeville stations of the MBTA's commuter rail system provide the closest, year-round, direct service to Boston. The nearest inter-city ( Amtrak ) passenger rail stations are Boston's South Station and Providence . Freight rail service

3444-553: The "biceps" of the Cape Cod "arm". According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 76.3 square miles (197.7 km ), of which 59.8 square miles (154.9 km ) is land and 16.5 square miles (42.8 km ), or 21.66%, is water. It is bordered by Cape Cod Bay on the north, Nantucket Sound on the south, Sandwich and Mashpee on the west and Yarmouth on the east. Barnstable

Marstons Mills, Massachusetts - Misplaced Pages Continue

3528-615: The 1086 Domesday Book . The barony fell to the Crown in 1095 after Montbray rebelled against William II . He transferred the barony to Juhel de Totnes , a feudal baron of Totnes . By 1107 Juhel had founded Totnes Priory and then Barnstaple Priory , of the Cluniac order , dedicated to St Mary Magdalene . After Juhel's son died intestate, the barony was split between the de Braose and Tracy families, before reuniting under Henry de Tracy. It then passed through several families, before ending in

3612-459: The 1880s, leaving it "dark and dull", according to Hoskins. Other religious buildings include St Anne's Chapel (a 14th-century chantry chapel , now a museum) in the parish churchyard. The Church of St Mary the Virgin in the suburb of Pilton is 13th-century and a Grade I listed building; Holy Trinity , built in the 1840s but necessarily rebuilt in 1867 as its foundations were unsound. It has

3696-703: The MP was the Conservative Selaine Saxby . Since 2024 the MP has been the Liberal Democrat Ian Roome . Barnstaple is the largest town in North Devon. It lies 68 miles (109 km) west-south-west of Bristol , 50 miles (80 km) north of Plymouth and 34 miles (55 km) north-west of the county town and city of Exeter . It was founded at the lowest crossing point of the River Taw , where its estuary starts to widen, about 7 miles (11 km) inland from Barnstaple Bay in

3780-498: The North Devon Link Road. Barnstaple is twinned with: Barnstaple has an eclectic mix of architectural styles, with the 19th century predominant, despite remnants of early buildings and several early plaster ceilings. St Anne's Chapel in the central churchyard can be seen as the most important ancient building to survive. Queen Anne's Walk was erected in about 1708 as a mercantile exchange. The Georgian Guildhall

3864-696: The Red Hawks are Dennis/Yarmouth and Falmouth. Barnstable has played Falmouth in football on Thanksgiving Day nearly every year since 1895, making the annual game one of the longest-standing high school football rivalries in history. In addition to its public schools, there are also several private schools in Barnstable. There are five Christian schools, three of which are not Catholic: Bayberry Christian Academy (K–3), Faith Christian School (Pre-K–12), and Trinity Christian Academy (Pre-K–12). There are two Catholic schools, Saint Francis Xavier Prep (5–8) and Pope John Paul II High School , which opened in 2007. Barnstable

3948-600: The Town of Barnstable closed three elementary schools. It made the BHMCS into a grade four and five school and Barnstable Middle School into Barnstable Intermediate School for grades six and seven. The eighth grade moved into Barnstable High School. Marstons Mills has many notable lakes, cranberry bogs, and ponds, including Mystic Lake, Middle Pond, Hamblin Pond, and Shubael Pond. Marstons Mills has no saltwater beaches. Burgess Park and

4032-420: The Town's fourth and fifth grade students. The Barnstable Intermediate School (formerly Barnstable Middle School) serves grades six and seven. Barnstable High School serves grades eight through twelve. Barnstable's athletic teams are nicknamed the Red Hawks, and their colors are red and white. Their teams are highly successful because of the large student body from which to choose players. Notable town rivals of

4116-418: The age of 18 living with them, 52.4% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.88. In the town the population was spread out, with 22.0% under

4200-460: The age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males. The median income for a household in the town was $ 46,811, and the median income for a family was $ 54,026. Males had a median income of $ 41,494 versus $ 30,442 for females. The per capita income for

4284-516: The best plaster ceilings in Devon. The merchants also built almshouses , including Penrose's , and backed their legacy with elaborate family monuments inside the church. By the 18th century, Barnstaple had ceased to be a woollen manufacturing town. Its output was replaced from Ireland, for which it was the main landing place; the raw materials were then taken by land to clothmaking towns in mid and east-Devon, such as Tiverton and Honiton . However,

SECTION 50

#1732780824856

4368-422: The castle without permission; by 1326 it was a ruin. Part of the castle walls blew down in a storm in 1601. The Neo-Gothic Manor of Tawstock , originally Tawstock House, is two miles south of Barnstaple. It replaced an earlier Tudor mansion, built in 1574 but lost to a fire in 1787. The Grade II listed St Anne's Chapel was restored in 2012 and is used as a community centre that can accommodate 60 people. It

4452-573: The construction in 1855–1856 of a Pannier Market , originally known as the Vegetable Market and designed by local architect R. D. Gould. This has a high glass-and-timber roof on iron columns. At 107 yards (98 m) long, it runs the length of Butchers' Row. Market days are Monday – Crafts and General (April to December), Tuesday – General and Produce, Wednesday – Arts Collectables and Books, Thursday – Crafts and General, Friday – General and Produce, and Saturday – General and Produce. Built on

4536-501: The early 19th century. Between the 1930s and the 1950s the urban area grew to incorporate the villages of Pilton , Newport, and Roundswell through ribbon development . There are three tiers of local government covering Barnstaple, at parish (town), district and county level: Barnstaple Town Council, North Devon Council (based just outside Barnstaple) and Devon County Council (based in Exeter ). Barnstaple Town Council meets at

4620-401: The far side of the street at the same time as the Pannier Market, Butchers' Row has ten shops with pilasters of Bath Stone and wrought-iron supports for an overhanging roof. Only one is still a butcher's, although successor shops still sell local farm goods. There is a baker, a delicatessen , two fishmongers , a florist and a greengrocer. In early 2020, the local Council web site provided

4704-410: The founder of Barnstable. A memorial tablet was dedicated there in 1939 (the 300th anniversary of the town's founding) marking the site of his home, and the rock from which he preached still stands along the highway there. Soon after the town's founding, agriculture, fishing and salt works became its major industries. By the end of the 19th century, there were some 804 ships harbored in the town. But

4788-506: The fulling mill and weaving operations, giving the village its namesake. Benjamin built a cottage which stands today as the William Marston House , and is considered a historical building by the town. Marstons Mills is located on glacial outwash plains , the northern boundary of which is the moraine hills of the West Barnstable conservation lands. The plains consist of sands and gravels deposited by glacial meltwaters; to

4872-483: The hands of Margaret Beaufort (died 1509), mother of King Henry VII . A market is first recorded in 1274. The town's wealth in the Middle Ages rested on being a staple port licensed to export wool. It had an early merchant guild of St Nicholas. In the early 14th century it was Devon's third richest town after Exeter and Plymouth, and its largest textile centre outside Exeter until about 1600. The wool trade

4956-581: The harbour was silting up. As early as c. 1630 Tristram Risdon reported, "It hardly beareth small vessels." Bideford, lower down the estuary and benefiting from the scouring by the fast-flowing River Torridge , gradually took over the trade. Although Barnstaple's trade in 1680–1730 was surpassed by Bideford 's, it retained economic importance into the early 20th century, manufacturing lace, gloves, sail-cloth and fishing-nets, with extensive potteries, tanneries, sawmills and foundries, and some shipbuilding still carried on. The Bear Street drill hall dates from

5040-418: The herring run provide leisure opportunities for adults and children of all ages. Burgess Park was purchased by the town in 1989 for its historic and scenic values. It has proven to be a very popular park for many different activities, most notably disc golf . The village survey revealed that this property is favored second only to the pond beaches and is also identified as one of the valued scenic views. Concern

5124-601: The mid-1990s until 2003, Barnstable Middle School at Marstons Mills housed grades 6 through 8. After the closing of the town's fifth grade building, the Marstons Mills Middle School recombined with Barnstable Middle School at Hyannis in Barnstable. The building that housed the former middle school was then converted to Barnstable Horace Mann Charter School (BHMCS), with students in grades 5 and 6. Students in grades 7 and 8 attend Barnstable Middle School (formerly Barnstable Middle School at Hyannis). In 2008

SECTION 60

#1732780824856

5208-490: The national level, Barnstable is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district , and is currently represented by William R. Keating . The state's senior (Class II) member of the United States Senate , is Elizabeth Warren . The junior senator from Massachusetts is Ed Markey , elected in 2013. Barnstable has the largest public school enrollment of any town on Cape Cod, with over 5,000 students. In 2010,

5292-424: The new district of North Devon. A successor parish was created covering the area of the former borough, with its council taking the name Barnstaple Town Council. The Civic Centre passed to North Devon Council, whilst the town council was initially based at the Guildhall. In 1993 the town council acquired Barum House on The Square to serve as its offices, but continues to use the Guildhall for meetings. From 1295

5376-499: The parish of Tawstock . The town council moved its offices to Castle House in the grounds of the castle in 1927, which in turn was replaced by a new Civic Centre on North Walk in 1969. The borough of Barnstaple was abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 , with the area merging with Barnstaple Rural District , South Molton Rural District and the urban districts of Ilfracombe and Lynton to become

5460-508: The parish of Barnstaple, were enlarged at the same time to include part of the parish of Pilton (including the village itself) and the Newport area from the parish of Bishop's Tawton . The borough was further enlarged in 1899 to take in the Rolle's Quay area from Pilton and an area on the west bank of the River Taw (including Barnstaple Junction railway station ) which had previously been in

5544-780: The pines and oaks around Wequaquet Lake . The south is where the bulk of the population lives, many along the beaches of Centerville and Hyannis Harbors. Hyannis is the biggest village in Barnstable by size and population. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Barnstable has a humid continental climate ( Dfb ). Dfb climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ 32.0 °F (≤ 0.0 °C), at least four months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0 °F (≥ 10.0 °C), all months with an average mean temperature ≤ 71.6 °F (≤ 22.0 °C), and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. The average seasonal (Nov-Apr) snowfall total

5628-670: The public school system underwent major changes due to budgetary constraints. The presently operational schools include: the Enoch Cobb Early Learning Center for pre-school students and five elementary schools serving various grades, including: Centerville Elementary School (K–3), Barnstable Community Horace Mann Public Charter School (formerly Hyannis East Elementary School) (K–3), West Villages Elementary School (formerly Marstons Mills East Elementary School) (K–3), Hyannis West Elementary School (K–3), and Barnstable-West Barnstable Elementary School (K–3). The Barnstable United Elementary School (formerly Barnstable Horace Mann Charter School ) serves

5712-425: The role of sailing ships declined with the rise of ocean-going steamships and the railroad, which had arrived in 1854. By the late 19th century, Barnstable was becoming world-renowned as the tourist destination it still is to this day. Many prominent Bostonians spent their summers on the Cape shores, as did presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Grover Cleveland . The most well-known family of the 20th century to summer in

5796-440: The site has been used for the Barnstaple Western Bypass . The Ilfracombe branch line brought the railway across the river into the town centre. Barnstaple Quay was situated close by the Castle Mound. It closed in 1898 in favour of a nearby Barnstaple Town station at North Walk, which was also the terminus of the narrow-gauge Lynton and Barnstaple Railway , until that closed in 1935. The narrow-gauge line's main operating centre

5880-476: The south finer particles of silts and clays form good agricultural soils. Steep slopes overlook the Marstons Mills River and Little River. These river valleys were cut by much more powerful forerunners of the present rivers, which are little more than streams today. Stripped of vegetation, these slopes erode easily and can become unstable. Ponds are formed in deep kettle holes , the most notable of which are Mystic, Middle, and Hamblin. Main Street in Marstons Mills

5964-426: The town was $ 25,554. About 6.3% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over. Barnstable has a council–manager government . It was created in 1989, when the Town rewrote its charter and changed from a selectmen-town meeting form of government to adopt a council-manager system. The council hires the town manager. Barnstable

6048-528: The town was 91.85% White , 2.74% Black or African American , 0.59% Native American , 0.81% Asian , 0.04% Pacific Islander , 1.67% from other races , and 2.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.70% of the population. 24.2% were of Irish, 13.3% English, 9.3% Italian and 5.5% American ancestry according to Census 2000 . 92.1% spoke English, 3.4% Portuguese , 1.6% Spanish and 1.0% French as their first language. There were 19,626 households, out of which 26.9% had children under

6132-728: The town was, and remains, the Kennedy family . They still inhabit the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port. This was the summer home of President John F. Kennedy during his administration, and it was likewise the home of Senator Ted Kennedy until his death. Today, tourists come in droves to the town during the summer months. Hyannis has numerous shops. Other attractions include the John F. Kennedy Museum and several other museums. Significant sites and renowned historic houses listed on

6216-526: The town. The largest, or central branches, are usually located in the downtown Hyannis area. Hyannis also is the site of the Cape Cod Hospital, which serves the central Cape region. As the county seat of Barnstable County, the town is the site of the county courthouse and juvenile lockup at the old House of Corrections, as well as the Offices of the Cape and Islands District Attorney . Barnstable

6300-689: The use of staple in that sense first appears in 1423. Barnstaple was formerly referred to as "Barum", as a contraction of the Latin form of the name ad Barnastapolitum in Latin documents such as the episcopal registers of the Diocese of Exeter . The spelling Barnstable was also used for the town but is now obsolete, although that spelling is retained in America by a town in Massachusetts and its county , which were named after Barnstaple. Barum

6384-571: Was 73 per cent of the UK national average. The level of work in the informal or casual sector is high, partly during seasonal tourism. By 2018 unemployment in North Devon had fallen from a 2010 high to 1.2 per cent, while median weekly full-time pay stood at £440 per week and average housing prices at £230,000. The number of businesses registered has risen by 370 since 2010 to 4,895. The year 2018 also saw government investment through Coastal Community grants and Housing Infrastructure funds £83 million to upgrade

6468-527: Was aided by its port, from which five ships were contributed to a force sent to fight the Spanish Armada in 1588. Barnstaple was one of the "privileged ports" of the Spanish Company , (established 1577), whose armorials appear on two mural monuments to 17th-century merchants: Richard Beaple (died 1643), three times Mayor, and Richard Ferris (Mayor in 1632), who with Alexander Horwood received

6552-705: Was an ancient Gothic chantry chapel , whose assets were acquired by the Mayor of Barnstaple and others in 1585, some time after the Dissolution of the Monasteries . A deed of feoffment dated 1 November 1585 exists in the George Grant Francis collection in Cardiff. Barnstaple has been the major market for North Devon since Saxon times. Demands for health regulation of its Victorian food market saw

6636-560: Was at nearby Pilton . A separate Barnstaple station, renamed Barnstaple (Victoria Road) in 1949, was opened to the east of the town in 1873 as the terminus of the Devon and Somerset Railway and later part of the Great Western Railway . A junction was provided to allow trains access to Barnstaple Junction and these ran through to Ilfracombe. It was closed in 1970. There are selected primary and secondary state schools and

6720-529: Was built between Barnstaple and the M5 motorway , some 40 miles (65 km) to the east. Traffic congestion in the town was severe, but in May 2007, the Barnstaple Western Bypass was opened to take traffic towards Braunton and Ilfracombe away from the town centre and ancient bridge. It consists of 1.6 miles (2.6 km) of new road and a 447 yards (409 m) long, five-span bridge, and

6804-673: Was expected to have cost £42 million. The town's main square was remodelled as the entrance to the town centre, and The Strand was closed to traffic. The A39 , the Atlantic Highway, follows after the A361 to Bideford and to Bude and then further towards Cornwall. Most of Barnstaple's bus network is run by Stagecoach South West & Filers. The main bus station is at the junction of Queen Street and Belle Meadow Drive. National Express has coach services to London, Heathrow Airport, Taunton, Bristol and Birmingham. The nearest airport

6888-419: Was expressed, however, for the incompatible nature and location of play equipment at Burgess Park. The Long Pond Conservation has a scenic bike path (off Newtown Road). The only grass airport left on the Cape is Cape Cod Airfield , which originally started in 1929 and was a Massachusetts Air National Guard summer training site in the 1930s. There is also the 18-hole Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds Golf Course, which

6972-547: Was settled in 1638, as one of the first towns in the Plymouth Colony , one year behind Sandwich further south in Massachusetts on Cape Cod. It was incorporated on September 4, 1639, the same day as the towns of Sandwich, and Yarmouth . On the first Tuesday of December, the same year, its deputies took their seats in the general court. The early settlers were farmers, led by the Reverend Joseph Hull ,

7056-456: Was therefore not recognised as such by the monarch, but was deemed to be merely a bailiff of the lord. The guild made several other unsuccessful attempts to secure a charter from the king throughout the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, including seeking confirmation of rights supposedly conferred by charters from Henry II and subsequent monarchs, but those charters were forgeries, copied from Exeter's charters. The town eventually secured

#855144